A Refreshing Bowl of Noodles! - Brown Rice Noodles and Buckwheat Noodles

As the cool breeze in the mornings and evenings makes it feel like fall is already here, we can sense that summer’s heat is starting to fade. Even though the midday temperature is much lower than it was a month ago, we still crave something cool for our meals. While cold noodles might be the first dish that comes to mind, today we want to introduce you to brown rice noodles and buckwheat noodles, both of which are great for health and dieting.

Brown Rice Noodles: Helping to Control Blood Sugar

Brown rice noodles help raise blood sugar levels more slowly compared to products made entirely of wheat flour. This makes them a good choice for people with diabetes or those who are prediabetic. However, since everyone’s body reacts differently, it’s wise to start with a small amount and monitor your blood sugar before deciding whether to continue eating them. Additionally, brown rice noodles have nearly half the sodium and sugar content of regular wheat noodles. The higher sodium and sugar in wheat noodles is because salt is used to make the noodles chewier. Although brown rice noodles may be slightly less chewy, they’re a better choice for those who need to watch their blood pressure and blood sugar. Organic One's brown rice noodles are made from 98% domestic organic brown rice, so you can enjoy them safely.

How to Make Brown Rice Noodles More Delicious and Healthy

Even though brown rice is healthy, it's still a noodle, meaning it’s made from brown rice flour. If you swallow it quickly without chewing well, it can cause a spike in blood sugar just like regular noodles. We recommend mixing in ingredients rich in dietary fiber, like cucumber, lettuce, or seaweed, which slow down digestion and absorption. This will keep you feeling full for longer and help prevent blood sugar spikes. Mixing brown rice noodles with fiber-rich ingredients to make a cold noodle salad or pasta has long been popular among dieters. Unlike the carbohydrates in wheat noodles, which are quickly converted to sugar and can lead to weight gain, brown rice noodles are a bit less risky in that regard.

Buckwheat: A Superfood on Your Table

Buckwheat is rich in nutrients like dietary fiber and protein. It contains 10g of protein and 5g of fiber per 100g. Buckwheat is also packed with potassium, folic acid, magnesium, fiber, and eight essential amino acids. It’s high in B vitamins, making it more nutritious than other grains like rice or barley. Vitamin B1 helps with fatigue recovery, and vitamin B2 is good for skin health. Buckwheat’s choline content helps break down alcohol, making it effective for hangover relief. Since buckwheat has a cooling nature, it helps reduce swelling and inflammation. It also helps lower blood pressure and prevent strokes by moving excess energy from the upper body down. Nutritionally, buckwheat can lower cholesterol levels, contains low levels of purines (which can cause gout), and is rich in rutin, an antioxidant that’s good for blood vessel health.

Buckwheat Noodles: For Both Taste and Health

Buckwheat can be used in many dishes, like buckwheat noodles, buckwheat tea, and buckwheat pancakes. Today, let's talk about the health benefits and precautions of buckwheat noodles. With only 100kcal per 100g, buckwheat noodles are low in calories and suitable for dieting. You may have heard buckwheat referred to as “momil,” which is the dialect term used in North Korea. Among the many types of buckwheat noodles, the Japanese-style cold buckwheat noodles called “soba,” served with grated radish, green onions, and a side of wasabi, are especially popular. Although buckwheat noodles have a cooling nature, the broth is typically made from ingredients with warming properties, such as soy sauce (known as “tsuyu” in Japanese), which contains warm ingredients like soybeans and salt. Adding grated radish, green onions, and wasabi to the broth can stimulate digestion and boost your appetite during the hot summer. Grated radish also helps quench your thirst and soothe your stomach. According to traditional medicine experts, green onions and wasabi in cold buckwheat noodles contain allicin and sinigrin, respectively, which produce a spicy flavor and provide strong antibacterial effects, helping boost your immunity in hot and humid weather.

Important Notes on Eating Cold Buckwheat Noodles: Broth and Allergies

Since cold buckwheat noodles are often enjoyed with broth, it’s easy to drink too much of the sweet and salty liquid without noticing. This can lead to excessive sodium and sugar intake, making you thirstier and causing you to drink more water. A sudden increase in water can lower electrolyte levels and raise blood volume, putting extra strain on your heart, so it’s important to control how much broth you drink.

If you have a buckwheat allergy, avoid consuming buckwheat. Buckwheat is a known allergen, and even foods that have come into contact with utensils used to prepare buckwheat dishes can trigger allergic reactions. This is especially important for young children, whose immune systems are still developing. Make sure they don’t have an allergic reaction before giving them buckwheat.

Beat the Late Summer Heat with Buckwheat and Brown Rice Noodles from Organic One!

At Organic One, we offer “Gluten-free Jeju Buckwheat Noodles” made with 100% Jeju-grown buckwheat, and “Bongpyeong Buckwheat Noodles,” which contain a blend of 31% buckwheat flour and 67% wheat flour. We also have “Gluten-free Rice Noodles,” made with 98% domestically grown organic brown rice. Although the mornings and evenings are cool, it’s still summer! Get ready for fall with a refreshing bowl of cold buckwheat noodles or brown rice noodles. Organic One is here to support your delicious and healthy lifestyle.

Newsletter Editor: Ji-Young Ahn