Instant noodles are the second "genius" invention after sliced bread. Fast and convenient. This simple dish is loved by many, as it takes no more than two minutes to prepare. But is the saved time worth the health?
Many people do not realize that the cheap noodles they eat in the office, at home and even give to their children are dangerous for our health.
By 2015, China, Indonesia and Japan were ranked as the countries with the highest consumption of instant noodles in the world. The main advantages of this product are low cost and low calorie content (usually about 142 calories per 100 g).
There is a common myth that adding vegetables to instant noodles increases their nutritional value, however, vegetables and fruits cannot counteract the negative effects of any unhealthy product.
We have compiled a list of problems that can be caused by using instant noodles.
It is poorly digested and is even associated with cancer
Instant noodles overload the digestive system, forcing it to digest a highly processed product for hours. In addition, it affects the level of sugar in the blood and the release of insulin. In the process of slow digestion, the product remains in the body, releasing toxic chemicals and preservatives, which often leads to excessive exposure to butylated hydroxyanisole (E320) and tert-butylhydroquinone (E319).
E320 and E319 are added to products to increase their shelf life by several months. Both chemicals are actually carcinogenic. This means that they can cause cancer, asthma, diarrhea and other diseases.
Increases the risk of heart diseaseIf instant noodles are your go-to snack that you eat several times a week, then you might want to pay attention to the following fact. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that women who consumed instant noodles had a significantly higher risk of metabolic syndrome than those who did not. Regardless of overall diet or exercise, those who ate instant noodles more than twice a week were 68% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome, which includes a cluster of symptoms such as obesity, high blood pressure, and low HDL cholesterol, increases the chance of heart disease, diabetes, or stroke.
Why is this happening? Mainly due to deep frying - part of the production process of preparing such noodles. During frying, the product loses its nutritional value and increases the content of saturated fats.
It contains a lot of salt
We all know about the effect of a large amount of salt on our body. In a study published in the American Journal of Hypertension in 2014, high dietary sodium intake was identified as one of the main contributors to high mortality in 23 case studies. Excess sodium increases blood pressure, which in turn leads to heart disease.
Some noodles contain monosodium glutamate (E621)Monosodium glutamate, often found in take-out, is a flavor enhancer popular in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine. Health and nutrition data collected in the China Health and Nutrition Review indicate that high consumption of E621 over a long period of time leads to overweight. Monosodium glutamate is sometimes called the "obesity drug."
Yes, sometimes there is no time for a snack at all, and we choose food, the preparation of which will not take more than five minutes. However, before you make a choice in favor of instant noodles, remember its effect on the body and give preference to something more useful and tasty.