Egg noodles vs. Spaghetti — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

by Sveta Badalyan | Last updated on August 14, 2023

Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Summary

Egg noodles are high in choline, magnesium, calcium, mono-, polyunsaturated fats, and vitamins A and D. Moreover, egg noodles have fewer calories.

Spaghetti, on the other hand, provides more protein, net carbs, dietary fiber, potassium, and selenium. It is low-GI food, whereas egg noodles are medium-GI food.

Spaghetti also contains five times less sodium and is cholesterol-free.

Both contain gluten.

Introduction

What are the differences between egg noodles and spaghetti?

Both egg noodles and spaghetti are forms of pasta, but they are different in texture, ingredients, shapes, and origins.

Egg noodles contain eggs, wheat flour, and water. Spaghetti is often cooked using semolina flour and water. When compared to spaghetti, egg noodles are softer and have a tender texture. Spaghetti has a firmer texture.

There are numerous different types of egg noodles, and the sizes vary per nation. Chinese egg noodles are typically long, broad, flat pieces of dough. Egg noodles are thinner than spaghetti, though both are long and cylindrical.

Egg noodles are native to China, whereas spaghetti comes from Italy.

Taste and Use

Spaghetti itself doesn't have a strong flavor. It can have different tastes depending on serving and cooking. The flavor of egg noodles is a little rich and more pronounced.

You can use egg noodles in stroganoff and creamy soups.

Spaghetti is frequently combined with tomato-based sauces or made into foods like aglio e olio or carbonara.

Nutrition

We will compare the nutritional values of egg noodles and spaghetti, concentrating on differences.

Macronutrients and Calories

Egg noodles are high in cholesterol, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Furthermore, egg noodles provide fewer calories and saturated fats. Spaghetti, on the other hand, is high in protein, net carbs, and dietary fiber.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Egg noodles

Protein: 4.54 g

Fats: 2.07 g

Carbs: 25.16 g

Water: 67.73 g

Other: 0.5 g

Spaghetti

Protein: 5.8 g

Fats: 0.93 g

Carbs: 30.86 g

Water: 62.13 g

Other: 0.28 g

Contains more FatsFats	+122.6%
Contains more OtherOther	+78.6%

Contains more ProteinProtein	+27.8%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+22.7%

~equal in Water ~62.13g

Calories

Compared to egg noodles, spaghetti has more calories. A hundred grams of egg noodles provides 138 calories, whereas the same amount of spaghetti contains 158 calories.

Protein

A hundred grams of egg noodles contain 4.54g of protein. Spaghetti provides 5.8g of protein per 100g. Both have all essential amino acids in small amounts. Moreover, spaghetti is high in tryptophan, threonine, leucine, and valine. Egg noodles, on the other hand, are high in methionine.

Gluten

Traditional egg noodles and spaghetti contain gluten. There are gluten-free flours if you are intolerant to gluten or eat a gluten-free diet.

Fats

Egg noodles provide over two times more fat. The fat content in egg noodles is 2.07g per 100g, whereas spaghetti has 0.93g. Egg noodles are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Spaghetti, on the other hand, is less in saturated fats.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Egg noodles

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.419 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.581 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.552 g

Spaghetti

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.176 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.131 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.326 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+343.5%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+69.3%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-58%

Carbohydrates

The carb content in egg noodles is 25.16g per 100g. Spaghetti provides 30.86g of carbs per 100g. Spaghetti contains 29.06g of net carbs, whereas egg noodles provide 23.96g.

The main carbohydrate found in spaghetti is starch. Spaghetti provides 26g of starch, whereas egg noodles do not contain it. The other carbohydrates found in spaghetti are sucrose and fructose.

Moreover, spaghetti provides more dietary fiber. The fiber content in egg noodles is 1.2g, whereas spaghetti has 1.8g.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Egg noodles

Starch: 0 g

Sucrose: 0.04 g

Glucose: 0.07 g

Fructose: 0 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0.3 g

Galactose: 0 g

Spaghetti

Starch: 26.01 g

Sucrose: 0.09 g

Glucose: 0.04 g

Fructose: 0.03 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0.4 g

Galactose: 0 g

Contains more GlucoseGlucose

+75%

Contains more StarchStarch	+∞%
Contains more SucroseSucrose	+125%
Contains more FructoseFructose	+∞%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose	+33.3%

~equal in Lactose ~0g

~equal in Galactose ~0g

Vitamins

Egg noodles and spaghetti are not good sources of vitamins. Egg noodles contain a small amount of vitamins A and D, whereas spaghetti does not provide them. Also, egg noodles and spaghetti are equal in vitamins B2, B3, B6, and folate.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Egg noodles

Spaghetti

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+183.3%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+50%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+134.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+∞%
Contains more CholineCholine	+301.6%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.02mg

~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0.4mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.049mg

~equal in Vitamin K ~0µg

~equal in Folate ~7µg

Minerals

Egg noodles contain more calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Spaghetti, on the other hand, provides more potassium and selenium.

