Baked feta pasta health benefits and nutrition facts
Unless you are living under a rock, there’s no way you haven’t heard of baked feta pasta. It is one of those TikTok recipes that got a lot of love in 2021. People were so fascinated by the dish that supermarkets in Finland ran out of feta cheese. Even more incredibly, the price of the cheese increased by 300%! What is it that makes this pasta dish so awesome? Let’s find out.
What is baked feta pasta?
Feta pasta is a TikTok recipe that went viral in 2021. It was originally created by Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen who called it uunifetapasta or baked feta pasta.
The dish is quite simplistic. It requires you to bake cherry tomatoes, olive oil, chilli peppers and dried herbs with a whole block of feta cheese. Once the ingredients are baked, add cooked pasta and some fresh herbs. Stir the mixture till the cheese melds with the juices from the tomatoes, peppers and garlic. The rich sauce hugs every crevice of the pasta, packing a flavourful punch with every bite.
The tanginess of the tomato complements the intense creaminess of the cheese. There is no way anyone can go wrong with the dish because it’s so simple to prepare.
The format of the recipe has also been replicated with different ingredients, like spinach, mozzarella, cheddar, brie, olives and even grapes!
Baked feta pasta calories and nutrition facts
100 grams of TikTok baked feta pasta contain the following nutrients:
Nutrients
| Measure (Daily Value)
|
Calories
| 238
|
Total fat
| 11.8 gm
|
Saturated fat
| 3.6 gm
|
Monounsaturated fat
| 5.1 gm
|
Polyunsaturated fat
| 0.8 gm
|
Cholesterol
| 15.6 mg
|
Sodium
| 388 mg (17%)
|
Potassium
| 19.3mg (1%)
|
Carbohydrates
| 24.8
|
Fibre
| 1.6 gm (7%)
|
Protein
| 9.5 gm
|
Vitamin A
| 12%
|
Vitamin B6
| 1%
|
Vitamin C
| 9.8 mg (17%)
|
Iron
| 3%
|
Magnesium
| 1%
|
Phosphorus
| 1%
|
Zinc
| 1%
|
Copper
| 1%
|
Manganese
| 5%
|
Selenium
| 1%
|
Health benefits of TikTok baked feta pasta
Pasta doesn’t have a great reputation as far as health benefits are concerned, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t have any health benefits at all.
While it’s made of refined flour, if it’s prepared and consumed correctly, pasta can provide some key health benefits.
Pasta is a good source of carbohydrates and a modest source of proteins and magnesium. If it’s cooked al dente, it can have a low glycemic index.
Furthermore, when it’s paired with healthful ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, feta cheese, basil and other herbs, pasta can benefit heart health and even prevent cancer.
Tomatoes are rich in cancer-fighting ingredient lycopene, which becomes more bioavailable when it’s teamed with olive oil. Feta cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein. Garlic and basil contain antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease, oxidative stress, cancer and diabetes. Garlic is also a powerful immunity booster.
More importantly, feta pasta has high satiety value and is filling. If consumed as a part of a nutritious, calorie-restrictive diet, it can also lead to weight loss. Let's look at some of the potential health benefits of TikTok baked feta pasta if you eat it in moderation.
- May improve cardiovascular health
- Could lead to weight loss
- Has cancer-fighting properties
- Reduces inflammation
- Could boost the immune system
- Rich in antioxidants
- Could strengthen the bones
- Could promote healthy eyes and skin
Could be good for heart health: Feta pasta is made of ingredients that are good for heart health. Feta cheese is rich in calcium, a nutrient that promotes cardiovascular health. The dish contains lycopene from tomatoes, which reduces the risk of heart diseases. Feta pasta is also full of antioxidants from tomatoes, garlic and basil, which can promote heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
Could reduce the risk of cancer: Feta pasta combines two nutritious ingredients that bring out the best in each other – tomatoes and olive oil. The combination makes the cancer-fighting ingredient lycopene highly bioavailable, reducing the risk of the malignant disease. Even garlic and basil can lower the risk of cancers of the breast, colon and pancreas.
Could lead to weight loss: No food is inherently good or bad for weight loss. As long as you restrict your caloric intake, you can have a helping of your favourite food – even if it’s feta pasta. If the pasta is cooked al dente, it can reduce the glycaemic load and prevent blood sugar spikes that lead to overeating. The dish is also highly satisfying, leaving no room for unhealthy cravings.
References:
1. Papanikolaou Y. (2020). Pasta Consumption Is Linked to Greater Nutrient Intakes and Improved Diet Quality in American Children and Adults, and Beneficial Weight-Related Outcomes Only in Adult Females. Frontiers in nutrition, 7, 112. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00112
2. Story, E. N., Kopec, R. E., Schwartz, S. J., & Harris, G. K. (2010). An update on the health effects of tomato lycopene. Annual review of food science and technology, 1, 189–210. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.food.102308.124120
3. Fielding JM, Rowley KG, Cooper P, O' Dea K. Increases in plasma lycopene concentration after consumption of tomatoes cooked with olive oil. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2005;14(2):131-6. PMID: 15927929.
4.Cohen M. M. (2014). Tulsi - Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 5(4), 251–259. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554
5.Katsouri, E., Magriplis, E., Zampelas, A., Nychas, G. J., & Drosinos, E. H. (2020). Nutritional Characteristics of Prepacked Feta PDO Cheese Products in Greece: Assessment of Dietary Intakes and Nutritional Profiles. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 9(3), 253. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9030253
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