Instant noodles are a type of carbohydrate enjoyed by many around the world, and are especially popular among young people and children. On the other hand, noodles have harmful effects on health, so what are they?
Instant noodles especially appeal to people on a limited budget because they are cheap, and those who do not have time to cook.
Instant noodles are inexpensive and only take minutes to prepare, but they do not contain the same amount of nutrients as fresh noodles. It also contains a lot of salt.
How are instant noodles made?
Instant noodles contain wheat flour, various vegetable oils and flavors.
The noodles are pre-cooked, meaning they are steamed and then air-dried, or fried to shorten the cooking time for consumers.
Noodles are sold in packages with a small packet of seasoning or in cups to which water can be added and then heated in the microwave.
Preparing instant noodles involves adding the noodles to a pot of boiling water. Noodles can also be cooked in the microwave, which is why they are often a staple food for college students who live in dormitories.
There is no doubt that noodles are delicious and easy, but their nutritional value deserves more careful examination.
Nutrition
Although nutritional information varies between products, most instant noodles are low in calories, but lack essential nutrients.
For example, one serving (43 grams) (half a traditional package) of chicken-flavored instant noodles contains the following:
- Calories: 188
- Carbohydrates: 27 grams
- Fat: 7 grams
- Protein: 5 grams
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sodium: 891 milligrams
Noodles lack many important nutrients, such as protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Furthermore, unlike fresh whole foods, packaged foods like instant noodles lack antioxidants and phytochemicals that positively impact health in many ways.
Although one serving (43 grams) of instant noodles contains only 188 calories, most people consume the entire package, which equates to two servings and 371 calories.
It should be noted that instant noodles differ from fresh noodles, which are traditional Chinese or Japanese noodles that are usually served in soup form, and topped with nutritious ingredients such as eggs, duck meat, and vegetables.
Harmful effects of instant noodles
It contains a lot of sodium
Eating too much sodium from excess salt in the diet is not good for your health. One of the biggest contributors to dietary sodium intake is processed foods, including packaged foods like noodles.
Eating too much sodium negatively affects health. For example, a diet high in salt has been linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
Furthermore, in some people who are considered salt sensitive, a diet high in sodium may lead to high blood pressure, which may negatively affect heart and kidney health.
Instant noodles contain a very high percentage of sodium, as one package contains 1,760 milligrams of sodium, or 88% of the 2-gram recommendation suggested by the World Health Organization.
Eating just one package of noodles a day would make it very difficult to maintain sodium intake near current dietary recommendations.
Because instant noodles won’t make you feel full quickly, a person will likely consume several packets of them a day, which can lead to a huge intake of sodium.
Contains tributylhydroquinone and monosodium glutamate
Like many processed foods, instant noodles contain ingredients such as flavor enhancers and preservatives, which can be harmful to your health.
Tributylhydroquinone, known as TBHQ, is a common ingredient in instant noodles. It is a preservative used to extend the shelf life and prevent spoilage of processed foods.
While TBHQ is considered safe in very small doses, animal studies have shown that chronic exposure to TBHQ may lead to neurological damage, increase the risk of lymphoma and cause liver enlargement.
In addition, some people exposed to TBHQ experience vision disturbances, and studies have shown that this preservative can damage DNA.
Instant noodles also contain monosodium glutamate (MSG). It is an additive used to enhance the flavor of salty foods and make them more palatable.
Some people may be more sensitive to monosodium glutamate than others. Consumption of this preservative has been associated with symptoms such as headache, nausea, high blood pressure, weakness, muscle spasm, and skin flushing.
Although these ingredients are linked to many adverse health effects in large doses, small amounts found in food are likely safe in moderation.
However, those who are particularly sensitive to additives such as MSG may want to avoid instant noodles, as well as other highly processed foods.
Are instant noodles harmful to your health?
Although eating instant noodles occasionally won’t harm your health, regular consumption is associated with poor overall diet quality and many adverse health effects.
A study of 6,440 Korean adults found that those who regularly ate instant noodles got less protein, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, niacin, and vitamins A and C, compared to those who did not, according to a report in Healthline.
