VIETNAMESE NOODLES

NUTRITION INFORMATION


In the Vietnamese cuisine there is a wide range of NOODLES available, they come in many different tastes, shapes, textures and even various colors. But what are actually the differences in point of NUTRITION?

Obviously very common are various types of Rice Noodles, most widespread Phở and Bún, which are used in so many dishes and variations. Those noodles main ingredients are rice flour and water. From a nutrition point they consist mainly of carbs, however they also offer a bit of protein and a small amount of fibers.

The Vietnamese Glass Noodles (Miến) are made by starch extracted from the roots of the Canna plant (củ dong). Those kind of noodles are sometimes considered to be a great substitute to rice noodles since they are not made from rice, and as a result are supposed to be low in calories and carbs. Unfortunately the truth is complete contrary, since the main ingredient is starch, those noodles actually mainly consist of carbs, and are very low in any other nutrient, protein and fiber.

Another type of noodles that are very common are the yellow instant noodles (Mì). Unfortunately from a nutritional point they are also not the best choice. They are mainly made from wheat flour, the yellow color is advertised to come from eggs or potatoes, but unfortunately very often it only comes from artificial color. The noodles are pre-boiled and after, in order to dry them and keep their form, they are deep fried before packaging. As a result of the frying process they contain much more fat than other types as noodles, mainly very unhealthy trans fat. So ultimately they are also much higher in calories while offering less protein, carbs and fibers.

In the table attached you can find more detailed nutrition facts for all those types of noodles. As always, please consider that the recipes and production can be quite different from one manufacturer to the other.

The best is always to choose fresh products from local vendors you know and you can trust.


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