Composition and calorie content, useful properties and harm of udon noodles. How to cook your own Japanese side dish and in what dishes to use?
Udon is a traditional long Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, often ground buckwheat or beans are also added to the dough. In Japan, this garnish is second only to rice in popularity. There are several types of noodles, but are traditionally considered fat. Color - white or light beige, structure - soft, elastic. Noodles are often eaten as a first course, in this case it is served along with broth, and its recipe varies depending on the region of the country - it can be meat, fish, mushroom, with different concentrations and different types of soy sauce. Udon is also served as a regular side dish - cold and warm, often combined with shrimp, soy tofu, green onions. Rice wine and soy sauce are used as a dressing.
Composition and calorie content of udon noodles
Pictured udon noodles
Like any other noodles, Japanese noodles have considerable energy value, and therefore those who adhere to the dietary nutritional protocol should add it to their diet with caution.
The calorie content of udon noodles is 356 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 11, 35 g;
- Fat - 0, 81 g;
- Carbohydrates - 74, 1 g;
- Water - 9, 21 g;
- Ash - 4, 54 g.
The product is, first of all, a source of carbohydrates, which indicates the need to monitor the amount of its consumption for people who are trying to lose weight. It is important for everyone to maintain a balanced diet, and there are already too many carbohydrates in the modern menu.
The vitamin composition of udon is rather limited, since the product is made from wheat white flour - the most processed, and, nevertheless, B vitamins are still contained in the Japanese side dish.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B3, niacin - 0.9 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 0.5 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.1 mcg;
- Vitamin B9, folate - 14 mcg.
Minerals per 100 g:
- Calcium - 23 mg;
- Iron - 1.3 mg;
- Magnesium - 28 mg;
- Phosphorus - 80 mg;
- Potassium - 164 mg;
- Sodium - 1840 mg;
- Zinc - 0.5 mg;
- Copper - 0.1 mg;
- Manganese - 0.5 mg;
- Selenium - 8.3 mg
It should be noted that although the product does not hold the record for the content of vitamins and minerals in the composition, it makes an important contribution to the overall nutritional balance.
Health Benefits of Japanese Udon Noodles
When talking about the benefits of udon, it is very important to understand what kind of noodles are on the plate. The first thing that matters is the cooking time indicated on the packet. If the product is cooked for less than 8 minutes, this means that it belongs to simple carbohydrates, that is, it is made from soft wheat; if the cooking time is longer, then we are dealing with a complex carbohydrate from durum wheat. What's the difference? The fact is that simple carbohydrates actually do not bring any benefit to our body, they are not only poor in vitamin and mineral composition, but also cannot provide energy for a long time. Thus, only if we have a plate of "correct" noodles in front of us, we can count on its benefits:
- Providing the body with energy … Complex carbohydrates are excellent "building blocks" on which the energy plant of our body can work for a long time. They are indispensable at lunchtime, when he is already somewhat tired and needs a high-quality recharge to work effectively until the evening.
- Recovery of the body … Complex carbohydrates are also indispensable in the athlete's diet, they help to restore the body after training in general and muscles in particular.
- Normalization of metabolic processes … A positive effect on metabolism is due to the presence of B vitamins in the composition. Although the number is very small, the product makes an important contribution to the overall balance.
- Strengthening the skeletal system … The same can be said about the mineral composition of udon noodles: it is not a rich source of this or that micro- or macroelement, but still the product replenishes the mineral reserves of the body, which leads to the strengthening of bone tissue, teeth, nails.
- Improved mood … Again, due to the presence of B vitamins in the composition, the quality of the nervous system is influenced. However, the product has a positive effect on emotional well-being, perhaps not so much due to the content of these vitamins, but due to the introduction of novelty into the standard diet, but a varied and tasty diet is the key to a good mood.
Please note that udon can have an even greater positive effect on the body when it comes to noodles with the addition of one or another type of flour - ground buckwheat and beans can significantly enrich the composition.
