Instant noodles are usually a lifesaver in times of sudden and extreme hunger and when no other option is available. But have you thought about the ingredients of these instant noodles and their health effects? Are they as good for the health as they taste? Let’s check out the ingredients of some major instant noodle brands too assess their effects!
Maggie Noodles
Maggie is one of the most popular brands when it comes to instant noodles. However, its sales dropped due to its recent MSG controversy with the food and health department of the Indian government. Nevertheless, they are again in the market, and many people still love it.
Ingredients
The main ingredients in maggie include salt, sugar, edible vegetable oil, gluten, guar gum, sulfate ammonia caramel (IN 150 D), and Disoldium 5’ribonucleotides (IN 635).
Yippee Noodles
Yippee is another instant noodle brand and comes with a tangy flavor. It is not as popular as Maggie but still on the rise.
Ingredients
The main ingredients in Yippee are guar gram, salt, edible vegetable oil, gluten, hydrolyzed plant protein, IN 170, IN 339, IN 450 and IN 452.
Patanjali Noodles
Patanjali Atta noodles are considered relatively “healthier” as compared to other instant noodles. However, the question that arises is if they are any better than the rest? The ingredients might help us decipher!
Ingredients
The main ingredients of Patanjali noodles include edible rice bran oil, wheat flour, mineral, xanthan gum, iodized salt, mixed herbs, dehydrated vegetables, flavor enhancers like E627 and E631, salt, vegetable protein, soy sauce, sugar, acidifying agent and thickener.
Ching’s Hakka Noodles
Ching’s Hakka noodle is the instant noodle version of the delicious Chinese noodles. It tastes remarkably good and is popular in Indian households.
Ingredients
The main ingredients in Ching’s Hakka noodles include sodium polyphosphate (IN 452), salt, raising agent, wheat flour, sodium carbonate, acidity regulator, and potassium carbonate.
Health Effects
One of the biggest problems with these instant noodle companies is that they do not give out a specific list of ingredients. For example, they do not specify which type of vegetable oil or which kind of sugar do they use in their products. Some vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-6, and they can be very harmful to the body and can damage some of the vital structures of the body like the DNA. In addition to that, the high salt content in these instant noodles can lead to hypertension, heart diseases, and other similar problems. They use the European Commission launched guar gum, which is considered dangerous for health and warnings against this ingredient in the year 2007. This guar gum contains dioxins that can damage the immune system of a person. Also, they contain gluten, which can be very dangerous for people who are gluten intolerant. Finally, all the synthetic items used to make these noodles have adverse long term effects on health. You must carefully read the ingredients and search for each of them if you want to go deeper into understanding what you are eating!
Conclusion
To sum up, a lot of people already know that instant noodles are, but the extent is not commonly known. Therefore, going through all the ingredients mentioned in their packs can help in understanding it better so that you can make wise choices about your health. Food is an integral part of everyday life, and it has tremendous long term effect on your health. After all, you are what you eat!
Hence, next time you think of satisfying your hunger with a pack of instant noodle, think again!
