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Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked

Grains Per 100 g · Per 100g serving

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked is a grain at 131 calories per 100g. Grains are a primary source of carbohydrates, B vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains retain the bran and germ, providing substantially more fiber and micronutrients than refined grains. Our database tracks 57 nutrients for this food, plus glycemic index, insulin index, environmental footprint data.

131
Calories
kcal
5.2
Protein
g
1.1
Fat
g
24.9
Carbs
g
0
Fiber
g

Top Nutrients

💪
Carbohydrate
24.9 g
19% DV
☀️
Thiamin (B1)
0.21 mg
17% DV
☀️
Folate
64.0 µg
16% DV

Data for 57 of 150 tracked nutrients

Nutrient Fingerprint

How this food scores across key nutrient categories, as a percentage of the daily recommended value per 100 g. Based on USDA DRIs for adults.

Complete Nutrient Profile

Macronutrients 7
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Water SR68.6g
2%
Calories SR131kcal
Energy (kJ) SR548kj
Protein SR5.2g
9%
Total Fat SR1.1g
Carbohydrate SR24.9g
19%
Ash SR0.30g
Minerals 9
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Calcium SR6.0mg
1%
Iron SR1.1mg
14%
Magnesium SR18.0mg
4%
Phosphorus SR63.0mg
9%
Potassium SR24.0mg
1%
Sodium SR6.0mg
0%
Zinc SR0.56mg
5%
Copper SR0.09mg
10%
Manganese SR0.22mg
10%
Vitamins 14
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Vitamin A (RAE) SR20.0µg
2%
Vitamin A (IU) SR6.0IU
Retinol SR6.0µg
Vitamin C SR0mg
Thiamin (B1) SR0.21mg
17%
Riboflavin (B2) SR0.15mg
12%
Niacin (B3) SR0.99mg
6%
Pantothenic Acid (B5) SR0.18mg
4%
Vitamin B6 SR0.03mg
3%
Folate SR64.0µg
16%
Folic Acid SR57.0µg
Folate (food) SR7.0µg
Folate (DFE) SR104µg
Vitamin B12 SR0.14µg
6%
Fatty Acids 4
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Saturated Fat SR0.15g
Monounsaturated Fat SR0.12g
Polyunsaturated Fat SR0.43g
Cholesterol SR33.0mg
Individual Fatty Acids 5
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Myristic Acid (14:0) SR0.002g
Palmitic Acid (16:0) SR0.13g
Stearic Acid (18:0) SR0.02g
Linoleic Acid (18:2) SR0.39g
2%
Linolenic Acid (18:3) SR0.04g
Amino Acids 18
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Tryptophan SR0.07g
Threonine SR0.13g
Isoleucine SR0.20g
Leucine SR0.35g
Lysine SR0.10g
Methionine SR0.08g
Cystine SR0.14g
Phenylalanine SR0.25g
Tyrosine SR0.13g
Valine SR0.22g
Arginine SR0.19g
Histidine SR0.10g
Alanine SR0.15g
Aspartic Acid SR0.21g
Glutamic Acid SR1.8g
Glycine SR0.16g
Proline SR0.56g
Serine SR0.24g

Nutrient Density Score

The NRF9.3 score measures overall nutritional quality per 100 kcal. It rewards 9 nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium) and penalizes 3 to limit (saturated fat, added sugars, sodium). Higher is better; negative scores indicate the food is high in limit nutrients relative to its beneficial content.

18
NRF9.3 Score
Moderate · per 100 kcal
Poor (<0) Moderate Good Excellent (100+)

NRF9.3 index: Fulgoni et al. (2009), J Nutr 139(8). DVs based on FDA 2020 reference values.

Nutrient Interactions in This Food

Nutrients in this food that enhance or compete with each other during absorption.

✔ Synergies — nutrients that help each other

Vitamin B12 + Folate●●

Vitamin B12 and folate are metabolically interdependent. B12 is needed to convert methyltetrahydrofolate back to tetrahydrofolate, enabling folate to participate in DNA synthesis.

Green et al., Nat Rev Dis Primers, 2017

⚠ Antagonisms — nutrients that compete

Zinc vs Copper●●●

High zinc intake induces metallothionein in enterocytes, which traps copper and blocks its absorption. Prolonged high-dose zinc can cause copper deficiency.

Prasad et al., JAMA, 1978; Fosmire, Am J Clin Nutr, 1990

Zinc vs Iron●●

Zinc and non-heme iron compete for the same intestinal transporter (DMT1). High doses of one can reduce absorption of the other when taken simultaneously.

Rossander-Hulten et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 1991

Manganese vs Iron●●

Manganese and iron share the DMT1 transporter and compete for absorption. High iron status reduces manganese absorption and vice versa.

Erikson et al., Pharmacol Ther, 2007

Folate vs Vitamin B12●●

High folate intake can mask vitamin B12 deficiency by correcting the megaloblastic anaemia while allowing neurological damage to progress undetected.

Mills et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 2003

Amino Acid Profile

Essential amino acid composition compared to the WHO/FAO adult reference pattern. The Amino Acid Score indicates protein quality — 100 means all essential amino acid requirements are met.

42
Amino Acid Score
Low
Lysine
Limiting Amino Acid
18
Amino Acids Tracked

Tip: The limiting amino acid is Lysine. Pair with legumes, dairy, and soy for a complete amino acid profile.

