Good news for pasta lovers: it might actually be GOOD for your waistline

You know how they say that carbs are basically the devil in food form? Turns out, that might not be true after all (rejoice!). There might actually be some truth to that whole “balanced diet” thing your grandmother is always telling you about, and you know what? Pasta can TOTALLY have a place on your plate.

In a recent study published by the Nutrition & Diabetes Journal, it was found that pasta can actually help your waistline stay small, rather than adding on the pounds — imagine that! The study was conducted in Italy, however, so maybe it was just a scheme by Big Pasta…just kidding, the science is totally there.

So, let’s get down to it — here’s what they did. They took 23,000 people (a really good sample size!) and took a hard look at both their BMIs and their eating habits, and found that there was actually no real correlation at all between eating pasta and a higher BMI or increased waist size — in fact, pretty much the opposite. Those who eat pasta regularly (tortellini, fettuccine, spaghetti, oh my!) actually have a “lower waist circumference and better waist-hip ratio,” and if that’s not the best news you’ve ever heard…well, I don’t really know what to tell you.

However, there’s a catch (as there always is), and that catch is MODERATION. As long as you don’t go overboard on pasta, you’re all set — and your body might thank you for it.