Whether for school or work, instant noodles are often a part of our lives. Many people even treat them as a staple food, but they may not realize the significant harm this can do to the body. Below, the editor will share some common misconceptions about eating instant noodles, hoping this will be helpful.
I. Common Misconceptions About Eating Instant Noodles
1. Instant noodles are nutritionally incomplete, lacking protein, vitamins, and minerals.
In fact, except for breast milk for infants, no single food can provide complete nutrition, and no one can meet all their nutritional needs for growth, development, and reproduction by eating just one type of food. It is best for a person to eat 10 to 30 or more different types of food daily to satisfy the body's nutritional needs and for dietary diversity.
According to reports, instant noodles were rated as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century in Japan. In 2003, global consumption of instant noodles was about 65.25 billion servings, with about one-third of that consumed in mainland China, averaging 21 servings per person per year. As a convenient staple food, instant noodles' main features are convenience, good taste, low price, and a long shelf life. It is technically entirely feasible to produce low-to-mid-range instant noodles (costing 1-2 RMB per pack, 80g-120g) that are "reasonably balanced and nutritionally complete"; the key lies in the price and market positioning.
2. High oil and salt content, which is not conducive to health.
The oil content in the noodle blocks of famous Chinese brand fried instant noodles is 18%-20%, and the salt content is 1.6%-2%, which is basically the same as international standards. In fact, the oil content of fried instant noodles is much lower than that of fried dough sticks, french fries, and potato chips.
There is often a conflict between nutrition and taste, but consumers' scales often tip in favor of taste. Good-quality instant noodles will have a soup base that is fragrant and savory, not too salty or greasy, nor too bland and lacking in richness, but just right.
Palm oil is commonly used as a frying oil both domestically and internationally because of its high thermal stability. As long as the frying process is operated correctly, it will not become rancid. The frying temperature is between 145°C and 165°C, and the frying time is only a few dozen seconds, which is below the "critical temperature" of 200°C for food heating. Due to the low temperature and short time, the loss of micronutrients like vitamins in the noodle blocks is minimal.
3. Foods with added additives are not good foods.
So-called food additives refer to chemical synthetic or natural substances added to food to improve its color, aroma, flavor, and appearance, as well as to meet the needs of preservation and processing technology. Among them, nutritional fortifiers, which are added to enhance nutritional value, also fall under the category of food additives.
Currently, most large and medium-sized instant noodle production companies have their own wheat planting bases and dedicated flour mills for producing special-purpose flour. The noodles produced contain natural organic substances such as eggs, wheat protein, and soy protein, as well as natural inorganic substances like salt, alkali, and phosphates. The noodle blocks of fried instant noodles are fried at high temperatures, which eliminates all microorganisms. To improve the antioxidant properties of the oil, a trace amount of TBHQ antioxidant is added, which is a high-quality, internationally recognized safe antioxidant. Sterilization of the soup base has widely adopted cobalt-60 irradiation, which is safe and reliable. Moreover, no preservatives are added to the seasoning packets. In fact, common soy sauce and vinegar used in general households often allow the addition of small amounts of caramel color and preservatives (such as potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate) to inhibit the growth of mold. Most instant noodle companies do not produce these liquid condiments themselves and often purchase them externally. Just like the soy sauce and vinegar bought for home use, they contain trace amounts of preservatives, and as long as they comply with relevant national standards, they can be consumed with confidence.
II. How to Eat Instant Noodles Healthily
1. Avoid adding ham sausage: Many people like to add ham sausage when eating instant noodles, but experts remind that both are high in salt and oil. Eating them together can lead to a serious excess of salt intake in the body. Frequent consumption can easily lead to colds, high blood pressure, and accelerate the loss of bone calcium.
2. Discard the first batch of water: Experts suggest that if you are concerned about the oil in the noodle cake, you can first soak it in hot water and then discard the water.
3. Don't overdo the sauce: The oil and salt content in the sauce packets is very high. If you pour all of it in, it will inevitably exceed the recommended amount. Therefore, it is recommended that when eating instant noodles, except for the vegetable packet, you should add at most half of all the sauce and powder packets, and even less if possible.
4. Pair with vegetables: Experts say that instant noodles contain less protein and vitamins. You can add some vegetables, such as spinach or tomatoes, and an egg or soy product to make the meal more nutritionally complete.
5. Boil them: An experiment found that compared to fresh noodles, instant noodles are harder for the human body to digest, which is related to the chemical additives they contain. Therefore, it is recommended to boil instant noodles whenever possible. Boiled noodles absorb more water, which is beneficial for digestive health.