Instant noodles are quite popular among people who don’t have a lot of time to cook, are tight on the budget, or both.
Unfortunately, this convenience extracts a hidden price in the form of our health. This is why you need to be aware of the risks you face especially if you consume instant noodles on a regular basis.
Here are some of the negative health effects of instant noodles that just might convince you to cut back, if not ditch them from your diet entirely:
1 – The elevated risk of cancer
Instant noodles are filled with preservatives, just like most instant food. The most commonly used ones are t-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).
While these chemicals have been scientifically proven to be harmless in small amounts, excessive consumption is another matter. According to some experts, high levels of TBHQ and BHA could increase one’s risk of developing cancer.
2 – Stomachache
While you can quickly get instant noodles on the table, the same is not true of the noodles getting through your stomach. Because they are not digested easily, the instant noodles tend to remain in the stomach for longer than usual.
Therefore, don’t be surprised if you get a stomachache after eating some instant noodles.
3 – MSG reactions
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has long been used as a flavor enhancer. In fact, you can usually find them used in Chinese food.
To make instant noodles tastier, manufacturers often load them with MSG. But if you’re sensitive to MSG, you can get symptoms such as headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, facial numbness, and even chest pain.
4 – Increased blood pressure
A lot of processed and instant food contain high levels of sodium and this can easily cause a spike in your blood pressure.
If you already have hypertension, then consuming instant noodles can only be bad news for you. This is why people with heart disease or those at risk shouldn’t be eating instant noodles.
5 – Gaining weight
If you’re already trying to lose some excess pounds, do not think for a moment that consuming instant noodles will help. In fact, they can make you gain weight, not lose them.
The refined wheat flour that is used to make the instant noodles have practically no fiber and are also devoid of many important nutrients. That’s why eating a full serving can still make you feel as if you hadn’t eaten enough. Plus, the high sodium content only serves to keep more water in the body which will increase your water weight.
But let’s say you’re really in a pinch and can’t completely give up instant noodles. Here are some ways to mitigate the negative effects:
- The best way is to only eat instant noodles if there’s absolutely no other food choice available.
ADVERTISEMENT Don’t eat it as a treat or meal substitute.
- Mix in a few fresh vegetables with every serving so that you still get key nutrients.
- If there’s a variant that has no/less MSG and is low in sodium, go for that, instead.
- Most of the bad stuff is packed in the flavor packet, so you can just throw that away.
ADVERTISEMENT As an alternative, mix in some herbs, homemade broth, and spices for flavoring.
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