100% whole wheat pasta: Why eat anything else?

Garofalo Whole Wheat Pappardelle from Italy dressed in fragrant Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco Wholesale.

Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti and sardines glistening with added extra-virgin olive oil.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

You can find 100% whole wheat pasta in almost any food market, and it's available in so many shapes there is no reason to continue eating the conventional kind.

With whole wheat, you get more flavor, 100% whole grains and fewer carbohydrates, and your body will process it better.

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Markets sell 100% whole wheat pasta in a variety of shapes, and you get a better deal at those stores than at a conventional supermarket.

At both stores, the whole wheat pasta is organic, and Whole Foods' linguine and shells are made in Italy.

Both also charge $1.39 for a full pound of whole wheat pasta, but at ShopRite, I noticed that Ronzoni's 100% whole wheat pastas comes in 12-ounce boxes at a higher price.

Barilla uses only 51% whole wheat in its whole grain pastas, and sells them in 13.5-ounce boxes.

A brand from Italy I saw at ShopRite comes in 16-ounce boxes, but is priced at $2.49.

Jerry's Gourmet & More in Englewood sells the Garofalo brand from Italy, and my favorite is the wide, thick, mouth-filling ribbons called pappardelle, especially when dressed in fragrant pesto.

With Garofalo whole wheat pastas, cooking times listed on the package are unreliable.

For example, the pappardelle took about 12 minutes for al dente, not the 8 minutes listed.