20. LOADED WITH PRESERVATIVES
Why are instant noodles on the shelves instead of sitting in refrigerators? It is because they have a long shelf life, which means they’re loaded with preservatives.
That is what a petroleum byproduct does. Stay away from the tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ)! Wait until you hear what a man went through after eating instant noodles #13!
19. METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK
Studies have found that instant noodles replacing meals for two or more times a week raises the risk of metabolic syndrome in women.
This means that women are more prone to have abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, more abdominal fat, higher blood sugar, increasing the risk of chronic disease.
18. LINKED TO CANCER
Because instant noodles strain the digestive system and forces it to break down the processed noodles for hours. It interferes with insulin release and blood sugar levels.
On top of that, the toxic chemicals like Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and t-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) have been linked to increased risk of cancer. Unfortunately, for those that like eating noodles, the list is far from over!
17. ASTHMA, ANXIETY, AND DIARRHEA?
TBHQ and BHA make the products last longer on the shelves, but they're also carcinogenic, so watch out.
Not only they can cause cancer, but they lead to other diseases and conditions like asthma, anxiety, and diarrhea if consumed for long periods of time. The next ngredient that can take a toll on our kidneys and heart...
16. TOO MUCH SODIUM
The high amount of sodium is what makes noodles so yummy. However, those proportions also damage our kidneys, and it is also bad for heart health. The high amounts of sodium lead to crippling illnesses.
Moreover, a dietitian revealed that instant noodles have no nutritional valor. Find out more in #14!
15. NO NUTRIENTS, NO VITAMINS
Eating instant noodles will do nothing else than make you feel full, but they lack minerals, proteins or vitamins.
Moreover, they absorb the nutrients in your stomach that you already ate and lowered the efficacy of the healthy foods previously ingested. Not only they're useless regarding nutrition, but they're also high in saturated fat!
14. HIGH AMOUNTS OF SATURATED FAT
Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s dietitian, Miss Seow Vi Vien, explains that the “nutritional quality of instant noodles is of concern because it contains a high amount of fat, saturated fat, and sodium, as well as little fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.”
This is why instant noodles are a very bad choice for everyone – especially for children that need those nutrients to grow healthy.
13. UNDIGESTABLE
If you would compare instant noodles with homemade noodles, you’ll understand why they’re totally different. A man was taken to the hospital after eating only instant noodles for a long time.
Doctors found the noodles in the digestive system – and it was not broken down by the digestive enzyme, leading to painful aches and bloating. On the other hand, homemade noodles break down in less than two hours!
12. CONTRIBUTES TO HAIR LOSS
A study made in Japan linked eating noodles with baldness in men. But is this myth, or is it the real deal?
We do not know clearly what is the connection between the two, but it is probably because of the lack of nutrients in them and because of the chemicals they contain. And the list keeps going on...
11. YOU'RE EATING A TON OF CARBS
As we have already mentioned, noodles have no nutritional value. Moreover, you are basically eating a ton of carbs soaked in salty water. The noodles are made from refined wheat flour.
The only thing that will do to your body is filling it up – you will not be hungry anymore, but it comes with a lot of health risks!
10. WHAT'S BPA AND MSG?
The containers those instant noodles come in are made of Styrofoam which contains the toxic synthetic Bisphenol A (BPA). What does the container have to do with the food – it comes in contact with the food, and it increases the risk of prostate and breast cancer and even developmental problems or ADHD.
The Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that many people are allergic to it. Researchers connected the MSG to diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, and Lou Gehrig.
9. WANNA KEEP FIT? DON'T EAT INSTANT NOODLES!
If you want to keep fit and also do a lot of exercising, eating instant noodles is the worst idea ever. They will undermine your efforts in leading a healthier lifestyle.
If you eat instant noodles for more than two or three times a week, you’re gonna have a bad time when you hit that scale…
8. THEY CAUSE BLOATING
Too much instant noodle meals will end up with a feeling of bloating, and it will not be a flattering body image!
So if you were wondering why your waist has suddenly changed, ditch those instant noodles! Did you know that they even contain something we found in shampoos or conditioners?
7. EATING A CHEMICAL FOUND IN SHAMPOOS?
Propylene glycol is an ingredient you would see in shampoos and conditioners. So why do they appear on the ingredient list of these instant noodles?
What we know is that the propylene glycol gets absorbed in the body through digestion, making our immune system weak, damaging the liver, kidneys, and heart.
6. RECIPE FOR OBESITY
They make you fat! The recipe for obesity is right in that can of instant noodles: carbs, sugar, salt, syrup, oil, and flavoring.
On top of that, other harmful chemicals also lead to weight gain and obesity. If you’re concerned about your health and your body size, instant noodles are not a meal you want to eat!
5. LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES
“But it’s cheap, and I like how it tastes,” you might say. Don’t worry, you have a lot of cheap foods that are more nutritious than those noodles.
They also don’t take long to prepare or to eat and are quite tasty: salads and soups. And you can also try to make your own noodles with no preservatives!
4. INCREASES THE RISK OF MISCARRIAGE!
Instant noodles are a type of food pregnant women must never eat! The ingredients in that meal will harm the fetus and even increase the risk of miscarriage.
Pregnant women should eat wholesome meals that include salads, fruits, veggies, baked eggs, and lean meat. But how can you make the most of your meal and still enjoy some noodles with your food?
3. ADD VEGGIES, EGG, AND LEAN MEAT
Dietitian Miss Seow recommended to get vegetables, lean meat, fish, egg or tofu and add only a quarter of a portion of the seasoning in the instant noodle packet.
Use just half of the noodles and mix them with the nutritive ingredients, and you will also enjoy these meals from time to time without worrying about the harmful effects on your body.
2. TRANSFORM THE INSTANT VERSION
Use spring onion or coriander to make the noodles tastier and skip on the seasoning in the package.
“If you are using the instant version that does not require cooking, avoid consuming all the soup to help you reduce salt/sodium intake and include vegetables and a protein source like egg on the side,” added the dietitian.
1. MAKE YOUR OWN NOODLES
We would say that the best noodles ever are those you make at home - you don't even need to be a master chef to make some.
Add chicken and veggies, and you have your favorite dish, with no health hazards on the side!