Many people might think instant noodles are convenient and tasty, but as a fried food, eating too many can actually bring quite a few harms. So, what are the specific dangers of instant noodles? For those who want to know the truth, read on.
It's common for a bag of instant noodles to contain more than 20 additives.
Instant noodles belong to the category of convenience foods. For comprehensive considerations of transportation, preservation, and taste, additives are definitely used. Ranking instant noodles number one on CCTV's list might seem a bit unfair. This is because any convenience food, for purposes like preservation, antioxidant effects, and preventing acidification, will have a certain amount of additives added during its processing. Common antioxidants include BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole), TBHT (Dibutyl Hydroxytoluene), PG (Propyl Gallate), etc. They are generally used in baked goods, fried foods, dried fish products, biscuits, instant noodles, and other foods to prevent fat oxidation.
Seeing "antioxidants" and other additives listed on the ingredient list of instant noodles, many people immediately become alarmed. However, the role of additives like BHA is to prevent fat oxidation, and they are not as "terrible" as rumors suggest.
Fried instant noodles
Are food additives toxic?
If the concentration or dosage of a food additive exceeds a certain limit, it will exhibit toxic effects. The harm to the human body from food additives exposed by the media is often caused by excessive consumption.
The harms of eating instant noodles
1. It can easily lead to "heatiness" (上火).
The crispy texture of instant noodles is achieved through frying. People who like to eat them dry often feel their mouths go dry and their bodies get heated after eating, which is actually a sign that "heat" is building up in the body. Even when eaten with hot water, consuming too much can lead to "heatiness."
2. It can easily lead to colorectal cancer.
Studies have shown that adequate intake of fiber and calcium helps prevent colorectal cancer. Instant noodles and other foods are mostly made from refined flour, which is naturally low in fiber, and processing further depletes fiber and minerals. If a person frequently eats such foods, their body becomes deficient in fiber and calcium, making them more susceptible to colorectal cancer. Furthermore, due to consuming foods that are "too refined," more and more people are suffering from chronic constipation. The prolonged retention of stool in the colon is also an important factor in inducing colorectal cancer.
3. It can lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction.
Many fast foods are crispy fried foods. Children who often eat them can easily develop gastrointestinal dysfunction, experiencing symptoms like bloating and stomach pain. Because convenience foods like instant noodles, fried chicken, and potato chips contain more flavorings and additives, frequent consumption can dull the sense of taste and affect normal appetite. Generally, children who like to eat instant noodles are more likely to develop picky eating habits.
4. Harmful substances produced during the manufacturing process.
Because the production of instant noodles is an unnatural process, involving dehydrating fresh ingredients or frying them, chemical reactions can occur during this process, producing some harmful substances. For example, all starchy foods produce acrylamide, a carcinogen, when cooked at high temperatures (above 120°C).
5. Harmful effects of plastic tableware.
The disposable foam tableware used in cup noodles not only seriously pollutes the environment, but also when scalded with boiling water, if the temperature reaches 65°C or above, its harmful substances can seep into the food, thereby damaging the human liver, kidneys, reproductive system, and central nervous system.
How to eat instant noodles to reduce harm?
You should eat instant noodles in moderation and learn to eat them scientifically. In fact, the bigger problem with instant noodles is not the food additives, but the excessively high salt content. When preparing instant noodles, you can adjust the amount of seasoning packs. Generally, cup noodles come with three seasoning packs—an oil packet, a vegetable packet, and a seasoning packet. Besides the oil packet, the other two contain sodium. So, it's best not to pour all three packs in; just use half of each. After eating the noodles, you can supplement with some side dishes, like vegetables or fruits. If you're at home, you can directly add vegetables to the noodles and cook them together. If you're at work, you can eat a fruit after your instant noodles to replenish vitamins.
Fried noodles