Cooking with High Protein Noodles

Since I started Personal Training back in October, I have been taking greater care with what I am eating. I have had to cut down on carbohydrates and increase my protein intake. For the most part, it has been straight-forward. I have upped the protein with egg-based breakfasts, and I will never turn down the opportunity to eat more fish and seafood. I have discovered spiralized vegetables as an alternative to noodles to reduce carbs in meals. However, I do miss noodles. For a diet to work for me, I don’t like to feel that I am missing out on anything. Just when I was dreaming of a stir-fry and feeling a bit sad about the calorie content of egg noodles, the lovely people at Yutaka got in touch with me to try some of their new high protein noodles.

Yutaka have two varieties of high protein noodles; soybean and edamame soybean. Both are gluten free, organic and high in fibre as well as being high in protein. Now, gram for gram, there is not much difference in energy content between these and regular egg noodles. However, because they are high in protein you feel fuller from a slightly smaller portion. A 50g serving is just under 170kcal, which is significantly less than the egg noodles that I would normally have in a stir-fry.

The noodles just need to be cooked in boiling water for 6 minutes. I tossed them in a bit of toasted sesame oil to stop them sticking together whilst I prepared the rest of the stir-fry. I was actually surprised by how much the 50g portion increased in size after cooking. It certainly didn’t look like a “diet-sized” portion.

I love prawns in a stir-fry as not only are they really tasty, they are also high in protein and low in calories. One of the danger points of a stir fry is the sauce, however, with fresh garlic and chillies, and a bit of fish sauce and sweet chilli sauce, you can keep the calories down. Then, lots of lovely colourful vegetables add more fibre, textures and flavours. Being sensible with your protein source, stir-fry sauce and choice of noodles, means that you can have a really satisfying meal for less than 500kcal.

So, what was my overall verdict on these high protein noodles from Yutaka? There were great. Really tasty – not like a diet product at all. I loved the colour of the green edamame soybean noodles in particular. It added to the vibrancy of my stir-fry. In the past, whenever I have had a pasta or noodle dish, I find myself craving something else to snack on soon afterwards. The high protein content of these noodles made me feel full so I wasn’t tempted to sneak back to the kitchen for something else later. These are exactly what I needed. I don’t feel like I am missing out on the noodles when I am having a stir-fry, and also increasing my protein intake at the same time – perfect to use alongside my aim to get fitter and healthier.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Soybean Noodles and Edamame Soybean Noodles for review, but as always all thoughts and opinions are my own. I really loved these noodles!