Orzo is a form of pasta, which is shorter than normal and shaped like a grain of rice. It is available in several colors and can be served in many dishes. However, the question arises as to whether it is healthier than rice.
For example, in Spain there are pine nuts that are similar to orzo pasta. According to most consumers, orzo tastes good and is full of carbohydrates. This makes it a good staple and can be used in many recipes.
What is it?
Numerous types of pasta originate from Italian cuisine. Orzo is a barley grain-shaped pasta. It is made mainly of semolina flour, but you can also find other flours mixed into this product depending on the manufacturer. Semolina flour is made from durum wheat. It is coarser than other flours, resulting in products that have slightly firmer textures. Semolina flour is also used to make foods like couscous, bulgur, freekeh, breads, and desserts.
Like other wheat products, semolina flour can be made as a whole grain or refined product. We can buy refined or whole wheat orzo, which means that the nutrition information for particular orzo will be different accordingly.
Like other whole grain products, whole wheat orzo nutrition is higher in dietary fiber. Whole grain products often have more health benefits.
Nutrients
The nutritional content of orzo pasta is quite similar to regular pasta. On average, orzo pasta (100 gram portion) contains the following nutrients and substances:
- Energy: 160 calories
- Carbohydrates: 30,9 grams
- Starch: 26 grams
- Sugar: 0,6 grams
- Fiber: 1,8 grams
- Fat: 0,9 grams
- Protein: 5,8 grams
- Water: 62 grams
Rich in carbohydrates
It is true that, if we look at the nutritional value of this pasta, there is a large amount of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an important part of our nutrition. Without it, the body will not function properly and will stop working. Therefore, you need your daily carbohydrate intake.
There are many sources of carbohydrates, the most common being rice, potatoes, and corn. But we can also get a decent amount of carbs from orzo pasta. According to analysis, it has 30,9 grams of total amount of carbohydrates. This is enough to meet the minimum required amount of carbohydrates for the benefits of eating sweet potatoes for breakfast.
High in fiber
Based on nutritional value, orzo pasta contains a high amount of fiber (approximately 1,8 grams). This is good for people with digestion problems, such as constipation. It also means that orzo pasta is a type of food that will keep us hungry for longer. It is also proven that high fiber foods can improve the metabolism of the body.
High-fiber foods like orzo pasta are also good for lowering blood sugar (glucose) and insulin in a diabetic, which means they can reduce diabetes risks in a healthy person. In general, high-fiber orzo pasta can improve the body's metabolism, benefit the health of diabetics, and reduce the risks of some diseases.
Services
Orzo may provide certain health advantages, although the benefits may depend on the type we buy.
Weight loss
This is one of the valuable health benefits of orzo pasta. We all want to have an ideal body with a proportional weight. A fit and healthy body will give us many advantages and better performance. The first step we can take to lose weight is to watch what we eat. In other words, we must control the diet.
One of the foods that can safely be part of the diet is orzo pasta. It is naturally low in fat and sugar. In addition, it also provides protein and energy (two elements necessary to keep us in shape). Therefore, we can have a delicious meal in an orzo pasta without having to worry about weight and health benefits.
Promotes satiety
Refined orzo may not provide enough fiber to keep us full for an extended period of time. But the integral can keep you full for a long time, especially if we combine it with vegetables, meat, poultry or fish.
We'll add olive oil to the orzo to make it even more filling and contribute to a long-lasting feeling of satiety due to the healthy fatty acids in the oil.
Reduces stress
This is another of the exclusive benefits of orzo pasta that we can easily achieve. According to scientific studies, certain types of food can reduce the level of stress and mental tension, as well as stimulate happiness.
Orzo pasta seems to have these qualities. Good taste combined with colorful and interesting appearance can surely improve anyone's mood.
Orzo vs rice
Orzo (also called risoni) is a small rice-shaped pasta that can be used in many recipes as a substitute for this cereal. If we compare a serving of 2/3 cup of cooked orzo, 2/3 cup of cooked brown rice and 1 cup of cooked white basmati rice. Since white rice is not as dense, these servings deliver a similar weight of food.
These are similar in carbohydrate content, but orzo provides twice the protein of brown rice and a few more calories. All of these are low in fat. Brown rice provides nearly twice the fiber as white rice. When cooled, orzo, like all pasta, produces resistant starch, an important type of fiber.
Brown rice is a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and B6, as well as smaller amounts of iron, zinc, and selenium. Orzo is a good source of thiamine and niacin, and also provides some B6, folate, iron, and zinc. On the other hand, white rice provides more zinc than the others, but has much lower amounts of other nutrients.
So both fit into a healthy diet, and variety is important, although brown rice wins as a healthy carb.
Contraindications
There are really no downsides to eating orzo pasta, unless we need to follow a gluten-free diet. Overall, orzo offers more benefits than drawbacks, and it's delicious and filling.
Allergies
Many people think that orzo is a gluten-free cereal, but this is a common misconception. Because orzo comes from a type of wheat flour, it is not a gluten free food, and people who have allergies or insensitivity to gluten should avoid it.
Now that gluten-free diets have become more popular, it's pretty easy to find gluten-free "orzo." Many supermarkets sell celiac brands, which is made with 70% cornmeal and 30% rice flour.
Weight gain
One thing worth noting is the relatively high caloric content. For reference, orzo provides approximately 50 percent more calories than the same amount of white rice. Orzo is a fairly dense food, so if we're trying to lose weight, we'll be sure to read the Nutrition Facts label and pay attention to the serving size on the orzo product we buy.
Also, keep in mind that refined white cereal products do not offer the same benefits as whole grain products, and consumption of refined grains (along with consumption of whole grains) has been linked to bloating, changes in blood sugar, and bad mood.
How to use?
This pasta is very easy to prepare. To enjoy the orzo, we will prepare it as we would any other pasta. The package we buy will have specific instructions, but we can always follow these general guidelines for cooking orzo:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil on the ceramic hob.
- Add the orzo.
- Return the pot to a boil for eight to 10 minutes (longer for a more tender result).
- We will pour the contents of the pot into a strainer to drain the water.
Toss the cooked orzo in olive oil to prevent it from clumping. From there, we can add the cooked orzo to any dish.