Are Soba Noodles Healthier for You Than Pasta?

Soba noodles are a Japanese alternative to regular pasta. Soba noodles are good for your health because they are gluten-free, high in flavonoids, and help balance your blood sugar.

Soba noodles are a Japanese alternative to regular pasta. They’re mostly made with buckwheat flour, which is both gluten-free and full of healthy proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Because of their buckwheat base, Soba noodles can be a healthier option than other types of pasta. 

Buckwheat is an annual crop that originated near China. Today, it’s grown around the world, especially in: 

• China
• India
• Nepal

Buckwheat belongs to the Fagopyrum genus. This genus contains over 20 different species, but we only use two of them for food — Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum. These are respectively known as common buckwheat and Tartary buckwheat. 

These plants have branching stalks with many green leaves. The common variety produces small white flowers. We harvest seeds or kernels from these flowers. These can either be prepared and eaten whole or processed into products like buckwheat flour. 

Buckwheat isn’t a real cereal grain, but it’s considered a pseudo-cereal because its nutrient composition is very similar to traditional whole grains.  

Soba noodles are packed with a number of nutrients that are important for your health. Examples of these important nutrients include: 

• Resistant starch
• Proteins — these contain a unique balance of amino acids that facilitate many bodily functions
• B vitamins — these play important roles in your immune system and help your metabolism
• Magnesium (Mg) — this helps build bones and release energy from your muscles
• Rutin — this may strengthen your blood vessels and make them more flexible

Buckwheat also contains a large number of flavonoids, which benefit human health in a wide variety of ways. 

Buckwheat is considered a whole grain, whereas white flour is a refined grain. The process of refining grains removes parts of the seed. This lowers their nutritional value. 

Some kinds of pasta are enriched with additional nutrients to balance out the effects of refining. Other kinds of pasta are made with whole wheat flour, which is also considered a whole grain. 

In general, soba noodles are often a healthier choice than regular pasta. 

The following list compares the nutrients found in 100 grams of cooked soba noodles (SN) compared to 100 grams of cooked unenriched pasta (UP): 

• Water — 73 grams (SN), 62.1 grams (UP)
• Protein — 5.06 grams (SN), 5.8 grams (UP)
• Total fat — 0.1 grams (SN), 0.93 grams (UP)
• Carbohydrates — 21.4 grams (SN), 30. 9 grams (UP)
• Calcium — 4 milligrams (SN), 7 milligrams (UP)
• Iron — 0.48 milligrams (SN), 0.5 milligrams (UP)
• Magnesium — 9 milligrams (SN), 18 milligrams (UP)
• Phosphorus — 25 milligrams (SN), 58 milligrams (UP)
• Potassium — 35 milligrams (SN), 44 milligrams (UP)
• Sodium — 60 milligrams (SN), 1 milligram (UP)
• Zinc — 0.12 milligrams (SN), 0.51 milligrams (UP)
• Copper — 0.008 milligrams (SN), 0.1 milligrams (UP)
• Manganese — 0.374 milligrams (SN), 0.322 milligrams (UP)
• Vitamin B6 — 0.04 milligrams (SN), 0.049 milligrams (UP)
• Folate — 7 micrograms (SN), 7 micrograms (UP)

Buckwheat and buckwheat flour don’t contain gluten. This means that if your soba noodles are made from 100% buckwheat flour, they’re gluten-free. 

This means that soba noodles are a fantastic alternative to traditional kinds of pasta for people with Celiac disease. If you have Celiac disease, then you’re unable to safely process gluten, which is a common pasta ingredient.   

Research also suggests that eating buckwheat-based products is helpful for people with non-Celiac gluten sensitivities (NCGS). Eating buckwheat reduced people’s feelings of gastrointestinal distress and helped treat certain nutrient deficiencies. 

Just make sure you read the nutrition label before purchasing your noodles, though. There’s always a chance that some brands of soba noodles use other types of flour along with buckwheat. Keep an eye out for any wheat-based flours in particular. These definitely contain gluten. 

Can you be allergic to soba noodles? 

If you’re allergic to soba noodles, it’s likely because you’re allergic to buckwheat. Although buckwheat allergies are rare, they do exist. 

Symptoms of a buckwheat allergy can include difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis. You should seek immediate medical attention if you think that you’re having an allergic reaction to something that you just ate. Do not eat soba noodles if you’re allergic to buckwheat. 

Many studies have shown that eating buckwheat is good for your health. This is mostly due to all of the nutrients found within this pseudo-cereal. 

Eating buckwheat can help prevent a number of health problems, including: 

• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Gallstone formation

There’s even some evidence that eating buckwheat can help balance your blood sugar, which is helpful if you have a disease like diabetes. 

Buckwheat also contains a number of different flavonoids. These are molecules that can have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

In terms of food groups, soba noodles made from 100% buckwheat flour are considered whole grains. At least half of all of the grains that you eat each day should come from a source of whole grains. 

Such sources include: 

• Buckwheat 
• Whole wheat flour
• Whole grain cornmeal
• Brown rice

Americans are usually good at getting enough grains each day, but most people don’t get enough whole grains. Instead, they eat too many refined grains, like white flour. This can be unhealthy. 

The amount of whole grains that you need each day depends, though, on a number of factors, including your: 

• Age
• Sex
• Weight
• Height
• Level of physical activity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides general recommendations for the number of grains you need each day based on your age and sex. For example, females aged 19 to 30 years old should get six to eight ounces of grains each day. Three to four ounces should be from whole grains. Males in the same age group should get eight to 10 ounces of grains each day, and four to five of these should come from whole grains. 

After 30, females should slightly decrease the number of grains that they eat. They should only consume five to seven ounces of grains each day. Males between the ages of 30 and 59 should decrease to seven to 10 ounces each day, and males 60 years and older should only have six to nine ounces of grain each day. Again, half of these grains should come from whole grain sources.   

In terms of soba — and noodles in general — a half-cup portion of cooked noodles is typically equal to one ounce of grain. This means that eating one cup of pasta is equal to two ounces of grains.   

For the best health outcomes, make sure to incorporate whole grains, like buckwheat, into a balanced diet that also includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.