Low GI pasta in Australia: 22 pastas and noodles ranked by GI

Most pasta is already low GI. Regular dried pasta cooked al dente usually tests between 30 and 55, which counts as low (55 or under). The lowest options are legume pastas made from lentils, peas or chickpeas (GI 20 to 29). Rice noodles, soba and bean thread noodles are also low. The ones to watch are gnocchi, udon, fresh pasta and gluten-free pasta made from corn or rice, which test in the 60s and 70s.

Below is every pasta and noodle we could find with a published GI test, ranked lowest to highest. After the list, we explain where GI falls short and why measuring how your own blood sugar responds to a meal can be more useful.

Low GI pasta and noodles, ranked

All values are from the University of Sydney GI database unless noted. GI is measured against pure glucose (100). Low is 55 or under, medium 56 to 69, high 70 or more.

Plain wheat spaghetti and penne from the supermarket (Vetta, San Remo, Barilla) all tested low. Wholemeal pasta isn't reliably lower: one Australian wholemeal spaghetti tested 62, while a Barilla wholemeal spaghetti in Italy tested 35. And most gluten-free pastas made from corn or rice were at the top of the list (68 to 78), so if you're gluten-free, a legume or soy-based pasta is usually the lower GI choice.

The lowest GI picks, and what each is like

1. Legume pasta (lentil, pea, chickpea): GI 20 to 29

Pastas made entirely from red lentil, pea or a grass pea and chickpea blend tested 20 to 23 in an Italian study, and Orgran's split pea and soya shells tested 29 in Sydney. They also carry more protein and fibre than wheat pasta. The texture is softer and they overcook fast, so start tasting a couple of minutes before the packet time. Check the ingredients: some "chickpea" or "lentil" pastas are mostly wheat with a little legume flour added, and those haven't been tested.

2. Lower carb wheat pasta: GI 22

Herman Brot's Lower Carb Pasta, an Australian product, tested 22 when boiled for 7 minutes, the same as red lentil pasta. If you prefer the taste of wheat pasta, it's the lowest GI option we found.

3. Bean thread (mung bean) noodles: GI 26 to 45

The clear "glass" noodles in spring rolls and Thai salads. Tests range from 26 to 45 depending on the brand and cooking time. They're almost all starch, so pair them with plenty of protein and vegetables.

4. Regular dried spaghetti and penne: GI 33 to 50

Your everyday supermarket pasta. Vetta white spaghetti tested 49, San Remo penne 44 to 50, and Barilla spaghetti no. 5 tested 33 in Italy. Pasta is pressed and dried into a dense shape, so your gut takes longer to break the starch down than it does with bread or rice. That's why ordinary pasta sits much lower than white bread (around 70).

5. Rice noodles: GI 40

Fresh rice noodles tested 40 in Sydney. Dried rice vermicelli varies more (50 to 60 in Asian tests), and the rice and corn starch blends tested higher still.

6. Soba (buckwheat) noodles: GI 46

The University of Sydney lists cooked soba at GI 46, with about 7 g of protein per cup. Many soba noodles sold here are part wheat, so check the label if you need gluten-free.

7. Egg fettuccine: GI 47

Dried egg pasta tested 47. Fresh egg pasta from the fridge is a different story (see below).

Pasta and noodles that test higher

• Gnocchi (GI 68): it's mostly potato, so it behaves more like potato than pasta.
• Udon (GI 55 to 62 for most tested brands) and Hokkien noodles (GI 58): soft, thick wheat noodles that are often sold fresh or precooked.
• Fresh pasta (GI 67 for one tested fresh linguine): it hasn't been dried, so the starch is easier to digest.
• Gluten-free corn and rice pasta (GI 68 to 78): the highest on the list, although one Freedom Foods rice pasta tested 51.

How you cook it changes the GI

Cook it al dente. The University of Sydney's GI team says pasta cooked past the packet time can climb into the 60s, so start tasting two or three minutes early. Leftovers are fine too: chill cooked pasta promptly and reheat it properly.

What a GI number can't tell you

A GI test feeds about 10 healthy people a fixed amount of carbohydrate from one food, on its own, after an overnight fast. Then it averages their results. That's a fair way to compare foods, but it isn't how you eat. Your bowl has a sauce, maybe some chicken or lentils, a side salad, and a portion size that's yours, not the lab's.

