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Kev's Whole Wheat Pasta Page

Welcome to my whole wheat pasta page! I love pasta, and eat a ton of it (good thing I'm a marathon runner & long-distance cyclist)! In fact, the "reason" I gave for running Boston Marathon (after I qualified) was that I needed an excuse to eat pasta twice a day!!! However, since the whole grain variety is healthier than what is usually consumed, I decided to find a whole wheat pasta that I like.

It wasn't easy! My first foray into other types of pasta was "spelt" pasta, another grain. It was awful, and turned me off from trying others. A year or two later, I decided to venture forth again and tried brown rice pasta. Same reaction!

Finally, somewhere around 2003-2004, I decided to bite the bullet and, in my usual methodical way, try EVERY brand AND variety of whole wheat pasta I could find. Unlike regular pasta, there's a lot of variety with whole wheat pasta, so if you don't like one brand, you may very well like a different one. It's similar to whole wheat bread, one can find a big difference between two different brands. What follows is information on whole wheat (and other related) pasta from five stores: Super Fresh, Shop Rite, Whole Foods (formerly Fresh Fields), Trader Joe's, and wal-Mart. Keep in mind that some brands are available in many places. Super Fresh and Shop Rite most likely have overlap with themselves and other stores not mentioned.

I've listed in Chart #1 the brand, style, store where purchased, purchase date, purchase price, weight (usually 16 ounces), and cooking time. Chart #2 has nutritional information. When you purchase, check to see if what I listed matches what you have. If it doesn't, it may mean that they have a new formulation, especially if my purchase date is old. Any ratings are based on the most recent formulation I've had. Chart #3 has company information. Chart #4 has my judgment and comments.

This page was started in January, 2007 and is under construction. A table of contents is below.
I. Chart #1 - Basic Information
II. Chart #2 - Nutritional Information
III. Chart #3 - Company Information
IV. Chart #4 - Judgment & Comments
V. Other Notes


Chart #1 - Basic Information

#BrandStyleStoreDatePriceWeightCook TimeIngredients
1365 OrganicLinguine, SpaghettiWhole Foods2005$1.2916 oz.6 min, 9 minOrganic whole durum wheat flower
3HeartlandSpaghettiWal-Mart1/2007$0.9716 oz.9-11 min100% whole grain durum wheat
4De CeccoLinguineSuper Fresh2003-04$2.4917.5 oz.10 minWhole semolina, niacin, ferrous lactate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid
5DelverdeLinguineSuper Fresh2003-04?16 oz.6 minSemolina, wheat bran, ferrous lactate (iron), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid
6Westbrae NaturalSpaghettiWhole Foods2003-04$2.4916 oz.12 minOrganic whole durum wheat flour
7San Giorgio Healthy HarvestThin Spaghetti (Whole Wheat Blend)Super Fresh2003-04$1.4913.25 oz.? minEnriched semolina (contains niacin, iron {ferrous sulfate}, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), durum wheat bran, durum flour, durum wheat germ
8Trader Joe'sSpaghetti, Penne, RotelleTrader Joe's2006$1.2916 oz.10-11 min, 10-12 min, 9-11 minOrganic durum whole wheat
America's ChoiceSpaghetti, Elbows, Rotini, Penne RigatiSuper Fresh2006-1/2007$1.3916 oz.9-11 min, 6-8 minDurum whole wheat flour
BionaturaeSpaghetti, FusilliSuper Fresh?2003-04$2.6916 oz.9-11 minCertified organic [100% stone ground] whole durum wheat, water
Mueller'sRotini (Multi Grain)Shop Rite1/2007$1.5012 oz.6-8 minWhole grain wheat, whole grain brown rice, whole grain oats, wheal gluten, crystallized cane juice, natural flavor (soybean oil, natural flavoring), wheat bran
Hodgson MillWhole Wheat Spaghetti, ElbowsSuper Fresh2003-04$2.39, $2.1916 oz.9 min, ?100% durum whole wheat flour
Hodgson MillWhole Wheat Spinach SpaghettiSuper Fresh2003-04$2.3916 oz.9 min 100% durum whole wheat flour, spinach powder
Hodgson MillPenne with Milled Flax SeedSuper Fresh2004-04$2.3912 oz.7-9 minOrganic durum whole wheat flour, milled flax seed
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Chart #2 - Nutritional Information (per 2 oz / 56 g serving size)

