It was lauded in the low-fat era, then demonised during the low-carb craze. Plenty of alternatives exist, but what is the healthiest, tastiest, most affordable way forward?

Walk down the pasta aisle of any decent-sized supermarket and there is choice overload: not just penne or pappardelle, white or wholewheat, but pasta made from rice, lentils, peas, corn and more. These gluten-free products are no longer marketed only at people with allergies and intolerances, but at everyone with an interest in healthy eating. Is there something wrong with eating regular durum wheat pasta? And are these alternatives really any better?

Pasta was venerated during the low-fat era of the 80s and 90s and demonised in the low-carb craze of the 00s. Today, there is a lot of confusion over whether it is “healthy” or not. “White pasta has such a bad rep,” says Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist and the author of Unprocess Your Family Life. “Everyone thinks that carbs are bad and make you fat. They’re actually a really important part of the diet.”