After a series of posts recalling how essential Ramen Noodle Cups have been in many of our lives, especially early on in our careers, I’ve come across one that seems to prove, scientifically, that eating Ramen too often can be bad for you. And that’s from the Ramen experts, in South Korea…
Enjoy moderately, or risk developing metabolic syndrome, which can lead
to cardiac complications, especially in women…
Researchers in South Korea studied more than 10,000 people aged 19 to 64. South Korea has the highest per capita Ramen consumption in the world. And the results showed an association with elevated risk of heart disease, especially in women.
The study’s final report states: “Women who consume instant noodles frequently were found to be more likely to have metabolic syndrome — the group of risk factors, including obesity and high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.”
In fact, women who ate Ramen only twice a week were found to be 68 per cent more likely to be affected.
But that’s not all…
The researchers used tiny cameras to observe how the preservative-laden Noodles were digested in the stomach. The finding there was, the human digestive system does not handle Ramen Noodles well. Many Ramen brands contain a preservative known as TBHQ, which is also found in a variety of other products including Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. It specifically preserves fatty foods so they’ll have a longer shelf life. But it also makes them much harder to digest.
Everything in moderation…
The bottom line? Dr. Frank B. Hu, a Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard, told The New York Times, “[Eating Ramen] once or twice a month is not a problem, but a few times a week really is.”
~ Maggie J.