The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Healthy Noodles: Dietitian's Picks (2024)

FAQs

Which type of pasta is the healthiest? ›

Unlike typical pasta, whole-wheat pasta contains all three parts of the grain — the bran, endosperm and germ — which means it's less processed and more nutritious.

The Bottom Line. In moderation, including instant noodles in your diet likely won't come with any negative health effects. However, they are low in nutrients, so don't use them as a staple in your diet. What's more, frequent consumption is linked to poor diet quality and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

Nutritional Superiority:

Beyond the sensory experience, Pasta made from Durum Wheat Semolina offers notable nutritional advantages over noodles made from maida. Durum wheat semolina is rich in essential nutrients, including fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Glucomannan fiber in shirataki noodles acts as a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut. This can promote the growth of these bacteria, leading to a healthier gut microbiome overall!

An average portion of medium egg noodles contains 206 calories and 1.2g of fat. An average portion of rice noodles contains 162 calories and 0g of fat. Egg noodles do contain a slightly higher amount of protein than rice noodles, which makes them a good choice for people looking to increase their protein intake.

For those people with gut health issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a serving size over ½ cup of wheat-based pasta introduces fructans which can trigger tummy upsets. Gluten-free, buckwheat or quinoa pasta are likely to contain less fermentable short-chain carbohydrates (FODMAPs).

In fact, whole wheat or whole grain pasta is the best option for weight loss as whole wheat pasta takes longer to digest than pasta made from refined flour. Slower digestion means blood sugar will rise slowly after consumption, preventing your body from storing excess fat.

The ideal frequency is between two to three times a week only. They should not be consumed solely, since the dish itself lacks certain key nutrition groups such as protein and fiber, leaving a risk of having malnutrition if consumed in the long term.

It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

The same amount of calories can be found in 50 grams of noodles (dry, uncooked). So for the same amount (eg: 100 grams) noodles will contribute higher calories. But when you ask which one is healthier, then the noodle or rice that you usually consume is more or less the same.

Which pasta is healthy for weight loss? ›

Nowadays, a number of pasta varieties are available in the market, that you can easily incorporate into your weight loss diet. Pasta variants like Buckwheat Pasta, Whole Wheat Pasta, Chickpea Pasta, Rajma Pasta, Lentil Pasta and Makhana Pasta are ideal options.

Are Egg Noodles Healthy? Egg noodles can give you extra nutrients that regular pasta won't, though they also lack in some areas compared to pasta. Still, you don't have to choose only one. Add both to your pantry for a well-rounded diet and supplement each with vegetables, proteins, and other sources of nutrients.

Glass noodles are lower in calories and GI.

This is because they can absorb a lot more water than rice and wheat noodles; so a plate of cooked glass noodles actually contains less carbs because there's more water in it. They are also lower in glycemic index than rice or wheat noodles.