If something isn't listed, I used a question mark (?) for it.
#BrandStyleCaloriesCal. from FatTotal FatSat. FatTrans FatCholesterolSodiumTotal Carb.FiberSugarsProteinVit. AVit. CCalciumIronThiaminRiboflavinNiacinFolate (Folic Acid)
5DelverdeLinguine 200101???041427???10%35%15%15%35%
365 OrganicLinguine, Spaghetti 200101000040528002%12%????
Trader Joe'sSpaghetti, Penne, Rotelle 210151.500004152800010%????
San Giorgio Healthy HarvestThin Spaghetti (Whole Wheat Blend) 210151.50?0042327???15%35%10%20%25%
Westbrae NaturalSpaghetti 210151.50?01041618004%8%????
De CeccoLinguine 180151.50?less than 5035718002%10%35%15%20%30%
HeartlandSpaghetti 210151.5000041527002%10%????
America's ChoiceSpaghetti, Elbows, Rotini, Penne Rigati 210151.5000041527002%10%????
BionaturaeSpaghetti, Fusilli 190?0???154250600020%????
Mueller'sRotini (Multi Grain) 1901520001540548002%15%????
Hodgson MillSpaghetti, Elbows 1901510?01034609002%15%20%4%10%?
Hodgson MillSpinach Spaghetti 1901521?02535509002%15%20%4%10%?
Hodgson MillPenne with Milled Flax Seed 2002020?0104069002%15%20%4%10%8%


Chart #3 - Company Information

#BrandCompany NameCompany AddressCompany website / EmailCompany PhoneOrganic Certification
1-2365 OrganicWhole Foods MarketAustin, TX 78703 (packed in Italy)www.wholefoodsmarket.comQuality Assurance International (QAI)
DelverdeDelverde S.p.A.Zona Industriale, 66015 Fara San Martino, Abruzzo, Italywww.delverde.com
America's ChoiceThe Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company [A&P]Montvale, NJ 07645
Trader Joe'sTrader Joe'sMonrovia, CA 91016Quality Assurance International (QAI)
San Giorgio Healthy HarvestNew World Pasta Co.Harrisburg, PA 17112-6457 (product of Canada)www.sangiorgio.com800-730-5957
Westbrae NaturalWestbrae Natural734 Franklin Ave #444, Garden City, NY 11530www.westbrae.com800-434-4246Quality Assurance International (QAI)
De CeccoD.Lli De Cecco Di Dilippo Fara S. Martino S.p.A.Fara S. Martino (CH) Italywww.dececco.it dececco@dececco.it
HeartlandAmerican Italian Pasta Co.Kansas City, MO 64116877-328-7278
BionaturaeVerpack srl (U.S. importer: Euro-USA Trading Co., Inc.)Via Fermi, Palaia (Pisa), Tuscany, Italy (U.S. importer: North Franklin, CT 06254)www.bionaturae.com
Mueller'sAmerican Italian Pasta Co.Kansas City, MO 64116www.muellerspasta.com877-328-7278
Hodgson MillHodgson MillGainesville, MO 65655


Chart #4 - Judgment & Comments

If something isn't listed, I used a question mark (?) for it.
#BrandStyleJudgment & Comments
5DelverdeLinguineExcellent, possibly the best I've had
365 OrganicLinguine, SpaghettiVery good; linguine is better than spaghetti
Trader Joe'sSpaghetti, Penne, Rotelle
San Giorgio Healthy HarvestThin Spaghetti (Whole Wheat Blend)I did not like this one
Westbrae NaturalSpaghetti
De CeccoLinguine
HeartlandSpaghetti
America's ChoiceSpaghetti, Elbows, Rotini, Penne RigatiVery good; possibly the most "mild" tasting of them all (good as your first try to whole wheat pasta); spaghetti is better than elbows (I purchased but have yet to taste rotini or penne rigati)
BionaturaeSpaghetti, Fusilli
Mueller'sRotini (Multi Grain)(I purchased but have yet to taste it)
Hodgson MillSpaghetti, Elbows(Did not try elbows)
Hodgson MillSpinach Spaghetti
Hodgson MillPenne with Milled Flax Seed


Other Notes

Wal-Mart changed their formulation (Heartland brand) sometime around early 2007. The old one had 190 calories 210 in the current formulation), 10 calories from fat (15), 1g total fat (1.5), 39g total carbohydrates (41), 1g sugar (2).

Trader Joe's changed their formulation sometime around early 2006. The old one (in both spaghetti and penne) had 2g total fat (1.5 in the current formulation), 1g saturated fat (0), 6g protein (8), 6% vitamin C (0%), 8% iron (10%). I prefer the new formulation.

Whole Foods changed their formulation (365 Organic brand) sometime around 2005. The old one (in both spaghetti and linguine) had 20 calories from fat (10 in the current formulation), 2g fat (1), 39g carbohydrates (40), 1g sugar (2), 7g protein (8), and 8% iron (12%).

Delverde, possibly the best one I've ever had, is no longer carried at Super Fresh. I've seen some varieties elsewhere, but never the whole wheat.

For Bionaturae, I tried only the spaghetti, not the fusilli.

From Westbrae Natural, "To produce a firm al dente texture, whole wheat pasta requires more carefully timed cooking than semolina pasta."

I did try Annie's (purchased at Whole Foods sometime between 2003-2005, and I recall it being quite good).

Created January 29, 2007.