People of all ages, especially children and college/university students, have come to love cup noodles. They are such an easy, quick way to grab a snack with the least amount of fuss. Not only that, but they are delicious too.
It’s not surprising that they’ve established themselves as a staple in kitchen cupboards throughout the US, not just in student housing kitchens.
You might not think anyone would consider microwaving them given how quick they are to prepare, but they do I, therefore, decided to take the initiative to address the frequently asked question.
What Happens When You Microwave Cup Noodles?
There are always instructions on cup noodles where I live to boil water, add the boiling water, and then let them sit for a few minutes.
I hardly ever microwave the noodle cups because none of them instruct me to. But I wanted to test this and see what would happen.
I went out and bought 2 cups of noodles to try. One was in a styrofoam cup, and the other was in a plastic cup with a paper lid.
I microwaved each of them separately to see what would happen. Unexpectedly, the lid made of aluminum foil caught on fire!
Check out my experiment below:
You can see from the experiment that the water in the cup of noodles warmed up in the microwave.
I raised the water’s temperature for 2 minutes to approximately 77 °C (170 °F), which was probably hot enough. To make the noodles nice and soft and cooked, I would need to let them stand for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
There was one instance when the plastic noodle cup’s alfoil lid caught fire and burned the cup.
Therefore, make sure to remove the foil lid if you have one before microwaving.
Other than that, there were no significant problems with heating the noodle cups for a few minutes in the microwave.
You won’t blow up your microwave or start a fire in your home.
However, a lot of people are concerned about whether microwaving noodle cups could harm their health or increase their risk of developing cancer.
Does microwaving cup noodles cause cancer?
Yes, microwaving cup noodles can potentially cause cancer. The bowl of cup noodles contains toxic chemicals like styrene, which when heated in a microwave can leach into the food.
Carcinogens that raise the risk of cancer are known to be present in styrene chemicals. Styrofoam may not even be safe to microwave for 30 seconds, depending on the microwave’s cooking time and power level.
The risk of cancer can be increased by the microwave heating of cup noodles because carcinogenic chemicals may leach into the noodles and hot bone broth.
A significant factor in the leaching of cancer-causing chemicals into food is the use of boiling water and high microwave temperatures to cook the noodles. However, when microwaved, styrofoam coffee cups also release toxic chemicals into the food.
The cups will release cancer-causing chemicals into the food and increase the likelihood of health problems because the insulated foam material is not intended for high temperatures.
Why Can’t You Microwave Cup Noodles?
The packaging that the product is in, not the product itself, is the only factor in why cup noodles cannot be microwaved.
To phrase it differently, you can, technically, microwave cup noodles. They’ll likely turn out fine.
However, the real conundrum is whether or not to microwave cup noodles.
FAQ
Why does it say do not microwave cup of noodles?
When microwaved, harmful chemicals from cup noodles containers seep into the noodles. Plastic and Styrofoam cups are made of materials that could melt when exposed to high temperatures. The containers are not made to withstand the microwave’s superheated water used to cook the noodles.
Can you heat cup noodles microwave?
No, you shouldn’t microwave Cup Noodles; the label clearly states that the containers are not microwave-safe. Instead, boil water in a microwave-safe cup, add hot water to the indicated fill line of the cup noodles, cover the cup with a lid, and wait three minutes for the noodles to cook.
Why does maruchan say not to microwave?
A: Microwaving foamed plastics in general, or actual Styrofoam in particular, is never a good idea because you can get hot spots that can cause the cup to leak, crack, burn, or melt.
Is it OK to microwave instant ramen?
The quickest way to cook instant ramen in a bowl is in the microwave if you don’t want to use a pot and stove. Since you only need to wash your bowl and utensils, you can save time.