What About Rice Noodles?

by Kitty
(Houston, TX)

Visitor Asks:

Can I eat rice noodles on an insulin resistant diet?

Lifetime Fat Loss Answers:

Excellent question.

Rice noodles are made from rice flour and could be high glycemic since rice is high glycemic. It will depend on how processed it is. Pasta noodles are made from semolina or durum flour which is high in protein and so pasta is low glycemic.

Rice noodles are ubiquitous in Asian cooking and we think of this style of cooking as being highly nutritious which it is. Typically an Asian dish is built around the vegetable with the noodles and a small amount of high quality chicken, fish or lean pork added. The meat is the accompaniment not the main attraction. The vegetable is the star and sets the flavor and texture. Having lots of vegetables and some protein with the high density carbohydrate (the noodles) reduces the glycemic affect.

Since you are insulin resistant you need to be extra vigilant so look for brown rice noodles. The brown rice noodles will have more fiber and protein which means a lower glycemic index. Annie Chun makes a brown rice noodle and some other brands are Tinkyada and Jovial. If you can't find these in your natural foods market you can buy them online.

* Another option is to do what Thai people do. If they are concerned about nutrient content and blood sugar, they buy mung bean noodles instead of rice noodles. These are made from mung bean flour which has a higher protein content than rice flour and more nutrients and will have a lower glycemic affect. You may be able to find these only in Asian markets but it's worth the look at your own grocery store.

Make your brown rice noodles or mung bean noodles with lots of vegetables and some protein and they should be agreeable on your insulin resistant diet. You could always check your blood sugar level after eating some.