Noodles are one of the staple foods in many countries across the world and this is especially true in Asia.
Many different types of noodles are commonly used in countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan.
Noodles can have a range of lengths and thicknesses and their ingredients can also differ.
In most cases, however, noodles are a type of dough that is made from a type of grain.
Typically this is wheat or rice and the grain is then mixed with water and salt.
Despite these standard ingredients being vegan, unfortunately, some types of noodles aren’t. In this article, we will look at whether noodles are vegan.
Why Are Some Noodles Not Vegan?
Although many types of noodles are vegan, several kinds and brands use animal products in their recipes.
Let’s look at some of the reasons why these noodles are not vegan.
Eggs
This is the most common reason why some noodles aren’t vegan.
Many types of noodles use eggs as one of the ingredients and as eggs are an animal product, that means these noodles are not suited for vegans.
Sometimes the inclusion of eggs is very easy to spot as many noodles are called “egg noodles.”
If you ever see any noodles that are egg noodles, then you should definitely avoid these.
There are some occasions where the inclusion of egg in the noodles is not as easy to spot, however.
In these cases, you will need to take a close look at the ingredients list to see if any egg products are listed.
There are a variety of egg products that can be included in noodles such as whole egg powder, egg protein, or egg whites.
Lecithin
Many noodles are made with lecithin and vegans have to be very careful about the source.
It’s commonly used as an emulsifier and antioxidant in foods and also has properties that help to retain flavors.
It’s a naturally occurring substance that is found in many other food items.
Lecithin can be derived from plant-based foods such as sunflowers, soybeans, and corn.
However, it can also be found in egg whites, and this is why vegans need to be cautious with lecithin.
If you check the ingredients panel and see lecithin listed, we would recommend avoiding those noodles unless the packaging explicitly states that the noodles are vegan.
Cross-Contamination
In some circumstances, you might find noodles that are made from purely plant-based ingredients but they are still not classed as vegan.
This is because of the risk of cross-contamination. Some noodles are produced in factories that also manufacture items that use animal products.
Some manufacturers prefer to be cautious and do not label their noodles as vegan for this reason.
Which Types Of Noodles Are Vegan?
In general, it is more common for noodles to be vegan than not vegan.
The traditional types of noodles made for Asian cuisine typically are vegan and unless you can see that the ingredients panel lists “egg,” they probably are vegan.
Ocean’s Halo Organic Ramen Noodles
Most ramen noodles should be vegan as the only ingredients are usually wheat flour, water, and sea salt.
Annie Chun’s Organic Udon Noodles
Udon noodles are thicker than most other types of noodles. They’re made from similar ingredients to ramen noodles.
Yuho Organic Shirataki Konjac Noodles
Made from only water, konjac powder, oat flour, and calcium hydroxide, these ready-made noodles are safe for vegans.
Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Brown Rice Noodles
These noodles are made from only two ingredients, which are brown rice flour and water. They’re both healthy and vegan!
Which Types Of Noodles Aren’t Vegan?
There are two different types of noodles that vegans need to be especially cautious of.
These noodles have a higher chance of being non-vegan than the others do.
“Chinese” Noodles
There are many different types of noodles eaten in China but they all have specific names.
Any noodles that are labeled as simply “Chinese” noodles are often egg noodles sold under a different name, so always check the label.
Instant Noodles
In general, instant noodles are more processed and have more additives, which gives a higher chance of animal products being involved somewhere.
You can get vegan instant noodles but you will need to check the ingredients list.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we looked at whether noodles are vegan. We learned what noodles are and why some of them aren’t safe for vegans.
We also recommended some brands that are vegan so that you can be certain you only buy plant-based noodles.
