Instant Noodles – ambrosia for college students and broke bachelors, is no overstatement. Hostel life or month ends would have been difficult to survive without the instant noodles. However, what gives your hunger a 2-minute fix can cost your health for a lifetime.
Don’t read any further if you love instant noodles more than anything in the world because these facts about your comfort food are not really comforting. However, if you love your health and wish to live long, then continue to do so.
1. It’s contaminated
The recent tests conducted on the samples of instant noodles have found traces of lead in quantities higher than the permissible levels. How lead got into the noodles is still under investigation.
2. MSG – a slow killer
MSG or Monosodium Glutamate is a compound that leads to weight gain if consumed in excessive amounts. Though it occurs naturally in tomatoes and cheese, the chemically synthesized MSG in instant noodles is used to kick the flavor of umami, the fifth taste. One could get addicted to MSG. Studies have also found that it can cause a metabolic syndrome in women that is signified as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and obesity.
3. It’s basically junk
It may be your comfort food but it is full of empty calories. The refined flour from which it is made has a high glycemic index (GI). It gets quickly released into the bloodstream and evokes a sharp insulin response. Excess salt in the instant noodles causes hypertension.
It is not just the instant noodles that have caught the attention of food safety authorities. Ready to eat food, soups, and chewing gums have also landed in a soup. These food products label MSG as vegetable/soy protein or autolyzed yeast. So, you better read the label carefully before you go, shop for your 2-minute fix.
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