Instant ramen is convenient, inexpensive, and delicious. It must be the ideal food because of this trifecta, right? Well, not quite. Unfortunately, processed ingredients, high sodium levels, saturated fats, and potentially harmful additives in instant ramen may be a factor in a number of serious health conditions (source: Keck Medicine).
You only need to boil two cups of water, carefully add the noodles, cook for three minutes, and then stir in a seasoning packet to enjoy the blissful simplicity of instant ramen, if you’re not already a fan (via HEB). You can choose a simpler cooking method, like using the microwave, or a more involved one; Epicurious suggests adding seasonings to boiling water before the noodles, then slowing down the cooking process by removing the noodles from the broth after only two minutes and fanning them.
You should be aware that “Instant noodles are steeped in more than just hot water and seasoning” no matter how you choose to make your ramen. They have a rich cultural and historical background, according to The New York Times. Originally created in 1958 to combat global hunger, a whopping 106 In 2019, 4 billion bowls of instant ramen were consumed worldwide. A package of instant ramen typically costs between 25 and 45 cents, is simple to prepare, and is cost-effectively shelf-stable (via How Much Is It?) Below, we explore what happens to you when you consume instant ramen on a daily basis and whether this flavorful food can be a part of a healthy diet.
There is an increased risk of heart disease
If instant noodles are your go-to treat or favorite weekly snack and you’re on a tight budget, you might want to take note of this information. Regardless of their overall diet or exercise routines, women who consumed more instant noodles had a significantly higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those who consumed less, with those who consumed instant noodles more than twice a week having a 68% higher risk.
The metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms that includes central obesity, high blood pressure, and low HDL cholesterol, and it raises a person’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, or having a stroke.
Therefore, the primary reason for this is that deep-frying is a step in the creation of the majority of the instant noodles that we consume. Although we all know that anything that has been deep-fried is bad for us due to the high saturated fat content and lack of nutritional value, the overall production process of these foods doesn’t help.
A South Korean study on the impact of instant noodles on human health was covered by The Washington Post last year. Hyun Shin, a doctoral student at the Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the study, stated that “despite being a convenient and tasty food, instant noodles may increase the risk for metabolic syndrome due to [the foods] high sodium, unhealthy saturated fat, and glycemic loads.”
One food item that has always been the subject of much discussion is instant noodles. When I was a young girl, I could only have it on Sundays. Isme maida hai, indigestion hoga zyada khane se, as my mother used to say, refers to the fact that most instant noodles are made of maida (refined flour), which may result in indigestion. It was a common misconception that instant noodles could cause bowel issues and obesity.
According to Dr. “Maida-based instant noodles are loaded with preservatives and are nothing but a source of empty calories ripped of all nutrition,” says Simran Saini, a nutritionist at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi. Excessive consumption may lead to obesity. “.
A group of local American doctors conducted an experiment in 2013 to determine how eating instant noodles affects our digestive systems. The doctors were able to watch the noodle churning process on their computer screen thanks to a tiny, pill-sized camera.
According to the study’s findings, consuming too many instant noodles can lead to metabolic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, heart issues, and others in addition to obesity.
Instant Noodles May Cause Digestive Problems
These noodles may also result in digestive issues, speaking of the digestive system. Studies show that instant noodles take a while to digest. The noodles were still easily distinguishable inside the digestive tract after more than two hours when the researchers inserted a camera into the participants, which was discovered by the researchers. Because of this, processing instant noodles requires the digestive system to work harder to the point of convulsions.
