Eating Ramen Instant Noodles – How Much Risk Are You Taking?

Eating ramen instant noodles has become almost synonymous with being a college student.  Almost everyone I know who has been to college has stories about subsisting on ramen instant noodles for at least a short period of time.  After all, they’re an inexpensive, tasty, fast meal.  But how good for you can eating ramen noodles actually be?

Ramen Instant Noodles

What got me thinking about this was watching a friend of mine who was eating ramen instant noodles, and complaining that they needed more salt.  This coming from a man who is both hypertensive and diabetic.  A daily mid-morning snack of ramen instant noodles is part of his weight loss plan.

After getting over my shock, I started wondering exactly how bad ramen noodles actually are, from a health perspective.

Ramen noodles have their origins in China, and made their way to Japan at the end of World War II.  Their introduction into the Japanese market coincided with the cheap introduction of U.S. flour.  It was the perfect combination of events to create a massive hit with the public, and in 1958 the ramen instant noodle was  born.  In fact, the food has become such a staple of the Japanese diet that in 2000, it was named the most important Japanese invention of the 20th century.  Think about that…

Ramen instant noodles are typically made from a combination of flour, salt, water, and alkaline mineral water.  The finished goods are generally fried during the manufacturing process as well, and when prepared are usually served with a seasoning packet that contains high amounts of sodium as well.  So, the health complaints become obvious.  Most instant noodles are criticized for having little nutritional value, low fiber, and high amounts of sodium.  A typical 100-gram serving of ramen contains the following:

Calories:  1895

Fiber:  2.4-grams

Fat:  17-grams

Sodium:  1160-grams

I suppose one could make the argument that it could be worse, but I don’t really see how.  A typical serving contains nearly all the calories one should have for an entire day, nearly half the salt, and a measly 8% of the fiber.

But their cheap.

And that’s really the point of this product.  By most accounts, the low cost, ease of preparation, and high caloric content of ramen instant noodles has sparked massive global consumption of this product, such that its become entrenched in many cultures around the globe.

It’s safe to say these things aren’t going away.  I remember eating ramen instant noodles by the bowlful, and also recall the circumstances.  Sure, they’re quick and easy.  Cheap and fast.

But that doesn’t mean they should be a staple in the pantry.

Don’t forget the dark side.  The combination of flour, fat, and sodium is something most of us (myself included) should probably avoid consuming on a daily basis.

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