Health benefits of red rice noodles

We have all grown up eating noodles either as a Sunday brunch, at birthday parties, or as an occasional surprise treat. It could be the much-loved instant 2 minutes noodles or the Indo-Chinese version of Hakka noodles. It still is comfort food for many of us since it brings about some very happy childhood memories.

Although kids absolutely love it as a meal but as adults, we feel guilty since we know what goes into making noodles. Both instant as well as Hakka noodles, available in the market, are made with maida/refined flour the nutritional value of which is literally zero. It causes digestive issues as well as wreaks havoc to the blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the body.

Most noodles also contain MSG and other artificial flavour enhancers which have been time and again proven to be very harmful to our health. Does it mean that we should keep our kids away from noodles? Not necessarily, says Priya Prakash, co-founder, Naturally Yours.

Red rice noodles is an ideal healthy alternative to regular noodles. It is completely devoid of maida and is made using only red rice and whole-wheat flour. This makes it a very good source of dietary fibres and antioxidants. It is easy to make and takes barely 10 minutes to cook, thus making it a great choice for individuals who want to eat healthily but are hard-pressed for time. It is also ideal for mothers, who can get their kids to consume whole grains without a fuss since it is in the form of their favourite meal, she suggests.

Prakash shares a few health benefits of red rice noodles.

No maida/refined flour: Thus makes this a delicious guilt-free meal.

Easy to digest: Red rice noodles have high fibre content due to the presence of whole grains. This helps to support healthy digestion.

Provides all the benefits of nutritious red rice in kid-friendly format: It provides you with the goodness of red rice, which has 10 times more antioxidants than brown rice and is also very rich in essential nutrients, iron, vitamin, phosphorus and fibre.

Time saver: The most important benefit is that these noodles are easy to make in under 10 minutes. The noodles taste very similar to regular noodles and can be used in different recipes like Ramen, schezwan, chop suey etc.

Kid-friendly meal: Super easy way to introduce whole grains in children's diet since they absolutely love noodles.

Rich in antioxidants: Red rice has 10 times more antioxidants than brown rice. The antioxidant called Anthocyanin is the pigment which gives red rice its reddish-purple colour. These are powerful anti-inflammatory agents and also help to promote skin and eye health.

Only natural spices: The taste-maker is made using only natural spices like turmeric, ginger, pepper etc which help to support healthy digestion. There are no artificial sweeteners or unfamiliar ingredients.

Ideal for individuals following weight management diets: Since it is made using whole grains, the fibre content in these noodles helps to slow down digestion and makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time. This, in turn, prevents you from overeating or reaching out for unhealthy junk food in between your meals, thus supporting healthy weight management.