8 Healthy Pasta Sauce Choices

A cup full of cooked pasta has about 200 calories and a gram of fat. Not bad, until you smother it in high-calorie sauce. Check out which toppers should top your list (numbers are for one-half cup unless noted):

90 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated)
Tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil -- this standby is heart-healthy.

110 calories, 5 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
Heavy cream ups the fat content. Stir in cauliflower, peas, and other vegetables to increase the volume for fewer calories.

120 calories, 12 g fat (0 g saturated)
This tasty concoction is the most earth-friendly of the bunch, and not a drop of the fat is saturated.

130 calories, 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
Although the clams add fat, they also boost the protein content.

130 calories, 11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
Most of the fat is monounsaturated; still, keep an eye on portion size.

130 calories, 8 g fat (6 g saturated)
Ground beef boosts the fat content but also adds protein and B vitamins.

220 calories, 20 g fat (10 g saturated)
Butter, cheese, heavy cream -- enough said. Use it sparingly!

230 calories, 21 g fat (3 g saturated)
Most of the fat is healthy, but calories still count. Slash them by combining two tablespoons each pesto and pasta cooking water.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, December 2005.