Pasta & noodles · Glycemic index
Do rice noodles spike blood sugar?
Yes — rice noodles have a low GI of 53, and a 176 g serving (1 cup cooked) has a glycemic load of 21, which is high. Rice noodles have a low average GI, but they carry little fiber and a cup of cooked noodles adds up to a high glycemic load.
Key numbers
- Glycemic index
- 53
- Low GI
- Glycemic load
- 21
- High GL
- Available carbs
- 40 g
- 1.8 g fiber
- Serving
- 1 cup cooked
- 176 g · boiled
GI vs GL for rice noodles
The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For rice noodles: 53 × 40 g ÷ 100 ≈ 21.
That figure is an average reported in the 2008 international GI tables (“Rice noodles: 53 ± 7 (average of all available data)”). Rice noodle results differ by type: in the 2008 tables, dried rice noodles tested 61 and freshly made rice noodles 40.
Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.
How to eat rice noodles with less of a spike
- In pho or other noodle soups, ask for extra vegetables and meat or tofu and leave some of the noodles.
- Stir-fry a smaller portion of noodles with a large amount of vegetables and protein.
- Choose fresh rice noodles when you can; they tested 40 against 61 for dried rice noodles in the 2008 tables.
Lower-GI swaps
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Frequently asked questions
What is the glycemic index of rice noodles?
Rice noodles have a glycemic index of 53, which is low. That figure is an average reported in the 2008 international GI tables (“Rice noodles: 53 ± 7 (average of all available data)”). A 176 g serving (1 cup cooked) contains about 40 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 21 (high).
Is rice noodles good for prediabetes?
Rice noodles are fine in moderate amounts. In noodle soups and stir-fries, go heavy on vegetables and protein and lighter on the noodles.
Are rice noodles better than wheat pasta for blood sugar?
Not really. Rice noodles averaged a GI of 53 while white spaghetti averaged 47, and a cup of cooked rice noodles has a little more carbohydrate than a cup of spaghetti.
Sources
GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281–2283, Table 1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168914: Rice noodles, cooked
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008 — online appendix, Table A1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169737: Pasta, cooked, enriched, without added salt
Data last checked .