World Instant Noodles Day 2024

Instant Noodles/Instant Ramen are semi-prepared dry noodles, that is, they have been cooked or cooked to some extent. Packed and sold in the form of sachets and cups or bowls. It can now be purchased at grocery stores. Convenience stores From supermarkets to general shopping malls.

Data on instant noodle consumption from the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) revealed that in the past year, China/Hong Kong consumes the most of this instant noodle in the world. This is followed by Indonesia with 14,540 million servings (No. 1 in Southeast Asia) and India with 8.68 million servings. Thailand ranks 9th with a total of 3,950 million servings and is also the 4th largest in Southeast Asia.

When it comes to instant noodles, there is no one who does not know and few will never taste them. With a variety of flavors, and with the special property of 'storing for a long time'. By relying on the preservation process, the shape is changed from a familiar-looking 'noodle' to a crispy baked/fried noodle with seasoning powder. Use only hot water and in just a few minutes it will be ready to eat in no time. This makes this type of food appealing to people all over the world. But before enjoying the convenience of the procedure, time, and affordable price, This type of food can cause harm to our body in an unnegligible way.

• High sodium

Currently, the general recommendation is that we should get no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day. We may get up to 2,100 milligrams of sodium. Therefore, if you continue to eat foods high in sodium for a long time, it may affect the function of important organs such as the heart. Hypertension occurs. Effects on the kidney function and other complications in the future.

• Rich in bad fats.

The fatty components in many brands of instant noodles come from palm oil. That makes this bowl of dry noodles highly rich in saturated fats, where consuming large and regular amounts of this unhealthy fat can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and also increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases can be detected.

• Incomplete nutritional value

1 sachet (60 g) instant noodles It has a high carbohydrate content from wheat flour, but if you look at the nutrition label, you will find that it is low in dietary fiber and low in protein. In addition, important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are essential for the body are also low. If someone consumes this food regularly, there may be a risk of malnutrition.

Eating instant noodles today is increasing. With the advantage of convenience in preparation. Not many steps. It doesn't take long. It meets the needs of a fast-paced life, but it should not be eaten regularly so that it becomes the main menu in our daily life. At the same time, If you add a variety of ingredients to the dish, it will increase the value of various nutrients because it will not only make us enjoy the dish more. It is also good for our health in the long run.

Reference List

1. WINA. Global Demand for Instant Noodles [Internet]. Ikeda, Osaka: World Instant Noodle Association; 2024 May 13 [cited 2024 Jul 19]. Available from https://instantnoodles.org/en/noodles/demand/table/
2. Yuki Masuda. Global instant noodle demand marks record on food inflation [Internet]. 2023 Sep 23 [cited 2024 Jul 19]. Available from: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Global-instant-noodle-demand-marks-record-on-food-inflation
3. Huh IS, Kim H, Jo HK, Lim CS, Kim JS, Kim SJ, et al. Instant noodle consumption is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among college students in Seoul. Nutr Res Pract. 2017 Jun; 11(3): 232–39.
4. Cho Y, Ryu S, Kim R, Shin MJ, Oh H. Ultra-processed Food Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Korean Adults. J Nutr. 2024;154(1):243-51.
5. Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce. Report on Product Conditions and Trade Opportunities - Instant Noodles in the U.S. Market [Internet]. 7 October 2023 [Accessed on 19 July 2024]. Accessed from https://www.ditp.go.th/post/148151