9 Best Pastas for Weight Loss

Besides being a fun word to yell really loudly, Banza is also one of the best alternatives to your go-to box of noodles. Made from chickpeas, tapioca and pea protein, it has three times the fiber and twice the protein of regular pasta. We taste-tested it with a sundried tomato pesto and found its texture and taste almost identical to standard pasta.

If you have a hard time getting your kids or spouse to eat their veggies, this healthy (yet stealthy) pasta is the answer to your prayers. Made from various types of wheat, oat fiber and spinach, broccoli, carrot, tomato, beet and mushroom concentrates, this pasta serves up an alphabet of vitamins, a quarter of the day's fiber and an impressive amount of protein—all nutrients that aren't found in traditional pastas.

In a rush? After giving them a quick rinse, these naturally low-cal noodles are ready to eat! Their neutral taste makes these noodles versatile, but our favorite way to eat them is in a broth along with some chopped veggies, or in a chicken and vegetable stir-fry. Bonus: A four-ounce serving serves up 15 percent of the day's calcium. While that's not quite as much as a cup of cow's milk, it's still a decent amount of a nutrient you wouldn't normally find in bowl of noodles.

Made solely from organic red lentils, this rose-colored, gluten-free pasta is a smart pick for dieters. Why? It serves up 30 percent of the day's folate, a nutrient that can aid weight loss efforts, and it's also packed with 20 percent of the day's thiamine, a vitamin that helps the body convert carbs into fuel. Not to mention, the Mini Fettuccini has 12 times more fiber and seven times more protein than a typical bowl of pasta. It's also prepared the exact same way as traditional noodles. More nutrients, no additional hassle = a major win for your waistline!

Don't let its black hue scare you off; this pasta is a real nutritional winner. In addition to being lower in calories than traditional pastas, one two-ounce serving is packed with more than half a day's fiber and as much protein as a three-ounce serving of chicken!

Naturally low in calories and carbs, shirataki pasta—made from konjac and chickpea flour—is a great alternative for those looking to lose weight without feeling deprived. These virtually taste-free noodles absorb the flavors of whatever its served with, so you can add them to just about anything and make your dish bigger and more filling.

Because it has never been hybridized, Einkorn proponents say it's one of the purest species of wheat out there. The whole grain is rich in protein and fiber, and just one serving of this pasta dishes up a quarter of the day's phosphorus (a nutrient that's typically only found in milk and meat) and 80 percent of the day's manganese, an essential nutrient that helps the body process cholesterol, carbs and proteins.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

This organic pasta is made from quinoa and kamut, an ancient grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor. In addition to serving up a good amount of protein and fiber, the noodles have 20 percent of the day's magnesium—a nutrient not normally found in pasta. Not getting enough magnesium has been linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease.

Ancient Harvest brought two heavy-hitting superfoods together to create this delicious rotelle pasta. Made with a blend of red lentil and quinoa flour, this pasta delivers a hefty dose of muscle-building protein and belly-filling fiber, which will fill you up without filling you out. We're also a big fan of the brand's black bean and quinoa blend. It's another solid nutritional pick for health-conscious pasta lovers.