Instant noodles: properties and effects on health

The Second World War had left Japan devastated, with a hungry people and very limited resources, it had to take advantage of the little that was achieved at that time, especially if we talk about the means to mobilize food.

This is how one of the most famous fast foods in the world was born, the so- called instant noodles , which despite their consumption have a bit of a bad reputation, however in this article we will learn about their real effects and properties.

What are instant noodles?

Instant noodles or noodles (titled chikin ramen at the beginning) are a dish or soup originating in Japan, they come in the form of a packet and are made from wheat flour, water and kansui (sodium component).

Highlight: Instant noodles were created to be cheap, accessible, and quick to prepare with water .

They are widely distributed around the world (also known by the Maruchan brand), serving as fast food for people with limited resources, with a high demand in powers such as the United States and even China, accompanied by various ingredients or artificial sauce.

Note: An extensive analysis determined the following: “Steam performs partial gelatinization of the starch in the noodles, leading directly to decreased cooking times and protein degradation . ” (1)

Properties of instant noodles

Why are instant noodles considered so harmful? What can they contribute to the body so that their demand is quite high? All food has certain properties for the body, so here are the main properties of instant noodles:

1. Vitamins and minerals

Unfortunately, and this is known for sure, these noodles are an industrial product that lacks vitamins and minerals . It does not have vitamin C, D, E and the rest of the B complex, just as it is poor in minerals such as zinc and calcium.

It is unfortunate, because its most important component, wheat flour , if it is rich in vitamins A and B complex , it even has fiber , calcium and potassium, but the process of making instant noodles and mixing with water suppresses all these elements.

Important: This issue of making noodles has been so relevant that a study mentions the following: “Instant noodles are a product prepared with wheat flour or rice flour or other flours or starches as the main ingredient, with or without the addition of other ingredients . (two)

2. Other compounds

This type of pasta feeds the population for a great reason, the contribution of calories (440 gr), carbohydrates (63 gr), minimal protein (7.5 gr), adds a number of fats to the body (with approximately 18 gr) , lots of water and also have a high degree of sodium (with a compound called monosodium glutamate ).

With the above explained, it is easy to understand how instant noodles satisfy the need to eat, since they provide the body with energy to continue working , but they are not healthy when consumed daily, since they would cause deterioration in the system.

What are the health effects of regular consumption of instant noodles?

To know the truth about the effects of this type of noodles in the body, you must have the base of its components , said that, you can proceed to explain what really happens in the human body. Here are the main effects of instant noodles on the body:

1. Increased blood pressure

Blood pressure is important in cardiovascular health, but increasing it is not really a good sign , both for young people and for older people, this is related to monosodium glutamate .

You should know: This type of sodium in instant noodles is known to be an additive that is added to many industrialized foods , considered as a fifth flavor in these foods, which eventually affects blood pressure and generates rapid palpitations.

2. Increased bad cholesterol and triglycerides

The increase in blood pressure is a consequence of a long development of fats in the blood, called bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides, so that instant noodles can deteriorate the health of the organism much more , especially when mixed with poor quality soy sauce.

Note: Instant noodles (depending on your brand) are always high in fat or unhealthy saturated fat, which can raise the development of cholesterol and triglycerides, not to mention cause obesity.

3. Increased blood glucose levels

This has another almost indirect relationship with triglycerides, because the increase in these is due to a large consumption of calories or sugar, and the increase in glucose in hemoglobin can cause diabetes.

In fact, instant noodles or ramen are prohibited for diabetics, the high level of calories and fat raises blood glucose levels, it is believed to be previously refined and because they have a lot of sodium in their composition.

4. Digestive disorders

These are a series of digestive diseases, closely related to the presence of various strange foods in our diet, there are disorders such as heartburn, lactose intolerance , bowel sensitivity, gastritis or gallstones.

These noodles or noodles are merely related to digestive disorders, since they are the direct cause of the malfunction of the digestive system, due to the presence of fats and toxins in them.

To highlight: A study highlights something important: “Functional digestive disorders such as functional heartburn, functional dyspepsia or irritable bowel syndrome have been considered as separate disease entities.” Therefore, instant noodles can cause these conditions due to digestive inflammation and lack of fiber. (3)

5. Accumulation of abdominal fat

As mentioned in several paragraphs, instant noodles are very rich in various types of fats , which also lead to obesity or being overweight and can accumulate specifically in the abdominal area .  

This is an indicator of major health problems, apart from the fact that it is a factor in a fairly unbalanced and serious diet , although it can also be the cause of diabetes and high blood pressure problems, which is why it has a long chain of effects.

Key Findings

• Instant noodles or noodles are made with refined wheat flour and are fast foods.
• They are really poor in vitamins or minerals , have calories and mostly high levels of fat or carbohydrates.
• Its consumption in excess causes cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal problems and overweight.
• They are a forbidden food for people suffering from diabetes .