Rice Noodles
Tested serving
- About 1 cup (220g)
Rice noodles are Low FODMAP at about 1 cup (220g), a reliable staple for stir-fries, soups and salads.
- About 1 cup (220g) of cooked rice noodles is low.
- Flavored or pre-seasoned versions can bring in onion or garlic, so glance at the label.
Toss them with a splash of garlic-infused oil and fresh herbs for a savory meal.
Why rice noodles is rated low
Rice noodles are low at about 1 cup (220g), with no single FODMAP group standing out, which is what makes them such a dependable base for anyone building meals around Asian flavours. That cup is the amount the rating speaks for, and bigger bowls simply add to the overall FODMAP load. The thing to watch with rice noodles is almost never the noodles. They arrive in laksa, pho, pad thai and stir fries, and the broth, the paste and the sauce are doing far more to the meal's total FODMAP load than the noodles ever will.
What changes your risk
- The serving about 1 cup (220g) is the amount the low rating covers. Larger bowls add to the overall load, so serve to the cup rather than to the bowl.
- The broth and the paste restaurant broths and curry pastes are usually built on onion and garlic, and a noodle soup can carry a large load that has nothing to do with the noodles. This is the single biggest variable in a rice noodle meal.
- Seasoning sachets and pre-flavoured packs instant rice noodle cups and pre-sauced packets come with their own onion and garlic powder. Plain noodles plus your own dressing keep control of what goes in.
- Everything else in the bowl a low rating is per serving, not per meal. Noodles with a sweet sauce, a legume side and a fruit drink add up to a total that no single item on the table predicts.
- Cooking does not add anything soaking, stir frying and reheating do not raise or lower the FODMAP content of the noodles themselves, and boiling in plenty of water and pouring it away can only carry water-soluble FODMAPs off, never add them. Only the serving and what you add to the bowl move the meal.
What else works
Plain rice, quinoa pasta and gluten free pasta made from rice or corn all cover the same starchy base at a normal serve, and 100% buckwheat noodles are another option worth looking for. The lookalikes to know are the wheat noodles sitting beside them: egg noodles, ramen, udon, hokkien noodles and wonton wrappers are not substitutes for rice noodles. Soba is the one that catches people out, since most soba is a buckwheat and wheat blend rather than pure buckwheat, so the ingredient list matters more than the name.
How to keep it low
Buy the plainest packets you can find, where the ingredient list is essentially rice and water, and skip anything with a seasoning sachet tucked inside. Soak or boil them, drain, then measure out about 1 cup (220g) rather than guessing by eye from the bundle. At a restaurant the easier order is usually a stir fry or a dish dressed to order rather than a soup, since the broth has been simmering with onion and garlic for hours and cannot be unmade. At home, dress them with garlic-infused oil, chives and the green tops of spring onions, which carry the aromatic flavour that onion and garlic would have given.
Common questions
are rice noodles low fodmap
Yes. Rice noodles are low at about 1 cup (220g), and no single FODMAP group stands out for them.
how much rice noodles can you eat on low fodmap
About 1 cup (220g) is low. Bigger bowls add to the overall FODMAP load, so measure the serving rather than filling the bowl by eye.
can i have rice noodles on the elimination phase
Plain rice noodles at about 1 cup (220g) suit the elimination phase. The care belongs with the sauce, the broth and any seasoning sachet rather than the noodles.
is pho or pad thai ok if the noodles are low fodmap
The noodles are the easy part. Pho broth and pad thai sauce are usually built on onion and garlic, so the dish around the noodles is what needs checking, and a dish made to order is easier to adjust than a simmered broth.
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Where this rating comes from
Rice Noodles is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
- Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
- Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
- Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
- FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.