Instant noodles are a favourite food for many people, but their\nexcessive consumption is frequently associated with health problems.\nMedical experts have issued warnings regarding the high salt and\npreservative content in a single serving.<\/p>\n
An orthopaedic surgeon from Mumbai, Dr Manan Vora, has cautioned that\nexcessive instant noodle consumption can have adverse effects on health.\nThrough an Instagram video, he stressed that consuming instant noodles\noccasionally is not problematic, but making it a daily staple can damage\nhealth in the long term.<\/p>\n
\u201cEating instant noodles occasionally will not damage your health, but\nif you rely on it every day, the impact will be felt. Switch to real\nfood. Protect your gut, energy, and long-term health,\u201d Dr Vora stated.\n\u201cInstant noodles are not instant comfort, but instant damage,\u201d he\nadded.<\/p>\n
According to Dr Vora, many people are already aware that instant\nnoodles are an ultra-processed food. However, he believes the risk is\nactually increasing due to the growing popularity of extremely spicy\nproducts such as Buldak ramen, which is trending among Gen Z\nconsumers.<\/p>\n
Dr Vora identified three \u201cred flags\u201d commonly found in nearly all\ninstant noodles that make them dangerous if consumed too frequently.<\/p>\n
1. TBHQ: Synthetic preservative that triggers oxidative\nstress<\/strong><\/p>\n One ingredient highlighted was TBHQ (Tertiary Butylhydroquinone), a\nsynthetic preservative used to extend the shelf life of processed\nproducts. According to Dr Vora, TBHQ is an artificial antioxidant that\nkeeps oils and fats from becoming rancid quickly, and can trigger\noxidative stress if consumed frequently, placing additional strain on\nthe body.<\/p>\n 2. Polystyrene cups that release microplastics<\/strong><\/p>\n Many cup noodle products use polystyrene packaging, a type of\nsynthetic plastic. When hot water is added, the risk of microplastic\nrelease increases.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you add hot water, microplastics can escape and enter your\nbody. This increases inflammation and irritates the gut over time,\u201d Dr\nVora explained.<\/p>\n Microplastic exposure has been linked to various health disorders in\nseveral studies.<\/p>\n 3. Artificial colourings, flavourings, and MSG that trigger\ncravings<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr Vora also highlighted the high content of artificial colours,\nsynthetic flavourings, and MSG (monosodium glutamate), all of which make\ninstant noodles taste richer and more addictive.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an ultra-processed formulation that makes the taste\nstronger, increases cravings, and is engineered to have a long shelf\nlife,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Although instant noodles remain safe occasionally, Dr Vora emphasised\nthat making them a primary food source can cause chronic inflammation,\ndigestive disorders, accumulation of oxidative stress, and nutritional\nimbalances.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Dr Sungadi Santoso (Dr Sung), a physician from Surabaya\nwho frequently educates the public about daily food, revealed that\ninstant noodles registered with BPOM have undergone safety testing,\nincluding sodium benzoate preservatives and tartrazine colouring, which\nare actually still safe if consumed within reasonable limits. However,\nthe main problem emerges when someone eats instant noodles every day,\nsometimes multiple times daily.<\/p>\n Dr Sung explained that instant noodles are high in carbohydrates and\nfats but low in protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. If made\na daily menu without additional nutritional supplementation, the body\ncan eventually experience nutritional deficiencies, such as iron,\ncalcium, and essential vitamin shortages.<\/p>\n \u201cThis condition can cause a person to become easily fatigued, drowsy,\nhave difficulty concentrating, and be susceptible to illness,\u201d Dr Sung\nstated.<\/p>\n He also highlighted the very high sodium content in instant noodle\nseasonings. If consumed continuously, excessive salt intake can trigger\nhigh blood pressure and other disorders.<\/p>\n \u201cInitially the body can adapt, but over time the preservatives and\ncolourings that should be neutralised accumulate instead. Body weight\nincreases, obesity risk rises, and other degenerative diseases emerge,\u201d\nhe explained.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/safe-consumption-limits-for-instant-noodles-according-to-doctors-1772283612",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}