Rice noodles are the second most common rice product used in Asia, behind rice grains. Regular pasta, or enriched spaghetti, is more common in the United States. Regular pasta has more nutrients than rice noodles; however, rice noodles do not contain gluten, which makes them a good choice for people with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
Calories and Fat
Rice noodles and regular pasta are similar in calorie and fat content. Rice noodles have 96 calories per 1/2 cup, and pasta has 111 calories. Both types of noodles contain little fat. Regular pasta has 0.65 grams of fat per 1/2 cup, about 0.5 grams more than rice noodles. The majority of fat in regular pasta is unsaturated, or healthy, fat.
Protein, Carbohydrates and Fiber
Regular pasta is higher in protein than rice noodles. Rice noodles have 0.8 grams of protein per 1/2 cup, while regular pasta has 4.06 grams. Carbohydrate and fiber content vary little between the two noodles. Regular pasta has 21.6 grams of carbohydrate and 1.3 grams of fiber. Rice noodles have 21.91 grams of carbohydrate and 0.9 grams of fiber.
Enriched regular pasta has more vitamins and minerals than rice noodles because it contains added iron, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid. The biggest difference between the two noodles is their folate contents. Regular pasta has 83 micrograms of folate, versus 3 micrograms in rice noodles. Folate is particularly important for women of childbearing age, because it is necessary for the health of a developing fetus. Regular pasta also contains about 10 times more thiamin and riboflavin, and twice as much niacin as rice noodles.
Regular pasta is enriched with iron and contains 4 percent of the recommended daily value, which is eight times more than rice noodles. Regular pasta has more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. These minerals help your body maintain a stable blood pressure, control muscle contractions, support the immune system and maintain healthy teeth and bones.
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