The Blood Sugar Benefits of Slow-Dried Pasta

From the type of flour to the way it’s dried, several factors influence how pasta is digested–and what that means for your health.

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Slow-dried pasta has developed a reputation as a healthier alternative to conventional pasta, with studies suggesting that it digests more slowly and helps keep blood sugar levels steadier.

Is this fact or fiction? How does slow-drying affect pasta, a carbohydrate enjoyed around the world?

Why Blood Sugar Levels Matter

Your body works constantly to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range, so cells have a steady supply of energy.

Eating low-glycemic foods reduces blood sugar spikes, easing the strain on the body and lowering the risk of inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can lead to diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Key players in keeping blood sugar balanced are the pancreas and the hormones insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and glucagon, which raises it.

The more sugar we eat, the more blood sugar spikes, and the more insulin is needed to restore balance. In short, the body works overtime when we eat poor food.

How Food Processing Influences Blood Sugar

Healthy food is often associated with short ingredient lists and minimal processing. This includes slow-dried foods that are processed at lower temperatures.

These foods are thought to help maintain blood sugar balance by improving digestion and nutrient absorption, although their effects vary depending on the food.

A 2021 study published in Nutrients compared conventional pasta with pasta that had been slow-dried at low temperatures; both were made from dried semolina durum wheat flour. Researchers found no difference in participants’ metabolism after eating a single pasta meal.

In another small study published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, researchers found that high-protein pasta had the least effect on blood sugar compared with regular pasta and white rice in 12 adults with Type 1 diabetes.

However, those findings appear to be related more to the type of carbohydrate than to the pasta’s processing technique. They also support what is already known about pasta: It is generally considered a low-glycemic food, meaning blood sugar spikes are naturally low during digestion.

Does this mean that fancy artisan pasta or homemade noodles are not worth the effort? Research suggests otherwise, as scientists find that the type of flour used in the pasta and its processing technique do matter.

Is Slow-Dried Pasta Healthier?

A recent study published in Food Chemistry examined the digestibility of durum wheat processed at temperatures ranging from 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 356 F. The in vitro tests showed that higher processing temperatures change protein structures in wheat.

The proteins’ natural three-dimensional structure changes, making them harder to digest and potentially increasing the risk of allergies.

A similar study published in February in Cereal Chemistry assessed drying temperatures ranging from 122 F to 185 F. It evaluated digestibility based on both the type of flour and the processing technique.

Researchers found that pasta made with durum wheat retained more slow-digestible starches than other wheat pasta, leading to a better balance of blood sugar levels. A drying temperature of 122 F was particularly beneficial for whole-meal pasta.

Slow-digestible starches were also the basis of a 2023 study published in Foods, which examined how the slow-drying processing technique affected the digestibility of pasta starches and found that slow pasta processing indeed increased slow-digestible starches.

The researchers went even further, stating that alternative carbohydrates such as couscous or bread contain much lower levels of slow-digestible starches, which leads to a higher glycemic response.

When making pasta, pressing and drying the dough forms a protein network that traps starch more effectively, potentially lowering the glycemic index. During cooking, these protein structures strengthen further, slowing starch breakdown and helping maintain steadier blood sugar levels.

How to Make Slow-Dried Pasta

If you'd like to try slow-dried pasta yourself, making it at home is surprisingly simple.

Unlike commercially produced pasta, which undergoes a quick-drying process at high temperatures, slow-dried pasta is dried for 24 hours to several days in a low-temperature environment.

This gentle processing technique preserves the wheat’s proteins and starches, leading to better digestibility and improved flavor.

Traditionally, slow-dried pasta is made with semolina flour. However, this recipe uses a mixture of regular wheat flour and durum wheat for its higher protein content—up to five percent more. When the endosperm—the nutrient-rich inner seed—of durum wheat is ground, it becomes semolina flour.

To make pasta at home, you only need four basic ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Semolina flour
• Eggs
• Salt

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Although some traditional recipes don’t include eggs, they can be used as long as the pasta is dried completely—until brittle—before storing to prevent spoilage.

Tools

• Bowl
• Fork
• Plastic food wrap
• Wooden board
• Dough roller
• Knife or pizza cutter
• Dehydrator or pasta tree, for drying

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs (2 whole eggs for the dough, plus 1 egg yolk)

Prep Time: 1 hour

Resting Time: 30 minutes

Drying Time: 24 hours to 4 days

Cooking Time: About 3 minutes, or less for freshly made pasta

Servings: 2 to 3

Instructions

Step 1: In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt.

Step 2: Make a well in the middle of the flour and crack the eggs into it. 

Step 3: Using a fork, beat the eggs as if making scrambled eggs, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides.

Step 4: Once the dough forms small clumps, knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

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Step 5: Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, or cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Step 6: Divide the dough into three to four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured wooden cutting board to the desired thickness.

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Step 7: Cut the dough into strips and hang them on a pasta tree to dry, or arrange them in a single layer on dehydrator trays. If using a dehydrator, dry the pasta at the lowest temperature until it is brittle to the touch. If hanging to dry, allow it to dry until brittle as well.

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Tip

Once you have rolled out the dough, gently fold each side toward the middle before cutting. This makes the strips easier to slice evenly. After cutting, slide a knife underneath the center of the folded dough and lift gently—the strips will unfold into long strands of pasta.

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Alternative Eggless Pasta Dough

Use two cups of fine semolina pasta flour and about 3/4 cup of lukewarm water. Then, follow steps 5 through 7 in the recipe above.

Cooking Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the desired amount of pasta. Cook for about two to three minutes, or until the pasta is “al dente,” meaning it is firm to the bite.
3. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy!

If you enjoy cooking from scratch and experimenting in the kitchen, making homemade slow-dried pasta is well worth trying. Beyond its digestive and blood sugar benefits, you'll have the satisfaction of making an artisan-quality meal made with ingredients you choose yourself. Its fresh flavor and texture are simply an added bonus.