The bigger catch is that people respond differently to the same food. Two people can eat the same plate of spaghetti and get very different glucose curves, depending on things like sleep, stress, how active they've been and their own metabolism. A GI number is an average, and you're not an average.

As Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively's Medical Director, puts it: "Remember, we're in no way demonising carbohydrates, they are an essential macronutrient!" Choosing a lower GI pasta is a sensible start. Seeing what it does to your own glucose tells you much more.

Why your own response matters more than the GI

Our members' continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data shows why. We looked at every time one of 1,058 Vively members logged pasta as the only food in a meal.

• Pasta raised glucose by a typical 1.3 mmol/L. That was lower than any rice, bread or potato dish we looked at. White rice was 1.8 and brown rice 1.6, which fits pasta's lower GI.
• But the spread was wide. The middle half of members rose between 0.4 and 2.2 mmol/L. Four in 10 rose less than 1 mmol/L, while about 1 in 6 rose 2.5 mmol/L or more after the same food.
• Adding protein or vegetables helped most people, not everyone. In 92 members who logged pasta both ways, the average peak was 32% lower when they added chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, avocado or vegetables. Across 159 members, 53% rose less with a pairing, and 47% saw the same rise or a bigger one.

This is real-world app data, not a lab test. Portions weren't measured, and someone may have eaten something they didn't log. The members don't have type 2 diabetes. See the full curves on our pasta glucose response page.

How to make pasta easier on your glucose

• Pick a low GI pasta from the list above. A legume pasta is the lowest.
• Cook it al dente.
• Add protein and vegetables: a lentil bolognese, tuna and rocket, or chicken and broccoli.
• Watch the portion. A low GI pasta still adds up if the bowl is huge.
• Try Michelle's order: "Eat your vegetables or salad first, followed by protein/fat and then carbohydrates."
• Go for a walk after dinner.

See your own response

The only way to know what pasta does to you is to measure it. With a Vively CGM, you can eat the same pasta two ways (plain one night, with protein and vegetables the next) and compare the curves in the app. Our guide to blood sugar after eating explains what the numbers mean.

If you have diabetes or take medicine that lowers glucose, talk to your doctor or dietitian before changing how you eat.

Frequently asked questions

Is pasta low GI?

Yes, most dried wheat pasta is low GI (about 30 to 55) when cooked al dente. Overcooked pasta, fresh pasta and gnocchi test higher.

What is the lowest GI pasta in Australia?

Legume pastas made entirely from lentils, peas or chickpea blends tested lowest (GI 20 to 29), along with Herman Brot Lower Carb Pasta (GI 22).

Is wholemeal pasta lower GI than white pasta?

Not always. Tests range from 33 to 62 for wholemeal spaghetti, and one Australian wholemeal spaghetti (62) tested higher than Vetta white spaghetti (49). Wholemeal still gives you more fibre.

Are rice noodles low GI?

Fresh rice noodles tested 40, which is low. Dried rice vermicelli tests a little higher, around 50 to 60.

Are soba noodles low GI?

Yes. The University of Sydney lists cooked soba at GI 46.

Is gluten-free pasta low GI?

It depends on the flour. Most corn and rice gluten-free pastas tested 68 to 78 (medium to high), though a Freedom Foods rice pasta tested 51. Orgran's split pea and soya pasta tested 29.

Can people with diabetes eat pasta?

Yes, pasta can fit a diabetes eating plan. The NDSS lists most pasta as a lower GI choice, and portion size matters as much as the type. Ask your dietitian how much suits you.

Sources

• University of Sydney GI database, glycemicindex.com (Vetta, San Remo, Orgran, Freedom Foods, Herman Brot, Maggi, Fantastic, Latina, Mother Earth and wholemeal spaghetti entries; accessed 1 Nov 2026).
• University of Sydney GI Group, GI FAQs (soba GI 46, rice noodles GI 40, al dente cooking) and Does pasta deserve to be called a refined food? (July 2026).
• Turco I, et al. Polyphenols and the glycaemic index of legume pasta. Food & Function, 2019 (red lentil, pea, grass pea and chickpea pasta).
• Scazzina F, et al. Glycemic index and glycemic load of commercial Italian foods. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2016 (Barilla pasta).
• Atkinson FS, et al. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021. Am J Clin Nutr, 2021.
• NDSS, Glycaemic index fact sheet.
• Vively member CGM data, 1 Jan 2022 to 12 Oct 2026: 1,058 members who logged pasta on its own. De-identified, members without type 2 diabetes, minimum 30 members per figure.