# Athlete-Targeted Pastas HappiEats' Sports Pasta is Made for Easier Digestion & Sustained Energy By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2025-09-22 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happieats-sports-pasta References: [foodbusinessnews.net](https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/29051-cizzle-brands-unveils-sports-pasta-line) & [myhappieats](https://myhappieats.ca/)  Pasta sometimes gets a bad rap in the health and fitness world, with some avoiding carbs altogether in pursuit of leaner diets, but HappiEats' Sports Pasta was intentionally developed for [easy digestion and sustained energy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bellycious), catering to active lifestyles without sacrificing comfort. “Pasta has been a staple of most athletes’ diets for years,” said John Celenza, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of [Cizzle Brands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snak-stars), “While it’s a great source of short-term energy, it’s not optimal for performance because of how quickly the body metabolizes the starches. We saw this as an opportunity to build a product that tastes as great as traditional pasta, but that better serves the needs of athletes." Inspired by a handmade recipe from Italy, this pasta is made with a combination of red lentil, white quinoa and white bean flour, and delivers 18 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber in a serving. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 52% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 49% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Functional Carbohydrate Foods:** The development of pasta that offers not only energy but also enhanced nutritional benefits caters to the demand for functional food options among athletes and health enthusiasts. - **Protein-rich Plant-based Foods:** A blend of red lentil, white quinoa, and white bean flour creates protein-rich pasta, highlighting the potential for plant-based foods in meeting the dietary needs of performance-focused consumers. - **Digestive Health Innovations:** The focus on easy digestion presents opportunities for the development of food products aimed at optimizing gut health and enhancing nutrient absorption for active individuals. ### Who This Affects Most - **Sports Nutrition:** Incorporating functional ingredients into everyday foods opens up new avenues in the sports nutrition industry, providing performance-boosting alternatives to traditional energy sources. - **Plant-based Food Production:** Utilizing plant-based proteins such as lentils and quinoa emphasizes the industry's shift towards sustainable, health-conscious innovations in food production. - **Health Food Manufacturing:** The creation of athlete-focused pasta exemplifies how manufacturers can cater to health-conscious consumers by redesigning staple foods with added benefits. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Post-Workout Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spaghetti-legs.md) - [Nutrition-Focused Protein Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barilla-protein-cellentani.md) - [Guilt-Free Protein Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/equii-protein-pasta.md) - [Free-From Protein Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/highprotein-pasta.md) - [Protein-Forward Pasta Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/protein-pastas.md) - [High-Protein Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/high-protein-pasta.md) - [Convenient Gluten-Free Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pasta-by-daily-harvest.md) - [Bean-Powered Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fava-bean-pasta.md) - [Hybrid Protein Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banza-wheat-protein-pasta.md)