Barack Obama's 'Lucky' Pasta Dish Is Deliciously Nutrient Dense

Pasta's gotten a bit of a bad rap in today's keto and low-carb craze. The problem? It's carb-heavy — about 43 grams per cup — and it doesn't exactly fit into diets that cap daily carbs at 50 grams. And yes, loading up on carbs and sugars from processed foods all day can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. But pasta can absolutely be part of a healthy life, even if your idea of exercise is walking from the couch to the fridge. Of course, it's best to avoid sweeter sauces, but plenty of pasta dishes are packed with nutrients. Take Barack Obama's "lucky pasta," for instance.

On "The Sporkful" podcast, Sam Kass, who once served as Barack Obama's chef, revealed that the former POTUS enjoyed pesto pasta with chicken, spinach, and parmesan right before his second debate against GOP nominee Mitt Romney (via Food & Wine). Obama even credited his winning debate performance to that meal, dubbing it his "lucky pasta." And if you break down the nutrients in Obama's pasta, you'll find that it can be a relatively healthy meal.

Chef Kass told Parade that this chicken pesto pasta takes only about 20 minutes to prepare, even on Air Force One. Start by cooking about a pound of mini penne pasta, remembering to reserve some of the salted cooking water for later. For the pesto, blend fresh basil leaves, a garlic clove, pine nuts, freshly grated parmesan, and salt with olive oil until smooth. Toss the sauce with the drained pasta, then stir in cooked chicken breast, baby spinach, and a splash of the reserved cooking water to keep things moist.

This recipe packs 31% of your daily vitamin C and 19% of your daily iron, thanks to the spinach. It's also a good source of minerals like magnesium, zinc, and selenium, along with many other essential vitamins. And while it comes in at 55 grams of carbs, the 3 grams of fiber and 30 grams of protein help prevent a blood sugar spike. Plus, this pasta dish contains only 1.6 grams of sugar. Nutritionally, it's well-balanced with 21% of the calories from protein, 38% from carbs, and 41% from fat. Most of that fat comes from the olive oil, which delivers 15 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and 4 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

You've probably been told by diet influencers that carbs will make you fat, but the truth is, any calories eaten in excess can lead to weight gain, according to Healthline. What really matters is getting a balance of macronutrients in each meal to fuel your body and keep you feeling full. Foods high in sugar and refined carbs can trigger cravings, making you eat more calories than your body needs.

Sure, a plate of fettuccine alfredo can be high in sodium, carbs, and saturated fat, but you can still enjoy pasta by being smart about what else you add to the dish. For the pasta itself, choose whole wheat for added fiber, and cook it al dente to slow digestion. If you're trying to get more vegetables into your diet, toss them into your pasta. Squash and spinach boost fiber and nutrients without changing the flavor of your favorite sauce, while tomatoes add a dose of the powerful antioxidant lycopene (but here's how much sugar that might be hiding in your pasta sauce).

Homemade meatballs can be delicious with pasta, but they can also pack in a lot of saturated fat. Just one meatball can add about 243 calories and more than 6 grams of saturated fat to your meal, while a turkey meatball can cut that fat nearly in half. Heavy cream is another sneaky source of saturated fat, so swap some of it for skim milk or plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, but still creamy, sauce.