Tofu shirataki noodles are a conventional pasta alternative with a far more appealing nutritional profile to people who are dieting or trying to watch their weight. Rather than featuring a wheat base, tofu shirataki noodles are made with soy and are suitable for people following gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free diet plans.
Nutrition
According to Hungry-Girl.com, a single package of tofu shirataki noodles contains two servings, and each 4-oz. serving has 20 calories, 0.5 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein and 2 g dietary fiber. House Foods, the makers of tofu shirataki, adds that each package is sugar-free, low in cholesterol and contains 10 percent of the recommended daily value for calcium.
Ingredients
Koa Mart lists tofu shirataki noodle ingredients as water, tofu, yam flour and calcium hydroxide. The product is free of preservatives. Although traditional pasta noodles have a somewhat dense, starchy texture, tofu shirataki noodles are more gelatinous due to the yam flour that they feature.
Comparison
Tofu shirataki noodles are a viable substitute for pasta because they cut so many calories and carbohydrates. A conventional pasta serving size is 2 oz., but a tofu shirataki serving is double that and still contains just a fraction of the calories. Hungry-Girl.com reports that one serving of cappellini pasta has 210 calories, 1 g fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein and 2 g dietary fiber.
Uses
Because of the gelatinous texture that tofu shirataki noodles have, it's helpful to boil them briefly before serving. Koa Mart recommends placing a bag of the noodles in a colander, cutting it open and rinsing the noodles thoroughly in the colander. Next, parboil the noodles for several minutes to get rid of any lingering odors and make the resulting texture more appealing. Rinse the noodles again before serving. Use tofu shirataki noodles as you would use regular pasta. They work well as part of a main dish, in casseroles, in soups, on top of salads and as part of dessert puddings.
Considerations
Although tofu shirataki noodles have a much lighter nutritional profile than traditional pasta noodles, they don't contain as much protein, which contributes to feelings of satiation and fullness, and they don't fulfill any requirements for My Pyramid's recommendations of daily whole grain servings. Before making any significant changes to your diet or adopting a new eating plan, talk over the details with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
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