Question to Robert Santana

[Mmll]

Hi

Im 34 226 lbs and currently squatting 129kg, benching 104, pressing 65, dl 178.

I was sick on weekend with a fever/stomach issue. Yesterday i decided to eat a large amount of spaghetti bologniase and creamy potato bake (something i almost never do cos dairy and gluten seem to give me sinus issues). I usually just eat lots of rice with meat fish vegetables and fruit cos its gluten free. The only reason i ate the spaghetti and creamy potato bake is cos i didnt feel like cooking so i just bought it from takeaway shops.

Anyway, i trained today after having yesterday off (i normally train mon wed and fri) and surprisingly i was able to pick up where i left off on friday.

Is pasta better for energy than white rice? Ive always just looked at the carbohydrates per 100g on rice and pasta packets and its pretty much the same. Is there more to it than that? Cos i felt surprisingly good today. Thanks

[Robert Santana]

What difference are you noticing?

[tiny&mighty]

Pasta is my preferred food after a demanding training session or when I suspect I might be under-recovering.

Though I do not (and never will) track calories or macros, I have noticed that while I can eat a very large serving of pasta, I get full quickly when eating rice or potatoes. So my guess is that, in my case, pasta is effective because I can get more calories from it than from other starchy foods.

[Robert Santana]

Pasta is grain and therefore the fiber is ground up and doesn't form as large of a gel, assuming it's whole grain. Potatoes and rice are full of water and lower in fiber with the exception of the potato skin. That is why we can put it down and not be satisfied. Same with cereal and white bread.