Noodles are a food that is loved by the public, and many sugar friends like to eat noodles, but they dare not eat them for fear of raising blood sugar.
Today I recommend 3 kinds of noodles to you, which have a relatively small effect on blood sugar, so you might as well try them next time you want to eat noodles.
1. Mung bean noodles: 50% mung bean flour
Mung beans themselves have a weak ability to raise blood sugar, with a GI (glycemic index) of only 27 [1] (GI≤55 is a low GI food), and it is rich in dietary fiber, which can increase satiety and delay the rise of blood sugar after meals.
Mung bean noodles with 50% mung bean flour are also low GI foods, with a GI = 33 [1], and they have little effect on blood sugar.
Moreover, the study found [2] that mung bean noodles containing 50% mung bean flour contain more than three times the protein and dietary fiber content of refined flour noodles.
This means that mung bean noodles are not only more nutritious than ordinary noodles, but also have less impact on blood sugar, making them more suitable for sugar lovers.
However, although the mung bean noodles or mung bean noodles on the market have the word "mung bean" in their names, the actual content of mung bean flour is often less than 10%, which greatly reduces the nutritional value and has a greater impact on blood sugar. Therefore, when purchasing, sugar friends need to carefully identify.
Recommend a simple and easy-to-make mung bean noodles ingredient list:
50% mung bean flour, 32% wheat flour, 18% gluten flour, add an appropriate amount of water to mix.
This combination not only ensures the smoothness of the taste, but also takes into account the comprehensiveness of nutrition.
2. Soba noodles: 100% buckwheat flour
Buckwheat is a very recommended whole grain for sugar lovers, it contains more dietary fiber and resistant starch, as well as various essential amino acids and minerals, which can help us better control blood sugar.
Buckwheat noodles made with buckwheat flour have little effect on blood sugar, and blood sugar does not spike suddenly after eating.
However, the soba noodles on the market may not be as "pure" as you think. A lot of them have some other flour added to them, and although they taste better, they will also rise faster. For example, buckwheat noodles with 16% buckwheat flour added only 3.32 lower glycemic index than wheat noodles are still considered high GI foods [3].
Many commercially available soba noodles are "concept" products, and the content of buckwheat flour is not high, perhaps less than 16%. For sugar lovers, they are not as valuable as they seem.
Therefore, when buying soba noodles, keep your eyes open and look at the ingredient list, the higher the buckwheat flour content, the better, and it is best to have only buckwheat flour and water.
There's a little secret to boiling soba noodles, which is to cook them twice!
Cook the noodles until they are half cooked, then remove them and put them back in the pot to continue cooking.
The noodles cooked in this way not only have a stronger texture, but also digest more slowly, which is helpful for blood sugar control.
3. Pasta: 100% durum wheat flour
Pasta is actually a type of noodle that is very suitable for sugar lovers.
For example, pasta made from whole wheat flour has a glycemic index of 48 [1] and pasta made from refined flour has a glycemic index of 49 [1], both of which are low GI foods.
One of the characteristics of pasta is that it is very tough, and it takes a little time to chew, so the digestion will be slower, and the blood sugar will rise more slowly after a meal. This is really helpful for controlling blood sugar after meals, so it is more suitable for sugar lovers.
However, when choosing pasta, we should pay attention to the ingredient list.
It's best to choose only pasta that has only durum wheat flour and water in the ingredient list, which is the best for sugar lovers.
3 tips for eating noodles to raise blood sugar slowly
(1) Add more vegetables and less noodles, so that the amount of vegetables is about the same as the amount of noodles, or even more dishes. It can also be served with a coleslaw.
(2) Pair with some protein-rich foods, such as eggs, meat, shrimp, tofu, beef, etc., which can reduce the rate of blood sugar rise.
(3) Add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar, vinegar can reduce the glycemic ability of noodles, help improve insulin sensitivity, and can help you control blood sugar after meals.