15 Health Benefits of Udon Noodles

Udon noodles are an intrinsic part of Japanese cuisine since 9th century. It is a very common meal in Japan which is now extended to rest of the world also.

Udon noodles are thick noodles made of wheat flour which are often coupled with other food items to make different types of dishes.

Health Benefits of Udon Noodles

1. Udon noodles are a healthier choice than other types of noodles because they have less salt, provide more nutrition and thus are more nourishing for the body.
2. They are easy to digest because of their softness. Many laboratory experiments have concluded that udon noodles dissolve much faster than other pastas and also three times faster than beef.
3. Udon noodles’ nutritional value is similar as that of pasta and thus can easily form a part of your healthy diet plan.
4. A 2 oz. serving of plain udon noodles results into an intake of around 80 calories only. However this calorie count tends to increase when these noodles are prepared with other food stuffs. Besides, this calorie count also varies with the type of flour which has been used for making the udon noodles- wheat, corn, etc. But the least calories are found in the wheat udon noodles.
5. Udon noodles generate such heat in the body which lasts longer as compared to other noodles. That’s why it is a favorite food of Japanese in winters.
6. These noodles can also be eaten with soup, stews, vegetables, etc. thus increasing the overall benefits. Also it enables us to stay away from boredom of eating a same dish again and again as many new dishes can be tried with udon noodles.
7. The basic ingredient of udon noodles is wheat; thus it is a potential source of carbohydrates. You can get up to 40 grams of carbohydrates from just 2 oz. serving of udon noodles, which is about 15 percent of the carbohydrate needed by your body daily. Carbohydrates are needed by the human body for sustained energy.
8. The glycemic index of plain udon noodles is 62; thus providing a better blood sugar control.
9. Udon noodles are helpful for those who do not want to put on weight as they help you to maintain a healthy weight. Thus it can also be enjoyed by those people who follow a strict diet. And girls will no longer have to worry about their weight while having the meal.
10. They also reduce the chances of chronic heart diseases and diabetes and so can be enjoyed by heart patients also.
11. Udon noodles contain a very limited quantity of fat; and no saturated fats. Saturated fats are a main reason of the increase in cholesterol level but there is only 1 gram fat and 0 gram saturated fat in one 2 oz. serving of udon noodles. Wow! That’s something amazing- no saturated fats at all. Thus this food is absolutely cholesterol free.
12. These noodles also provide you with rich protein content. You get about 7 grams of protein from a 2 oz. serving of dry udon noodles. However the quantity of amino acids is restricted but it can be covered up by eating udon noodles along with the vegetables. Also, the brown rice udon has the complementary amino acids of rice and wheat. The protein content procured from udon noodles is of high quality too.
13. Buckwheat is a primary constituent of udon noodles and is also a rich source of iron; and thus Udon noodles when eaten with green and leafy vegetables provide you with the immense content of iron. This is so because vitamin C is required by our body to absorb iron; and vitamin C can be procured from vegetables. Thus catering the need of iron for our body. Iron is an important need of human body for healthy red blood cells.
14. Due to presence of buckwheat in it, udon noodles also provide you with the minerals like sodium, choline, vitamin P, rutin, etc.
15. Besides, udon noodles and green vegetables together are a potential supplier of potassium. Potassium is needed by the human body for regulating the blood pressure.
16. Udon noodles are a superior and far better alternative to fast food like burgers, pizzas and fries. They not only provide various minerals and nutrients required for proper growth and development of human brain and body; but are also delicious and tasty enough. Thus, kids will not have the problem of obesity on eating udon noodles.

Udon noodles are fast to cook and can be prepared in less time with no compromise with taste and nutritional value. For example, Udon noodles soup can be prepared in about 15 minutes. These noodles are not like other fast foods which are not safe to consume. Rather, consumption of these noodles has the positive effect on our health.