If you’re aiming to lose weight but don’t want to give up carbs entirely, there’s good news: choosing the right types of starch can help lower your calorie intake and blood sugar levels. Weight loss specialist Dr. Hsiao Chieh-Chien recently shared on social media two excellent alternatives to white rice and noodles—mung bean soup and glass noodles (vermicelli)—that can support your diet goals.
Mung Bean Soup as a Substitute for White Rice
While cauliflower rice has been a popular low-carb option, mung bean soup is another tasty and healthy choice. Dr. Hsiao explains that 100 grams of white rice contains about 130 calories, whereas the same amount of mung bean soup has only 70 calories. Its glycemic index (GI) is roughly one-third that of white rice, making it a great option for controlling blood sugar. Mung beans also contain resistant starch and are rich in fiber, which help keep you full longer and promote gut health. Additionally, mung beans have isoflavones that may aid in lowering cholesterol.
For those who find plain mung bean soup too bland, Dr. Hsiao recommends using natural sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia instead of sugar. These natural alternatives have zero calories and zero GI, so they add sweetness without affecting blood sugar.
Glass Noodles as a Substitute for Regular Noodles
For noodle lovers, Dr. Hsiao suggests switching to glass noodles made from mung bean starch. Compared to regular wheat noodles, glass noodles have about one-third the calories and a much lower GI. They’re also high in fiber, help increase satiety, and aid digestion. The resistant starch in glass noodles only breaks down in the large intestine, where it feeds beneficial gut bacteria and helps regulate blood sugar.
A word of caution: authentic glass noodles should remain firm when cooked. If they become mushy within 30 seconds, especially in hotpot restaurants, they might be made from processed starches rather than real mung beans.
Because resistant starch digests slowly—taking about 5 to 7 hours—it helps stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels after meals. It also promotes bowel movements, reduces calorie absorption, increases feelings of fullness, and encourages fat oxidation, all of which support weight management.
In summary, you don’t need to eliminate carbs to lose weight. Opt for healthier starch choices like mung bean soup and glass noodles to lower calories, control blood sugar, and support your weight loss journey.
