Instant Noodles are High in Salt: How Bad is it?

Instant Noodles are High in Salt: How Bad is it?

Hunger. I was looking for a quick fix so I settled with a steaming bowl of instant noodles which is spicy ramen flavored. As I indulge on it's sensational seafood flavor and heavenly spicy aroma, I reflected on it's sodium content--1800 mg in just a single serving. That's a lot!

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan


How much salt should We take per day?

Table salt is made up of the minerals sodium and chloride. 2,300 mg sodium is comparable to 1 teaspoon salt.

The world health organization recommends sodium intake of less than 5000 mg, while the American Heart Association prefers lower--limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.


Going back to that bowl of instant noodles. Comparing it with the American Heart Association's recommendation, I've heatedly eaten up 78% of the total daily recommended sodium intake in just 1 snack.

That's not healthy. I thought to myself, I shouldn't be eating this too often...even if it's preparation is lazily simple and it taste good.


Have you ever wonder where the salt in noodle hides? Is it in the noodle strand or the powdered seasoning?

The bad thing about instant noodle is you don't really realize how high it's salt content can be, not unless you read the label.

The dried noodle contains salt, but the powdered seasoning contains most of the flavor and yes...most of the salt.


Why is too Much Salt Bad?

Too much salt in the body can lead to health problems.

Sodium attracts water so when it gets inside blood vessels, it pulls water in, consequently increasing blood pressure which increases the workload of the heart.

You can get hypertension from too much intake of salt. Hypertension is called a silent killer for a good reason. It's a common cause of fatal diseases like heart attack and stroke. Lifestyle is key to fight hypertension.


Would you still want to eat instant noodles?

Convenient, affordable, and yummy...that's instant noodles! Yet, it's a food with empty calories and staggering amount of salt! If you're not willing to give up this food, here are some tips to at least cut off some salt:

1. Use only half amount of water needed for cooking instant noodles. Then use only half of the  powdered seasoning. This way, you cut off about half of the salt from it.

2. Don't make instant noodle your breakfast, dinner, and lunch! It's even a bad idea to eat noodles everyday. Do the math and you'll have a good idea why.

3. To compensate for instant noodle's lack of nutritional value, why not add vegetable, egg, shrimp, pepper, or tofu? This will also add flavor.

4. Stock your pantry with food choices like fruits, vegetables, unsalted nuts, and oatmeal, just to make sure that instant noodle is one of your last options.

5. Read the labels of the foods you eat. Make sure you do not exceed the recommended intake of sodium per day which is 2,300 mg. Do remember it's not just instant noodles with high salt content. Foods like those below can be high in salt:

• Buttermilk
• Cheese
• Canned and processed goods
• Curred meats
• Bacon
• French fries
• Sausage
• Sun-dried salted fish
• Pizza
• Salted nuts
• Tomato sauce