Cooking With Hearts of Palm Pasta, a Low-Carb Alternative

I have been involved in health, wellness, and nutrition for a while now and am very in tune with food trends and new food products. One food product that seems to have been trending in the past few months is pasta made from hearts of palm. I have been seeing different varieties of pasta made from this ingredient and decided to try it and report on my experience cooking with this low-carb pasta alternative.

What are hearts of palm?

As the name suggests, hearts of palm come from the inner core of a palm tree. This portion of the palm tree is edible and has a soft texture with a little bit of a crunch. Hearts of palm is usually found in a can and is commonly used in salads. More recently, this plant-based ingredient has been popping up in pasta form.

How to cook with hearts of palm pasta

After looking at the hearts of palm pasta options, I decided on trying the linguini. I was surprised to see that you could also buy hearts of palm lasagna sheets. I have used hearts of palm in salads but have never cooked hearts of palm pasta.

I decided to cook a simple pasta recipe so I could get a feel for the hearts of palm pasta. I chopped and sauteed various veggies and then added red sauce on top to simmer.

Cooking instructions

The directions for cooking the hearts of palm pasta were a little different than regular wheat or brown rice pasta. First, the directions said to rinse the noodles thoroughly and then add them to boiling water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, I strained the pasta and then rinsed it again.

My thoughts on hearts of palm pasta

I tried the uncooked pasta (don't worry - it's edible in this form), and I loved the flavor of the hearts of palm pasta; it reminded me of olives or artichokes. After boiling for a few minutes, some of this flavor disappeared. For those who don't like the taste, the directions said that the pasta could be soaked in milk for 15 minutes, after rinsing and before boiling.

Texture

The texture was not as soft as a regular noodle and still maintained a crunch. I didn't mind it, but it might take some time for other people to get used to the texture, especially if they expect a texture similar to a pasta noodle. The only problem I had with the hearts of palm pasta was that it wasn't filling. Adding protein or fat to the meal next time could remedy this issue.

Hearts of palm pasta for a type 2 diabetes diet

Hearts of palm pasta is low in both calories and carbohydrates. Therefore, if you are actively trying to lower your calorie or carbohydrate intake as part of your type 2 diabetes management, this would be a great product for you.

Hearts of palm pasta contains fiber but does not contain any protein, carbs, or fat; therefore, it is not very filling. If you decide to use this as a pasta alternative, I would recommend serving this pasta with both protein and fat to ensure that you feel satiated.

Have you tried hearts of palm pasta before? If not, what are some of your favorite pasta alternatives?