In addition, those who ate instant noodles more frequently consumed significantly less vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, meat and fish.
Regular consumption of instant noodles has also been linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms including excess belly fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood fat levels.
As a result, it is best to limit your intake of instant noodles and not use them as a regular meal replacement.
How to make instant noodles healthier?
For those who enjoy eating instant noodles, there are several ways to make this dish healthier:
- Adding vegetables: Adding fresh or cooked vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, onions or mushrooms to instant noodles will help add nutrients that regular noodles lack.
- Add protein: Since noodles are low in protein, adding eggs, chicken, fish, or tofu will provide a source of protein that will keep you feeling full longer.
- Ditch the sauce packets and dry powder: Make your own broth by mixing low-sodium chicken broth with fresh herbs and spices for a healthy, low-sodium version of noodles.
What is the mechanism of sodium’s effect on health?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the body needs a small amount of sodium to function properly, but excessive sodium intake is harmful to your health by affecting and increasing blood pressure.
While sodium has many forms, most of the sodium we consume comes from salt. Most sodium also comes from processed foods and restaurants.
Health risks of sodium
Excessive sodium intake can increase blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
In many countries people consume a lot of sodium. For example, Americans consume more than 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, on average. This is well above the federal Medicaid recommendation of less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day for teens and adults as part of a healthy eating pattern.
Sodium is found in foods from almost all food categories. Some major sources of sodium include:
- Sandwiches.
- Rice, pasta and other grain-based dishes.
- Starchy and non-starchy vegetables.
- Meat, poultry and seafood dishes.
- Pizza.
- Soup.
- Potato chips, crackers and delicious snacks.
- Desserts and sweet snacks.
- Spices and broth.
- Cold meats
- Bread and tortillas.
Sodium or salt?
Salt and sodium are not the same thing. The salt is sodium chloride, which is table salt. Sodium chloride is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. A teaspoon of table salt contains about 2,400 milligrams of sodium.
As for sodium, it is a mineral found in many ingredients in common foods:
- Monosodium glutamate
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
- Sodium nitrate (preservative).
What are the effects of monosodium glutamate?
Harvard says that in the 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration asked the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) to look into the safety of monosodium glutamate. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology concluded that MSG is safe. They noted that any adverse effects were mild and short-lived, and were typically associated with large doses (more than 3 grams) of MSG taken without food.
Most people don’t eat MSG on its own, and since most recipes call for a tiny amount—1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat (enough to feed 4 to 6 people)—you’re unlikely to consume it in large enough amounts to be affected. .
While most people can eat a meal containing MSG without a problem, a small subset – less than 1% of the general population – may be particularly sensitive to MSG. Symptoms usually appear in the first two hours after eating foods containing MSG, and can include headache, skin flushing, sweating, nausea, numbness, and fatigue. An even smaller subset of people have a serious allergic reaction.
Why should you consider limiting foods that contain MSG?
While MSG itself probably doesn’t deserve its reputation as a toxic ingredient, there are reasons to avoid eating foods containing MSG. Foods containing MSG are often highly processed convenience foods that contain high amounts of sodium, fat, and other refined ingredients that are not good for us. Seeing monosodium glutamate on the ingredients list should prompt you to take a look at the other ingredients listed, and consider trying to make this food at home, or looking for a healthier alternative instead.
How much sodium does monosodium glutamate contain?
While it may be best to avoid or reduce packaged foods that contain MSG, a flavor enhancer can actually help you reduce the amount of sodium you consume when cooking at home.
Despite the word “sodium” in its name, monosodium glutamate contains only 12.28 grams of sodium per 100 grams. This represents about a third of the sodium found in table salt (39.34 grams/100 grams).
If you replace half a teaspoon of table salt with the same amount of monosodium glutamate, you will reduce the sodium content in your food by about 37%, without losing much flavor. This means that using monosodium glutamate can help improve the perception of saltiness while reducing the actual sodium content in your food.
Tributylhydroquinone and health
An American study published in 2021 found that TBHQ may negatively affect the functioning of the immune system.
The study was conducted by researchers led by Dr. Olga Naidenko, and was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.