Which has a higher blood sugar level, noodles or sticky rice cake?

The main ingredients of noodles and rice cakes are both wheat flour or glutinous rice flour, which are refined carbohydrates that are quickly digested and absorbed. However, their starch structures differ: wheat flour contains both amylose and amylopectin, with amylopectin being more easily broken down by amylase, leading to a quicker rise in blood sugar; glutinous rice flour consists almost entirely of amylopectin, with a more loosely packed molecular structure, resulting in faster digestion and theoretically a higher potential for increasing blood glucose levels.

Noodle preparation requires the formation of a gluten network, giving noodles and steamed buns a certain toughness. Chewing disrupts their structure during consumption, thereby delaying digestion to some extent. In contrast, rice cakes, after steaming and pounding, develop a sticky texture with more complete starch gelatinization. The resulting colloidal structure allows easier contact with digestive enzymes, leading to an earlier post-meal blood glucose peak.

If noodles are consumed with vegetables and protein, dietary fiber and protein can lower the glycemic index (GI) of the overall meal. However, rice cakes are often consumed as desserts, such as brown sugar rice cakes or deep-fried preparations like fried rice cakes, where added sugars and fats further elevate the glycemic response. Therefore, under equal portions, plain rice cakes raise blood sugar faster than plain noodles. However, in actual dietary practices, attention should be given to the overall meal composition.