It’s difficult to resist a bowl of ramen if you’re in the mood for a hot, filling meal. It’s a perfect comfort food for so many reasons. It has a bold, savory flavor and rich textures, and it only needs a few minutes to prepare. Not only that, but it’s fun to eat!.
Sadly, a cursory look at the nutrition label will show a number of issues. Simply put, your average store-bought ramen is a nutritional nightmare. To begin with, there are hardly any vitamins or minerals. However, they also contain an unhealthy amount of preservatives, unnecessary fats, and other ingredients. Perhaps the worst offender of all is sodium.
We’re about to explain how to make a low-sodium version of ramen that tastes even better than the high-sodium versions found in most restaurants today. We’ll also discuss why most commercial ramen soups contain so much salt in the first place.
Before moving on, let’s discuss the fundamentals. What is sodium exactly, and why does how much you consume matter? Sodium is a mineral element that is necessary for your physical health. Your brain, muscles, and nerves all require sodium and other electrolytes to function properly. Additionally, since the human body cannot produce sodium, you must consume it through food.
Most people associate sodium with common table salt (sodium chloride). However, other substances, such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), also contain sodium. Additionally, it is naturally present in every type of food, including vegetables, dairy, meat, and seafood.
After considering everything, it can be said that consuming too much sodium is similar to consuming too much of a good thing. Excessive sodium consumption can make you feel awful and cause bloating, weight gain, and other problems. Additionally, some studies link chronic health problems to consuming too much sodium.
You may now be wondering how individuals consume excessive amounts of sodium. In fact, the primary offender appears to be prepared, pre-packaged food; are that many people sprinkling tons of salt on every meal? Fast food, restaurants, and packaged foods account for more than 70% of the average American’s sodium intake, according to the CDC. It’s not good news if you consume a lot of ramen that is overly salty.
10 Tips for Better Low-Sodium Ramen
We have so far discussed the advantages of eating low-sodium ramen for your health. There are a variety of ways to amp up the flavor of your ramen, so how do you make sure your bowl is still delectable and flavorful? Here are ten of our favorites.
Many commercial manufacturers make things worse by adding a ton of unnecessary oil to their noodles in addition to packing them full of salt. This is due to their use of a flash-frying cooking method, in which the noodles are quickly boiled in oil.
Making more noodles in less time thanks to a faster production process is fantastic for the bottom line of the businesses. Although you can make your noodles more inexpensively, you will be adding a lot of fat to them. In addition, fried noodles differ from traditional ramen in flavor and texture.
The noodles used to make “real” ramen at ramen bars are steamed rather than fried. This process takes a little longer, but results in a texture that is noticeably different and much more chewy. Additionally, because there isn’t any oil soaked into the noodles, it won’t later seep into your broth and change the flavor.
According to Mike’s Mighty Good, ramen from home should be just as tasty and genuine as noodles from a restaurant. We steam all of our noodles, even though it takes more time, so they have a chewy texture and a flavor that hasn’t been tainted by oil. Additionally, we only use natural ingredients, so there aren’t any questionable chemicals to worry about.
The Top Selling Japanese Instant Ramen on Amazon
Although the Chef Boyardee and Hormel Compleats Beef Pot Roast sounded delectable (that can’t be real beef though? ), I sorted out all the other non-ramen products because I always find sales data to be interesting.
Since Momofuku Ando/Go Pek-Hok invented instant ramen, I had assumed Nissin would be the market leader, but their rival Maruchan on Amazon controls the top 4 products.
Add ingredients to the container
Add the noodles, dehydrated vegetables, and granulated chicken bouillon to a container with a lid.
FAQ
Is there a low sodium version of ramen?
Try this health-conscious option today. One of the most popular ramen soup brands in the country is Maruchan ramen. Maruchan provides a huge selection of mouthwatering Ramen flavors, including less sodium-filled Ramen and genuine ethnic-flavored goods.
Which noodles are low in sodium?
The best way to prepare ramen noodles is to purchase the block variety since that seasoning pack contains the majority of the salt. To reduce the amount of salt, use only 1/2 a teaspoon of the seasoning packet.
How do you reduce the sodium in ramen noodles?
Shirataki noodles have a ridiculously low calorie count and are high in fiber. Additionally, they have few carbohydrates, making them a healthy alternative to Ramen noodles. Shirataki noodles are also suitable for those on a strict ketogenic diet, so they can be used in their meals.
