Calorie-wise, you’ll also notice egg noodles and pasta to be comparable. Egg noodles contain 385 calories per 100 grams as opposed to regular pasta which contains 370 calories. They are identical again in protein, with egg noodles containing 14 grams of protein per 100 grams and pasta containing 13 grams. Other than carbs, calories, and protein, both contain very little nutritious value with minimal amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
Considering all this, if you’re looking for a difference in nutrition or a ‘healthier noodle’, you will struggle to find it with egg noodles. That said, egg noodles are used in Vietnamese cuisine because they’re so readily available and also, for the texture in which they can better hold sauces. This is actually an area where Vietnamese and Chinese influenced dishes intersect. Cultures in both countries pull from egg noodles in order to fill out certain dishes and to hold sauces.
When talking about Vietnamese noodles, egg isn’t the only option either. There are rice-based vermicelli noodles which are used in big bowls of soup, rolled into spring rolls, served with grilled pork, and more. There are also rice sticks which are used in beef pho or chicken noodle pho, though sometimes used in stir fry dishes as well. There are also glass noodles made from mung beans, tapioca and rice flour noodles similar to Japanese-style udon noodles, and more. The carbohydrate content of noodles like these are integral to Vietnamese eating as they provide energy and help with fullness.
In this day and age, you can make a noodle from almost anything. Even so, egg noodles still features prominently in several of TorontoPHO’s authentically prepared Vietnamese meals. They’re a tradition, something used in family recipes from Vietnam all the way to Canada. To anyone searching for quality Vietnamese eating in Toronto, please visit the top Vietnamese restaurant in the GTA. Stop by TorontoPHO today.
