Equally delicious and versatile, pesto and marinara can both be used in a variety of culinary applications. They are both fantastic in pasta, on pizza and sandwiches, as a bread dip, or drizzled over steak or chicken. But, when it comes to fat and calories, which of the two is actually healthier? Of course, it will depend on if you are purchasing your pesto or marinara, or making them at home, but, in general, they both have pros and cons in the nutrition department.
Marinara is a simple sauce. The most classic versions of marinara only contain plum tomatoes, garlic, crushed red pepper, and basil (via Taste of Home). Pesto, on the other hand, contains basil (or kale), pine nuts (or walnuts), olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese (via Food Network). You can start to see just from the list of ingredients that the pesto is more caloric than the marinara. According to Eat This Much, ¼ cup of pesto packs 263 calories and 23 grams of fat. How does this compare to marinara?
Is marinara healthier than pesto?
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No question but that both sauces, properly prepared, are a tasty part of a meal. A ½ cup serving of marinara is only 40 calories and one gram of fat, according to Eat This Much. On the surface, it may look like marinara is the smart choice every time. And it may be, if your biggest concern is fat and calories. When we look deeper into the nutritional content of both marinara and pesto, however, we see that pesto also offers 352 milligrams of potassium, and 80 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin K. Marinara, on the other hand, offers little else, nutritionally.
If your main goal is to cut calories and fat, go for the marinara. If, however, you'd like to add some extra nutrients via greens such as basil or kale, and nuts, such as pine nuts or walnuts, opt for the pesto every once in a while. It's a tasty alternative to marinara, and a little goes a long way.
If your main goal is to cut calories and fat, go for the marinara. If, however, you'd like to add some extra nutrients via greens such as basil or kale, and nuts, such as pine nuts or walnuts, opt for the pesto every once in a while. It's a tasty alternative to marinara, and a little goes a long way.
The Bottom Line. Pesto is higher in calories than some sauces but it's also made with super-healthy ingredients, like basil, olive oil and nuts. I find it's a great way to add more flavor to pasta dishes and even vegetables and proteins.
As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.
However, studies on the individual ingredients of pesto, such as basil and garlic, suggest potential benefits for digestive health. For example, basil has been found to possess anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that may help alleviate symptoms associated with IBS.
A. While pesto has impressive amounts of nutrition, it's still not the healthiest sauce. It would be best to eat it in moderation because pesto contains fats and calories from olive oil and nuts. Moreover, it is higher in fat and calories than most tomato-based sauces.
Traditionally made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs, this deceptively simple sauce has become a staple in Italian (and Italian-American cuisine). Its main ingredients even have some health benefits thanks to the antioxidants found in tomatoes and the heart-healthy fats found in olive oil.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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