ATTN: Busy Women, Please Stop Eating Instant Noodles
The risks of getting instant noodles twice a week
No time to grab lunch? You probably can’t count how many times instant noodles have saved the day. Cheap and easy-to-cook, these savory, soupy bowls are a go-to meal in every office pantry.
It’s time you consider throwing them out.
At first glance, a bowl of noodles may look harmless — certainly less greasy than that heart-attack harbinger we call a hamburger. But when researchers from the Baylor University and the Harvard School of Public Health tracked the eating habits of 10,711 South Koreans between the ages of 19 and 64, they found that instant noodle eaters had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.
People suffering from metabolic syndrome have high sugar and high blood pressure levels, and had a greater chance of developing heart disease or diabetes.
Women seemed to be particularly vulnerable. Women who ate the pre-cooked, packaged noodle food at least twice a week had a 68% risk of developing the syndrome.
Even more worrisome was the fact those risk levels didn’t go down for women who were leaner, or said that they exercised more.
“Instant noodles are high in fat, high in salt, high in calories, and they’re processed — all those factors could contribute to some of the health problems,” New York University professor Lisa Young told the Washington Post.
If you really need a hot soup fix, consider freshly-made resto ramen instead of preservative-covered packed noodles. Looking for a cheap office snack? Stick to the fruit and crackers instead.
Via the Harvard School of Public Health
