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Amount Per 1 serving (43 g)
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| Calories 188 |
The Lows of Ramen Noodles
Although most instant ramen noodles are made with flour that’s enriched with small amounts of vitamins like iron, riboflavin, and folic acid, they still lack substantive nutritional value. Here are the nutrients missing from your average serving of ramen.
Low in nutrients: If you count on instant noodles to provide a nutritious meal, you’ll be out of luck. Instant ramen has no vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, or any substantial amount of minerals, all of which are essential for proper body functioning.
Low in protein: Protein is necessary for overall good health. Not only is it an essential building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, and skin, but it also repairs tissue, oxygenates the blood, and regulates hormones. Traditional instant ramen is low in protein, which means you’re better off choosing a more nutritious option.
Low in fiber: Instant ramen offers very little fiber, which is crucial for good digestive health and regulating blood sugar levels. What’s more, protein and fiber can make you feel full longer and therefore help with weight management. Without these two critical components, you’re at a disadvantage.
Low in antioxidants: Highly processed foods like instant ramen noodles fall short when it comes to antioxidants that fight inflammation and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other health conditions.
Nongshim
The best-selling instant noodle brand in South Korea, Nongshim offers a variety of noodles including the popular Shin Ramyun cups and bowls. The nutritional profile of one Shin cup of noodle soup looks like this:
Though nutritional information varies between products, most instant ramen noodles are low in calories but lack key nutrients.
Not to mention, they pack in a good amount of calories without the wide array of nutrients that a more balanced meal consisting of a protein, vegetables and complex carbs would contain.
Regular instant noodle consumption has also been associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms including excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood lipid levels (14).
A study in 6,440 Korean adults found that those who regularly ate instant noodles had lower intakes of protein, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, niacin and vitamins A and C, compared to those who didn’t consume this food.
What’s more, unlike whole, fresh foods, packaged foods like instant ramen noodles fall short in antioxidants and phytochemicals that positively impact health in many ways (3).
FAQ
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