All Amino Acids (18)
Amino Acidg / 100gmg / g protein
Tryptophan0.0712.6
Threonine0.1326.0
Isoleucine0.2038.3
Leucine0.3567.6
Lysine0.1018.8
Methionine0.0815.3
Cystine0.1427.8
Phenylalanine0.2548.0
Tyrosine0.1326.0
Valine0.2242.1
Arginine0.1936.3
Histidine0.1020.0
Alanine0.1528.9
Aspartic Acid0.2140.4
Glutamic Acid1.8355.7
Glycine0.1631.3
Proline0.56108.5
Serine0.2446.6

Fatty Acid Profile

Breakdown of fat types per 100g. A healthy fat profile favours unsaturated fats (mono + poly) and a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

0.15g
Saturated
0.12g
Monounsaturated
0.43g
Polyunsaturated
Omega Fatty Acids
Linoleic acid (18:2 n-6)0.39 g

How Cooking Changes Nutrients

Estimated percentage of each nutrient retained after cooking, based on USDA retention factors for the “Pasta” food category. Values of 100% mean no loss; lower values indicate nutrients lost to heat, water, or oxidation.

Key insights
Thiamin loses up to 35% when boiled (drained). Boiled (water used) retains 80%.
Vitamin B6 loses up to 20% when boiled (drained). Boiled (water used) retains 90%.

Source: USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007). Retention values are category-level averages — actual retention depends on cooking time, temperature, and water volume.

USDA Retention Factors

Glycemic & Insulin Response

The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar on a 0–100 scale. The Insulin Index (II) measures the insulin response directly, which can differ from GI — notably, dairy and high-protein foods often trigger a higher insulin response than their GI suggests. White bread = 100 for both scales.

49
Glycemic Index
Low GI
24
Glycemic Load
High GL (per 180g)
GI Scale 49
0 Low <55 Med High ≥70 100

GI data matched from: “Spaghetti, white, boiled” · ●●● high confidence

45
Insulin Index
Moderate Insulin Response
Insulin Index Scale 45
0 Low ≤30 Mod ≤60 High ≤100 120
GI Model ●● Estimated via GI-based regression (R²=0.78)

Source: International Tables of Glycemic Index (Sydney University, 2021) · Holt et al. 1997; Bao et al. 2016; Bell 2014

Environmental Impact

Environmental footprint per kilogram of food produced. Data represents the global average for the “Rice” category.

4.5
kg CO₂e / kg
Moderate Impact
2.8
m² land / kg
Land Use
2,248
L water / kg
Water Use
17.5
g SO₂e / kg
Acidification
How this compares (GHG emissions)
Potatoes (0.5)Chicken (9.9)Beef (99.5)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions4.5 kg CO₂e / kg
Land Use2.8 m² / kg
Water Use2,248 L / kg
Eutrophication35.1 g PO₄e / kg
Acidification17.5 g SO₂e / kg
⚠️ Important context about this data
  • Global averages: These figures are production-weighted averages from a meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms across 119 countries (Poore & Nemecek, 2018). Actual impact varies enormously by farming method, geography, and supply chain.
  • System boundary: Cradle-to-retail only — does not include consumer transport, home cooking energy, or food waste.
  • Soil carbon not included: This data does not account for soil carbon sequestration. Some argue that well-managed regenerative grazing partially offsets ruminant emissions; however, full lifecycle accounting — including methane, land-use change, and the opportunity cost of using land for grazing vs. reforestation — typically makes the net footprint of ruminant meat higher, not lower. This is especially relevant in temperate grassland regions like Ireland.
  • Not gospel: This data is informational and illustrative. It is useful for understanding relative magnitudes, but should not be treated as precise measurements for any individual product or farm.

Source: Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360(6392). Meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms, 119 countries, 46 product categories.

Global Supply: Cereals

Top 10 countries by per capita supply of the “Cereals” food group (kcal/capita/day, 2023). This is food group–level data from FAO Food Balance Sheets, not specific to this individual food.

1.
Egypt
1962
2.
Bhutan
1927
3.
Serbia
1888
4.
Morocco
1876
5.
Mali
1862
6.
Ethiopia
1829
7.
Philippines
1774
8.
Bangladesh
1756
9.
Myanmar
1738
10.
Nepal
1679

Global Supply Trend (1961–2023)

+8%
1961: 1030 kcal2023: 1108 kcal

Source: FAO Food Balance Sheets (2023). Supply = production + imports − exports − waste, converted to kcal/capita/day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked?

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked contains 131 kcal per 100 grams, making it a moderate-calorie food. The energy comes from 5.2g of protein (16% of calories), 1.1g of fat (7%), and 24.9g of carbohydrates (76%). Carbohydrates are the primary energy source.

What is Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked most nutritious for?

The standout nutrient in Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked is Carbohydrate, providing 24.9 g per 100g (19% of the Daily Value). It is also a notable source of Thiamin (B1) (17% DV). Our database tracks 57 individual nutrients for this food, allowing detailed comparison across vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Is Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked high in protein?

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked contains 5.2g of protein per 100 grams. While not a high-protein food, it can contribute to daily protein needs as part of a varied diet.

How much fiber is in Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked?

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked contains no dietary fiber. This is typical for this type of food. Pair with plant-based foods to ensure adequate fiber intake.

What is the glycemic index of Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked?

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked has a glycemic index of 49, which is classified as low (≤55). Low-GI foods cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar levels, which may be beneficial for blood sugar management. The glycemic load, which accounts for typical serving size, provides additional context for real-world blood sugar impact.

What is the insulin index of Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked?

Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked has a moderate insulin response (II: 45) (estimated from macronutrient composition) on the insulin index scale (white bread = 100). This is a typical insulin response for most mixed foods. Note that the insulin index can differ substantially from the glycemic index — dairy products and high-protein foods often have higher insulin responses than their GI would suggest.