Alright folks, grab a seat because I just spent my evening wrestling with a box of “Heart Barilla” pasta. You know, that stuff they’re pushing as the super healthy choice? Yeah, wanted to see for myself if it tastes like cardboard or if it’s actually any good.
Poking Around the Box First
First thing, I hauled the box off my kitchen shelf. Promises all over it – “whole grain goodness” this, “heart healthy” that. Flipped it over for the usual small print parade. Saw “Good Source of Fiber” printed big and bold. Ingredients list looked… well, like pasta. Mostly whole wheat flour. Not sure why that makes it magical for your heart, honestly. Price tag? Definitely felt heavier on my wallet than the regular white stuff. Figured the taste better be worth it.
Time to Boil Some Water
Grabbed my trusty big pot. Filled it with cold tap water – don’t overthink this part, right? Slammed it onto the stove, cranked the burner high. Threw in a big pinch of salt once the bubbles started kicking up. Dumped the whole bag of those short, twisty shapes straight in. Stirred ’em around so they wouldn’t glue themselves together into one giant pasta monster. Cook time on the box said 11 minutes. Set a timer.
The Waiting Game (And the Stirring)
Watched the pot boil like watching paint dry. Stared at the clock. Every minute or so, gave it a poke with my wooden spoon. After about 8 minutes, snagged a piece out to bite into. Rock hard! Nope. Left it in. Timer finally dinged at 11 minutes. Scooped one out, ran cold water over it quick, popped it in my mouth. Still felt a bit tough? Like biting into a stiff branch! Gave it another minute.
Finally, at 12 minutes, it felt just about right. Not mushy, not crunchy. Drained it all in my colander over the sink, steam blasting up in my face.
The All-Important Taste Test
Alright, moment of truth. Piled some onto a plain white plate – didn’t wanna hide it under sauce just yet. Forked a small bite:
- Look: Definitely a darker brown than normal pasta. Gritty looking.
- Smell: Okay, weird. Sorta nutty? Like old cardboard mixed with wheat? Not awful, just… different.
- Taste: First chew? Earthier. Gritty texture on the tongue. Definitely way more rough than the smooth stuff. Like chewing on sawdust mixed with grains. Finished chewing… slight bitterness hanging around? Not like regular pasta at all. Dumped a little olive oil and garlic salt on another portion – helped mask it a bit, but that underlying whole wheat kick just punched right through.
The Aftermath & My Gut Feeling
Ate the whole plateful with just oil and salt, trying to be fair. Sat back. Honestly? Felt… heavier? Like a brick settled in my stomach. Definitely full, sure. But not that light, satisfied feeling I get from regular pasta. Felt kinda sluggish afterwards. Noticed it stayed with me for a good while too. Didn’t feel any special “healthy buzz” folks seem to talk about.
Honestly? Tastes like health food trying to be pasta. If you adore that strong, whole wheat taste, maybe you’ll love it. For me? Not terrible, but not great. Felt like work to eat it. Does it beat plain white pasta? Depends. If you want super simple, no-think carbs? White pasta wins. If you’re forcing yourself for the fiber? Yeah, it does the job, I guess. But that texture and taste? Takes getting used to. Found myself eyeing the regular spaghetti half the time. Whole grain doesn’t automatically mean better tasting, that’s for dead wrong. My gut felt better eating it? Nah. Just felt like I ate fiber for the sake of it. Stick with the stuff you actually enjoy, maybe chase your fiber somewhere else.
Just my 2…
