Rice vs. Rice noodles — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

In this article, we will compare white rice(1) and rice noodles(2) in terms of nutrient content and health impact. Go through all the sections of the article to find out which of these foods is a healthier choice for you. 

Actual differences 

Rice is an edible starchy cereal grain produced by a grass plant called Oryza sativa. It has a unique nutty but also buttery taste, which leaves a sweet aftertaste. Rice has a lot of varieties: basmati, jasmine, wild, brown, black rice, etc. Rice is usually cooked using one of these preparation methods: boiling, steaming, and making risotto or pilaf. 

Rice noodles are made of rice flour and water primarily. They have a slightly sweet and nutty taste and are used for making soups, stir-fries dishes, pad Thai, sometimes pasta, and even sweet puddings. 

Because rice noodles are one of the processed versions of rice, they may contain lower amounts of nutrients.

 Go through the nutrition section of the article to find out more about the differences between these foods. 

Nutrition

Minerals

Rice is the winner in this section. 

Rice is higher in all essential minerals compared to rice noodles. It contains more than six times more iron than rice noodles. 

Their sodium content is insignificant. 

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.

Rice

10

Rice noodles

0

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+300%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+150%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+775%
Contains more IronIron	+757.1%
Contains more CopperCopper	+81.6%
Contains more ZincZinc	+96%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+115%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-94.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+314%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+66.7%

 

Vitamins

If we look at the vitamin comparison chart shown below, we will see that rice is higher in all types of vitamins. Rice is significantly higher in B-complex vitamins.

Rice noodles are 58 times lower in 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.

Rice

8

Rice noodles

0

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+33.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+805.6%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+225%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+1950%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+3445.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+1450%
Contains more FolateFolate	+5700%
Contains more CholineCholine	+31.3%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin K ~0µg

 

Health impact

As mentioned above, rice is higher in nutrients than rice noodles. Hence, rice consumption can be a healthier choice. However, some studies show that you should be careful while using high amounts of rice. 

The American Health Association recommends the usage of whole grains, such as brown rice, over refined ones, like white rice (4). According to a study (3), a high intake of white rice increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. There is also an article about rice consumption's correlation with a higher risk of type two diabetes (5). 

Although we can often find rice that is fortified with vitamin A, this research indicates rich noodles fortified with vitamin A has higher benefits in vitamin A absorption (6).

Rice noodles might contain very small amounts of gluten because of the manufacturing process. Rice is gluten-free.

References

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168878/nutrients 
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168914/nutrients 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25527760/ 
4. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/whole-grains-refined-grains-and-dietary-fiber 
5. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2022.2101984 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33612590/