pasta

Canadians embrace food – we value family traditions, recipes passed down through generations, global trends and show a lot of heart for our local producers.  For almost 150 years, Catelli pasta has grown up with Canadian families through a shared passion for food – not to mention a shared birthday, a proud heritage and strong ideals.  And like our country, Canadian families have evolved.  Blended, single-parent and multi-ethnic families are part of our modern mosaic and match our evolving tastes and preferences – from locally sourced yet globally influenced, to simple, healthy and trusted ingredients.  But what has stayed the same is our love of pasta.  That's why leading up to this special anniversary year, Catelli along with three celebrated Canadian chefs – Cory VitielloMartin Juneau and Michael Allemeier – are taking a journey with Canadians to explore this universal food and its relationship with families across Canada today.

And there's no doubt we love our pasta. Case in point, almost 9 in 10 households have it in their cupboard. What's more, it's a 'real' food in an industry striving to meet the demands of today's health-minded Canadian families. So what do Canadians love about it?

Quite simply, pasta makes us feel good. In fact, three-quarters of Canadians said they feel relaxed cooking pasta because it's easy meal making or like that it offers so many options, most strongly felt by Ontarians at 82 per cent.* Other feelings cooking pasta evokes?  Nearly a third of Canadians say experimenting with new pasta recipes makes them feel excited and half of Canadian parents in particular, feel confident they can create a good meal when cooking pasta.*

"It's not surprising that cooking pasta makes us feel good, and we get excited to experiment with it," says Montreal chef and Dad to two, Martin Juneau.  "Families today really value the 3 E's of a pasta meal – easy, efficient and enjoyable.  It's why I'm excited to start talking with Canadians about its place in their homes.  Food has never been a more talked about subject and pasta offers us a range of meal options and nutritional benefits – not to mention that its simplicity gives us back the gift of quality family time, one of the biggest challenges we struggle with today."

In fact, when it comes to the role pasta plays in Canadians' lives, the majority say it means less kitchen time because of its easy prep or that it provides a lot of options for their family.* Health is important too.  Almost half say pasta is a healthy meal option due to its simple ingredients and the fact that it can be further paired with 'good for me' ingredients.*  And with healthier pasta options such as Catelli Smart®, with its very high source of fibre, Catelli® Gluten Free and 100% whole grain Catelli® Healthy Harvest®,  serving this quality, delicious meal to the family is adding to the good feeling too.  Six in 10 parents with kids in the household shared that pasta makes their kids happy or their family feel fueled.*

"There isn't a typical Canadian family anymore – and few of us would say our lifestyles are typical," says Doyle Brown, Senior Brand Manager, Catelli.  "Just like Canadian families, pasta has become such a versatile food with so many ways to experience it – we're moving away from the traditional view of it as just an Italian meal. Canadians also have a lot to do with the many ways we enjoy pasta today – whether it's a fresh spin on an old favorite or something completely new and inventive."

Look no further than our quest for recipes.  In 2015, Spaghetti Bolognese was the 7th most searched recipe by Canadians according to Google Trends, with lasagna in close pursuit in 9th.  And breakout recipe searches have recently included everything from 'one pot pasta' and 'pasta bake' to 'pesto pasta' and 'basil pasta'.**  Additionally, our love of local means we're cooking more with real, simple ingredients grown or raised close to home and available in local grocers or farmer's markets.

"The popularity in using fewer and fresher, local ingredients is helping build pasta's quality reputation," says Toronto Chef Cory Vitiello.  "Canadians are learning they don't have to be trained chefs to get creative with their pasta dishes, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they've been up to in their kitchens!"