Egg noodles also are high in choline. Egg noodles contain 25.7mg of choline, whereas spaghetti provides only 6.4mg. Moreover, spaghetti has five times less sodium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Egg noodles

Spaghetti

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+16.7%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+71.4%
Contains more IronIron	+20%
Contains more ZincZinc	+27.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+31%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+15.8%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-80%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+10.5%

~equal in Copper ~0.1mg

~equal in Manganese ~0.322mg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of egg noodles is 57. Spaghetti has a glycemic index level of 49. Egg noodles are medium-GI foods, whereas spaghetti is low-GI food.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load, or PRAL, is the amount of acid or base produced by the food inside the body. Both have a PRAL value of 3.5. Both are acidic.

Weight Loss & Diets

Egg noodles are not acceptable in a vegan diet because eggs are an animal product. Spaghetti, on the other hand, is vegan.

Traditional egg noodles and spaghetti are high in carbs and are not keto-friendly.

If you are following the Paleo diet, you must avoid egg noodles and spaghetti.

Spaghetti is a good choice for the DASH diet due to its low fat and high protein content. Egg noodles can be part of the DASH diet in moderate amounts.

Health Impact

Cardiovascular Health

Egg noodles contain 29mg of cholesterol. High cholesterol level in the serum is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases(1). Egg noodles are also high in sodium. High sodium intake increases blood pressure. Hypertension is one of the risk factors for heart stroke(2).

According to the study, pasta consumption does not correlate to the deterioration of glucose control, adiposity measurements, or other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes(3).

Downsides and Risks

Allergy

Egg allergy is one of the most frequent allergies in children. You must avoid egg noodles from your diet if you have an egg allergy(4).

Egg noodles and spaghetti made from wheat flour. Wheat allergy is common in childhood. Wheat allergy is an IgE-mediated reaction to insoluble gliadin in wheat. You must avoid traditional egg noodles and spaghetti if you are allergic to wheat(5).

Gluten Associated Diseases

Egg noodles and spaghetti contain gluten. Gluten proteins can cause symptoms in persons with coeliac disease multisystem immunological condition. You must avoid these foods if you have celiac disease (CD), non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH)(6).

References

Author name: Sveta Badalyan

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Last updated: August 14, 2023

Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Lower in Cholesterol
Lower in Sodium
Lower in Saturated Fat
Lower in Glycemic Index
Lower in Sugar
Lower in price
Rich in vitamins
Rich in minerals	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Calories	138kcal	158kcal
Protein	4.54g	5.8g
Fats	2.07g	0.93g
Net carbs	23.96g	29.06g
Carbs	25.16g	30.86g
Cholesterol	29mg	0mg
Vitamin D	4IU	0IU
Magnesium	21mg	18mg
Calcium	12mg	7mg
Potassium	38mg	44mg
Iron	0.6mg	0.5mg
Sugar	0.4g	0.56g
Fiber	1.2g	1.8g
Copper	0.098mg	0.1mg
Zinc	0.65mg	0.51mg
Starch		26.01g
Phosphorus	76mg	58mg
Sodium	5mg	1mg
Vitamin A	21IU	0IU
Vitamin A	6µg	0µg
Vitamin E	0.17mg	0.06mg
Vitamin D	0.1µg	0µg
Manganese	0.315mg	0.322mg
Selenium	23.9µg	26.4µg
Vitamin B1	0.03mg	0.02mg
Vitamin B2	0.02mg	0.02mg
Vitamin B3	0.4mg	0.4mg
Vitamin B5	0.263mg	0.112mg
Vitamin B6	0.046mg	0.049mg
Vitamin B12	0.09µg	0µg
Folate	7µg	7µg
Trans Fat	0.029g	0g
Choline	25.7mg	6.4mg
Saturated Fat	0.419g	0.176g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.581g	0.131g
Polyunsaturated fat	0.552g	0.326g
Tryptophan	0.043mg	0.083mg
Threonine	0.138mg	0.206mg
Isoleucine	0.19mg	0.228mg
Leucine	0.365mg	0.44mg
Lysine	0.137mg	0.133mg
Methionine	0.086mg	0.065mg
Phenylalanine	0.24mg	0.297mg
Valine	0.22mg	0.262mg
Histidine	0.121mg	0.132mg
Fructose	0g	0.03g
Omega-3 - ALA		0.024g

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Calories diet

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Calories diet
Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet
Low Glycemic Index diet

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

30%

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?

Spaghetti is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 29mg)

Which food contains less Sodium?

Spaghetti contains less Sodium (difference - 4mg)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Spaghetti is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.243g)

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

Spaghetti is lower in glycemic index (difference - 8)

Which food is lower in Sugar?

Egg noodles is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.16g)

Which food is cheaper?

Egg noodles is cheaper (difference - $1.6)

Which food is richer in vitamins?

Egg noodles is relatively richer in vitamins

Which food is richer in minerals?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.