The DFC is determined to discover a low carb pasta with heart. Too often, when the carbohydrate content of pasta is reduced, the heart of the noodle and the flavor are lost. The DFC is uniquely tasked to find low carb pasta with its’ heart in tact and great taste its’ mainstay. Carbolina pasta with Starchlite, by Molinari Mills, was discovered by the DFC and Carbolina Penne Regate Pasta underwent formal DFC review. We are excited to share our findings.

    
Carbolina differentiates itself from other low carb pastas because of the trademarked ingredient used called Starchlite. Per their label, Starchlite is a white bean extract that delays the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and reduces the Glycemic Index of starchy foods. Carbolina boasts that their pasta is metabolized slower than regular pasta which prevents a dangerous rise in blood sugar immediately after eating.  

The DFC prepared a box of Carbolina Penne Regate Pasta and it stood up against weighty scrutiny. By general consensus this was good pasta. It was lighter than regular pasta, but it retained characteristic texture and flavor. The heart of Carbolina Penne was in-tact and their healthful claims were encouraging. Well done, Carbolina.   
 
The nutritional information was clearly marked on the side panel. A serving size of 2 oz of Carbolina pasta had 210 calories and 1g of fat. There were 41g of total carbohydrates, broken down into 2g of dietary fiber and 2g of sugar. Carbolina offers these “Digestible Facts” for consumers: Out of the 41g of carbohydrates per serving, only 5g of carbs are “Digestible” and the remaining 36 carbs are “Controlled Carbs”. Carbolina is suggesting that only 5 of the 41 total carbs will impact blood sugar immediately.    
 
The consumer information was clearly labeled on the side panel of the box. Carbolina listed a snail mail address, website address and a 1-800 number for consumers. The instructions suggested a cooking time of 10-12 minutes, but the DFC and resident pasta expert John Hughes found six to eight minutes to be perfect for al dente Penne. Carbolina did omit an expiration date which slightly detracted from their otherwise top notch consumer information.

Overall, I give Carbolina Penne Regate Pasta a 150 DFC. This is one of the best tasting low carb pastas out there. The DFC thoroughly enjoyed the texture and taste of the cooked Penne and Starchlite has made a great first impression. Carbolina was missing an expiration date which we must note, but that is a minor adjustment to undertake. Carbolina pasta and Molinari Mills are on the DFC’s radar and we offer them lively kudos for a developing a low carb pasta with heart.

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