Yet, Canadians don't shy away from practicality either.  The top two reasons Canadians add pasta to their shopping lists include: how easy it is to make a pasta meal (59%) and how affordable pasta is (48%).* Whether a bustling family household or a single individual, pasta remains one of the most reasonable meals on the market. And, the taste factor is never far behind – 4 out of 10 say they just can't live without it!*

"Pasta has a special place in Canadian households – and what makes it special is different for every family," says Chef Michael Allemeier.  "It's a comfort food, an easy meal time win, a quick dinner fix and a crowd-pleasing entertaining option – and the recipe options are really endless. Look how butternut squash provides a delicious twist to meat lasagna or how fresh goat cheese and pesto puts a new spin on spaghetti."

The Catelli Pasta Journey

The Catelli team is hitting the road in 2016 to learn more about how today's Canadian families are enjoying pasta and inviting them to share their stories, their recipes and even their pictures at #CatelliFamilies. This spring, a video series documenting some of these stories will be introduced and a new collection of recipes inspired by our modern taste preferences – and featuring favourites from chefs Cory VitielloMartin Juneau and Michael Allemeier, will be available at www.catelli.ca.   The majority of Catelli pastas – including 100% whole grain Catelli® Healthy Harvest® and fibre rich Catelli Smart® – are not produced with ingredients that have been genetically modified.

About Catelli Foods Corporation

Catelli is a Canadian pasta company founded in Montréal, QC in 1867.  It holds the ranking of #1 Canadian pasta brand and is the leader in the health and wellness pasta segment.  With more than 75 products available in its line-up today, including Catelli Smart®, Catelli® GlutenFree and Catelli® Healthy Harvest®, Catelli offers pasta made from simple, wholesome ingredients for every kind of family taste and preference.

About the Research Study: 

A study of 300 Canadians was completed online between December 3 – December 8, 2015 by Environics Research.

*Environics Research Study (in partnership with Catelli), 2015

**Google Trends, 2015 

Lets Talk Carbohydrates And Individuality

bread

Carbohydrates are only used in the body for energy while fats and proteins are used for production of hormones, cell membranes AND energy. What most people don’t realize is that this means the intake of carbohydrates should correlate with the amount of exercise that you do in a day.

When you have a high intake of carbohydrates such as white bread and refined sugars it causes your blood sugar levels to rise and will then cause hormonal changes in the body that causes most of us to become unhealthy and store fat. In children it has also been linked to ADHD, mental health issues, development of diabetes and obesity.

While there is some controversy regarding the amount of food an individual should eat from each of the four food groups to maintain a healthy diet, one should also keep in mind that each person has individual nutritional needs (i.e. athletes versus non-athletes, diabetics versus non-diabetics). These differences mean that one diet will have a very different effect on different individuals. This means that the required carbohydrate intake will vary from one person to another and is largely determined by the amount of lean muscles and the amount of daily exercise. It is suggested to make sure that your diet includes but is not limited to lots of lean meat, fish, eggs and is combined with lots of dark green vegetables.

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There are a lot of misconceptions about the foods that should be include on the dinner plate. The following are some healthy choices as to what you should include. Make sure it is well rounded and includes multiple food groups. The following foods should be considered as options for an “anytime plate” according to Precision Nutrition. The portions will vary depending on your goals (weight loss, weight gain etc), as well as timing (pre or post workout). More information can be found through the Precision Nutrition Plate Guide.

Berardi-Anytime-Plate-1

Drink: Choose water or tea instead of juice or soda as your main beverage.

Leafy Greens and Vegetables: You should choose steamed, raw or roast greens such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, collards, kale, bok choy, chard, watercress, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, corn, onions, green peas, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes.

Healthy Fats: Seeds, nuts, olives, and avocados. Try to eliminate extracted oils and processed fats (example: margarine).

Whole Grains and Starch Based Vegetables: Some foods include rice, oats, Quinoa, buckwheat, millet, spelt, barley, whole grain pasta. This category also includes beets, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash. Beans, lentils, soybeans, split peas and tofu are also included in this category.

Lean Meats, Poultry and Fish: Lean ground turkey, lean ground beef, chicken, and fish are all included in this category.

