Calories in Gnocchi

Do you often like to order gnocchi as an entrée while dining at a restaurant? Many of you also like to cook it at home. There are many variations of the dish. Gnocchi is typically served with tomato sauce or pesto, butter and cheese. For those of you who are not very familiar with the Italian treat, gnocchi is not pasta! Even though, most Americans are still hooked to pasta, gnocchi is especially popular in Brazil and its neighboring countries. It resembles tiny dumplings of potato and is a treat to your taste buds. Did you know? 'Gnocchi' literally means 'dumplings' in Italian! And, it has been around since the 12^th century, long before pasta. Hence, it is quite popular in Middle Eastern countries. You would also be surprised to know that originally, gnocchi was not served with potatoes. There are so many varieties of gnocchi that are now available like gnocchi with chicken, spinach gnocchi, bread crumbs gnocchi, mushroom gnocchi and gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce. But, do you know that this tasty dish is packed with calories? Do you know how many calories are in gnocchi served on your plate? Since there are many variations of gnocchi, each recipe has a different calorific value, depending on its ingredients. Let's take a step further and understand the nutritional value of gnocchi for your health apart from being mouth-watering.

Nutritional Value of Gnocchi
Name of the Recipe	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calorific Value
Potato Gnocchi	32g	11.73g	4.44g	250
Cheese Gnocchi	6g	8.28g	6.25g	125
Spinach Gnocchi	38g	0.5g	4g	170
Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola	25g	11g	7g	230
Sweet Potato Gnocchi	30g	11g	5g	240
Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina	30g	2.5g	6g	170
Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi	60g	0.5g	5g	248

**As per 1 serving of about 10 gnocchi pieces.
Is Gnocchi Healthy or Fattening?

While gnocchi may not be entirely healthy, it is a far better option than your white pasta as it also contains potatoes that add potassium to its nutritional value. But, it mostly contains fat and carbohydrates, making it very calorie dense. It also tastes better than rice and pasta. Many people serve gnocchi with beef sauce, Alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese or sausages. This in turn, makes gnocchi even more fattening. If you don't want your gnocchi to be fattening, you can cook it in chicken broth and add lots of steamed vegetables to it. Also, avoid using butter and go for tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese instead. If you are making your gnocchi from scratch, substitute white flour with wheat flour or semolina. And remember, carbs must be eaten in moderation. However, a healthier and low fat option for gnocchi would be to eat spinach gnocchi. Apart from being less fattening, it also contains iron and calcium. Preparing gnocchi at home will further reduce its calorific value, making it more friendly for your weighing scales. If you are buying your gnocchi from the supermarket, go for a low-calorie option like the one from Trader Joe's, in case you are conscious about what you put on your plate. You could also try making a gnocchi soup with it. That is another healthy way of eating gnocchi. Here is a simple spinach gnocchi recipe.

Spinach Gnocchi
Ingredients:

• 1 cup steamed and chopped spinach
• 2 cup wheat flour
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, preferably low fat
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Knead the dough using all the ingredients. Make long rolls out of it, further cutting them into smaller pieces. They should be roughly half an inch long. Use the fork to make impressions on them. Now, boil them in water until they start to float on top. You can add your choice of sauce to it.

If you are concerned about how many calories are in gnocchi, you might also want to know if your ravioli is a healthy food. Ravioli is an Italian delicacy and a form of pasta. If you have high cholesterol or diabetes, I would suggest that you avoid both the Italian dishes as they are high in carbohydrates and fat and do not contain much nutritional value, while, others should exercise portion control. Also, indulge in gnocchi less often. It is not a health food!