4 Health & Injuries

I can polish off a giant plate of pasta like nobody’s business. Preferably covered in some form of cheese, pesto, or meaty sauce—that’s the best part of the prerace ritual, right? But too many of those simple carbohydrates What Are the Benefits of Creatine for Runners.

The problem: Traditional white pasta is sky-high in simple carbs and low in protein and fiber, which can lead to erratic spikes and dips in blood sugar—but you already knew that. What you probably didn’t know: There are some pretty kick-ass new pastas on the market that taste like the real deal, but pack a wallop of protein and fiber, thanks to ingredients like lentils, edamame, chickpeas, beans, and almonds. And those proteins are great for postrace muscle recovery.

Here are 4 of our favorites that are reinventing this classic pantry staple. 

Related: 7 How Kipchoge Hones His Nutrition for the Marathon

Cookouts just got a whole lot healthier. Meet your new go-to pasta for legitimately healthy summer macaroni salad. Not only does rotini perfectly hang on to your delicious homemade dressing, but just one serving of these corkscrew shaped noodles packs 14 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. They’re made of just one ingredient: red lentil flour. ($5; buymoderntable.com)

Related: The Best Carbs for Runners

Harnessing the power of another delicious legume, Banza offers shells made from chickpeas, along with a bit of tapioca and pea protein. The result is 14 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber (a third of your recommended daily intake!) per serving. The added nutrients make us feel a whole lot better about using these sauce-hugging shells as a base for can actually make runners feel bloated, sluggish, and even lead to GI distress. ($10; eatbanza.com)

Perhaps the most delicious of them all, Cappello’s pasta is rich, buttery, and comes the closest to tasting like fresh handmade noodles. Kind of crazy, considering they’re made from almonds and eggs. Better yet, a serving clocks in at 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, and packs the fewest carbs of any grain-free pasta we could find. But the best part: They take just 90 seconds to cook! ($10; cappellos.com)

Two plant protein powerhouses in one pasta means a ridiculously healthy nutritional profile. Just one serving contains 10 grams of fiber and 25 grams of protein—more than you'd get in three eggs! Because they contain soy, this protein is considered "complete," containing all 9 essential amino acids. ($3.15; thrivemarket.com)

Related: The 20 Highest Protein Veggies (And Other Plant-Based Foods) You Can Eat

The article 4 can actually make runners feel bloated, sluggish, and even lead to GI distress Modern Table Meals.