Pasta is one of the quickest and easiest ways to whip up a meal in the kitchen. You don’t need to be a five-star Michelin chef to bring a pot of water to a boil and open a jar of sauce, but you may feel like one when the meal is a hit with the entire family, as crowd-pleasing comfort food usually is.

Pasta does come with its fair share of issues: The vast majority of it is made from a refined grain, namely white flour. Products made with white four have a higher carbohydrate content than similar products with whole grains For example, white bread has 74 net carbs with 2 grams of fiber but wheat bread has 48 net carbs with 3 grams of fiber. Lower net carbs are associated with more regulated blood sugar and less insulin spikes.

Here are a few alternatives to white pasta that hold more nutritional value than those made with refined pasta.

Cassava Pasta

This lesser-known alternative flour is made from cassava (aka yuca), a root veggie native to South America that’s like other starchy vegetables like carrots and parsnips. It’s higher in carbohydrates than other flour substitutes.

Lentil Pasta

Lentil pasta has benefits that are similar to the aforementioned edamame and chickpea pastas. You’ll get more protein and fiber than in traditional pasta. What you choose will be a matter of taste preferences. from cassava (aka yuca), a root veggie native to South America that’s like other starchy vegetables like carrots and parsnips. It’s higher in carbohydrates than other flour substitutes.

Quinoa Pasta

Quinoa has a well-deserved reputation as a superfood. It’s a good source of fiber, and it contains many other important nutrients as well, including magnesium, iron, B vitamins, and antioxidants, according to the USDA.

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