I might be embarrassed to admit how many packages of ramen noodles I have consumed, however my admission may be helpful to many friends out there. Ramen Noodles remind me of growing up; they are easy to prepare, and they are cheap. These noodles are not the healthiest food-like substance for us to consume. Ramen Noodles have a very long shelf life. I’ve got the firm belief that the longer the shelf life, the more harmful the food with the exception of honey. Honestly, I haven’t thought about Ramen Noodles in years since I changed my eating habits to more healthy options. What made me think of my once favorite snack was a picture I saw while surfing online; this was the image:
I was appalled. How many people eat these packaged noodles as a staple in their diets? We are not picking on any one manufacturer. We were curious what numbers we were looking at when talking about Ramen Noodle consumers. Maruchan, the the largest producer of these packaged noodles, says on their website that “Maruchan produces 3.6 billion packages of Ramen Noodle Soup a year. If the noodles were all strung together, they would reach all the way from the earth to the plant Mars and back”. That number is staggering. I now feel I was naive to think this food was okay for me to eat. I added chopped veggies to my noodle bowl thinking I was making them a little better. I knew they weren’t the best food for me, but I rationalized my love for the noodles. I wasn’t kidding anyone. Later that day I was forwarded this YouTube video. When topics are brought to my attention a couple of times in one day, I know I need to take a deeper look at what is going on.
There are a few issues with these packaged noodles; we will address three concerns here. Are Ramen Noodles coated in wax? What about the use of MSG in the flavor packets? Can this factory food be properly digested by our bodies?
First, we have found no conclusive evidence that Ramen Noodles are coated with wax. There are a couple processes for making these noodles; one is frying the noodles and the other is air drying the noodles. If you’re buying five packages for a dollar, you are not getting the dried variety as they cost more to produce. The fried varieties, when reheated, can give off their oily makeup which would keep the noodles from sticking together. When boiling noodles at home, we sometimes add a teaspoon of oil to the water to keep the noodles from sticking together, so it is the same concept. The bigger issue I would be concerned with is microwaving your meals in a styrofoam cup or any plastic container. When we microwave our food in plastic containers, the chemicals could leech into our food.
Secondly, MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. I personally avoid MSG in any food that I consume. MSG is a flavor enhancer which is added to many processed foods. This chemical has been linked to multiple health conditions; it’s bad news, in my opinion. MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites our cells to the point of death; no good news there. It has been proven toxic and since we know it’s bad for us, we should eliminate it from our diets. To learn everything you ever wanted to know about MSG, check out Dr. Mercola’s extensive research article here.
Lastly, noodles are typically made from flour, eggs, a pinch of salt and maybe a splash of water i.e. whole foods. The processed alternative we are speaking about also contains, among other things, tert-Butylhydroquinone, the same thing that we fill cigarette lighters with, otherwise known as petroleum. Need we say more? Digestion is essential to proper nutrient uptake in the body and when we add synthetic toxins to our food, we can not properly process it. After two hours, the whole food noodles are unrecognizable, while the Ramen Noodles are still in tact; yikes!
2011 TEDxManhattan Fellow: Artist Stefani Bardin:
Now it is time to make a decision: will you continue eating these packaged noodles or not? If you have friends or loved ones that are eating Ramen on a regular basis, please share this with them so that they can make an informed decision on whether they want to continue eating this packaged meal. As always, feel free to share this article on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
Stephanie is a wellness consultant and social entrepreneur. She has traveled the globe extensively and is a sought out speaker. Stephanie’s focus is on teaching simple lifestyle changes that create health and wealth in our lives. Stephanie is the founder of Our Wellness Revolution and has authored a cookbook titled Skinny Girls Don’t Diet " Living Well Is A Lifestyle.