Salt: You should minimize your salt intake by using products with no sodium or low in sodium ingredients. Use salt as a seasoning sparingly. Try and stay inspired and use herbs, spices, vinegars, lemons and limes for seasoning.

For more tips on fitness and healthy eating check out

Alicia Bell is a Toronto based Personal Trainer

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Looking Beyond Protein to Increase Muscle Mass – the Role of Carbohydrates

Alicia Bell

Increasing muscle mass is often the aim of training regimes and particularly a goal for men who participate in them. Whether looking to improve their performance in sports, their fitness or physique, many taking part in training programs either supervised or in their own home will be seeking to bulk up their muscles. Larger muscles can lead to greater strength and power, but a body that contains a greater proportion of muscle has a higher metabolic rate aiding weight loss; someone with a lower percentage body fat also tends to have fewer health problems. While resistance training is vital to stimulate the growth of new muscle, this needs to be combined with an optimal dietary intake to achieve the desired results. Although many engaging in sport and fitness regimes will usually already be following a balanced diet, when the goal shifts towards building more muscle, they may start to emphasise their protein intake. Yes, taking part in resistance training increases your body’s protein requirement, but your body is only able to use a finite amount of protein for muscle growth; consuming protein beyond this will simply result in its excretion and doing so for prolonged periods may damage the kidneys. On top of this is the fact that without including adequate and appropriate carbohydrates in the diet, your ability to gain lean body mass will be limited. Here we consider the importance that carbohydrates play in the diet for building muscle.

Which carbohydrates to eat

Complex carbohydrates should provide the biggest proportion of calories in your diet. These carbohydrates are present in bread, cereals, potato, pasta, rice and similar foods. Following digestion and absorption your body uses the glucose they release for energy; excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles, which provides you with the fuel you need for intense training sessions. Complex carbohydrate, particularly if you choose wholegrain varieties, tends to give a slower energy release than their sugary counterparts. Wholegrains are also advisable, as they have a higher content of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, some of which play a role in the formation of new tissue such as thiamine, biotin and calcium. The nutrients in wholegrains are as well essential for good health in men and women; a diet rich in wholegrains is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Although sugary foods and drinks are not off-limits, they should still be limited, as they do not provide the same stability for blood glucose levels as complex carbohydrates do. Their erratic impact on blood sugar levels can hinder new muscle formation, not to mention the fact that sugary foods tend to be sparse in other nutrients; the exception are fruits, which are rich in vitamins and minerals and their fiber content allows a more stable release of sugars.

Change your eating patterns

Including carbohydrates with every meal keeps blood glucose levels stable, so not only do you feel that you have the energy for training, but this stimulates the release of insulin, the hormone that helps to promote muscle growth. However, be sure to also include protein though, as this mix not only provides the amino acids that act as building blocks for muscle fibers, but fat storage is also less likely. Although you may have been used to eating three big meals daily, when training to build muscle you need to adjust your eating patterns. The focus needs to switch to eating more frequently, including a moderate portion of carbohydrate at each occasion; if big carbohydrate portions at taken at a time, insulin will stimulate some of this to be stored of fat, which will hinder your aim. Reminding yourself that your body can only use so much of a nutrient at a time will help you to train yourself to adopt this new approach to eating.

Refuel with carbohydrates

After a hard training session your blood glucose levels falls, so a carbohydrate-rich snack afterwards is vital; good examples include a sandwich, cereal with milk or an oat and nut bar, as these contain both carbohydrate and protein. The rise in blood glucose that this allows will trigger the production of insulin and hence encourages your body to build muscle. Failing to have this post-workout snack could place you at risk of your body entering what is known as a catabolic state, where rather than tissue formation occurring, the converse happens and your body will begin to breakdown its muscles. This shows just why it is so important to provide your body with the essential nutrition that it requires after a training session.

When resistance training, if you are able to follow these rules regarding which type of carbohydrate should be included and when they should be eaten, in combination with an appropriate protein intake, you will be providing your body with the best chance to build muscle.