Why is spaghetti the best food in the whole world?

Interviewer: Why do you think spaghetti the best food in the whole world?

CowboyBenWade: Spaghetti is really the ultimate food, and that's partly because it's made from cows - or it always should be. I know some people substitute other meat but beef spaghetti is the only way to make it. I know you may have doubts about spaghetti which I'll explain. I struggle to find a reason to eat anything else.

Interviewer: When did you fall in love with spaghetti?

CowboyBenWade: It started at a young age, the formative years.

Interviewer: So before you started school?

CowboyBenWade: Yes, I started out with spaghetti but pizza gave it a lot of competition early in my life. I've since abandoned pizza as a substitute - I still like it, but I've decided that spaghetti is the superior food.

Interviewer: What makes spaghetti so fantastic?

CowboyBenWade: A dish must contain a balance of nutrients - fats, carbohydrates, vegetables, and protein. It's important that there is not too much of one and not enough of another. Other dishes are more lopsided. A hamburger is high in fats, carbohydrates and protein, but it lacks vegetables. A salad has lots of vegetables but not much of the other food groups. If you were to eat only salads or only hamburgers, you would become less healthy. Your body would develop deficiencies in certain areas.

Interviewer: That's true; good health hinges on a balanced diet. That's what the doctors say all the time.

CowboyBenWade: Spaghetti is a special food - it contains all the required food groups in copious quantities. Spaghetti sauce is made from tomatoes, and tomatoes are one of the most healthy food to eat; tomatoes prevent all sort of cancers and contain numerous antioxidants. We've only begun to discover the health benefits of tomatoes.

Interviewer: Spaghetti is just drowning in tomatoes.

CowboyBenWade: Exactly, eating spaghetti is a great way to consume large amounts of tomatoes without having to just eat them like you would an apple. I wouldn't want to do that. You can eat more tomatoes faster by eating spaghetti that you could by consuming any other dish. I've not found a viable substitute yet for the amount of tomatoes you can consume by eating spaghetti. And the great thing is that you're not limited to tomatoes - you can put other stuff in there too like mushrooms, onions, sprouts, or whatever else you think might go with well with tomatoes. Garlic is another good one.

Interviewer: Moving on to carbohydrates, I think that's pretty obvious that spaghetti is rich in carbs.

CowboyBenWade: According to established dietary guidelines, 45-65 percent of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Pasta is an excellent source of carbs, and you can even buy whole grain or multi-grain pasta for a lower glycemic index. Some brands of spaghetti noodles are supplemented with omega 3, but those kind of taste like fish to me.

Interviewer: Is spaghetti is a good fuel source for high intensity exercise because of the carbs?

CowboyBenWade: Football players and other high intensity athletes often "carb load" before big games. Studies have shown that eating lots of carbs before intense exercise improves performance and stamina. This is due to the way the body uses energy - it uses carbs first. It's like putting premium fuel in your car - it's going to run better. You're going to run faster if you eat a big bowl of spaghetti before your super bowl game versus eating a massive t-bone steak. The carbs in the spaghetti will make you perform better than the protein in the steak.

Interviewer: What about the fat content of spaghetti? I believe twenty percent of caloric intake should come from fat.

CowboyBenWade: This brings us to the cheese, which provide the perfect amount of fat to your meal. You need a certain amount of fat because the body needs fat for certain molecular processes; you couldn't live without consuming fat. The sprinkling of cheese on top of a big plate of spaghetti provides the perfect amount. Cheese also has calcium, which you need for maintaining strong bones.

Interviewer: What's the best kind of cheese to put on spaghetti?

CowboyBenWade: Mostly cheddar with a small initial sprinkling of shredded (not powdered) parmesan. Powdered parmesan has some anti-caking agents in it that I don't like putting on my spaghetti. Especially sharp cheddar gives it the perfect amount of taste that pairs well with the tomato sauce. Mushroom area also a wonderful addition and have many health benefits.

Interviewer: It does seem that a dish of this caliber should require some special preparation.

CowboyBenWade: Indeed it does, while each person may develop their own methods mine are below:

Interviewer: Is it better to make your own spaghetti sauce or buy it in the store?

CowboyBenWade: If you are skilled and learn to do it well, always make your own. It's can be made from fresh or canned tomatoes. If you use fresh tomatoes, make sure to peel them. By making it yourself, you can fine tune the flavor with the balance of oregano, garlic, thyme, red pepper, etc that you choose. Store bought spaghetti sauce has a processed taste, especially Prego. While Prego is not good by itself, it can be combined into your own sauce recipe for a nice tough. Store bought sauce is also thicker, and it has too much sodium. Make your own, or you may ruin your taste for spaghetti before you've begun to develop it.

Interviewer: It's hard to think of a better thing to eat. What are your thoughts on the pizza vs spaghetti debate?

CowboyBenWade: Pizza and spaghetti are very similar - they have many of the same ingredients such as flour, tomatoes, cheese, and meat. I like some pizza, but when I'm eating it, I just realize I could be eating spaghetti. It's the same basic thing, and I think spaghetti is healthier. The meat is better; it's not pepperoni or sausage - it's ground beef that has been drained of fat. Even when I'm eating other things, I just keep thinking that I could be eating spaghetti right now, and I would probably be happier eating spaghetti.