ATM9000 said:
I've always wondered how much of this European vs American upset pasta debate is real vs just an overcooking vs properly cooking pasta problem.
I've lived in Europe for about 5 years now and can tell you when my wife overcooks this magical European pasta that yes… in reality is made from wheat all over the world, it absolutely wrecks my stomach. Al dente pasta, I'm just fine.
I think there is an another huge component that is missing in our self-assessment of food sensitivities/digestive problems.
I'm 46 and peri-menopause is kicking my butt. One of the first things I noticed was, if I eat too late, while I'm sleeping, my digestion seems like it completely stops. I wake up with what feels like a rock of concrete in my stomach the next day. It's so bad that I try not to each much after about 6 pm.
The other thing I've noticed, is my digestion is worse if I mix a lot of refined carbs with more fat than I normally eat. Mix in alcohol - even just one glass of wine - and I'm miserable. It affects my sleep and my appetite for most of the next day.
Pasta is often consumed with fatty sauces and wine. So the discomfort we attribute to wheat/gluten could also be a mix of the carbs with the fats and/or alcohol. We just hear so my g about how bad gluten is that we don't realize it may be more complicated than that.
Hormones play a huge role in digestion (as well as numerous other body functions), and even a slight decrease in estrogen can cause noticeable unpleasant symptoms. We just don't realize it's the drop in estrogen that's causing it.
All of us Gen Xers are feeling the effects of our crappy diet mixed with the aging process. And I think it disproportionately affects women because we are pretty sensitive to changes in estrogen levels.
I'm pretty much don't eat pasta at all anymore (except when in Italy). It's one of the carb-heaviest foods out there (way more than bread), and it's just hard to fit in my overall calorie and protein goals without going way over on calories and under on protein. Plus, there are a lot of foods I enjoy more.
PS - if your wife is over 35 and isn't doing so already, encourage her to read up on perimenopause. Lots of great info out there right now. Drs Vonda Wright and Kelly Casperson are my faves.
It explains just about every unpleasant symptom we start feeling at this age, and anti-depressants and alcohol aren't the answer for coping.