Spicy noodles make you fat-Good or Bad?

Instant noodles and the risk of diseases

Overconsumption of instant noodles has recently received special attention due to its link to obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korean adults. The high-calorie content of instant noodles, as well as the high concentration of refined carbohydrates, fats, and sodium, contribute to an increased risk of metabolic disease. Consumption of instant noodles as a staple food source is increasing in many Asian countries, but South Korea ranks first in the world per capita in instant noodle consumption (72.8 servings per year). According to a recent survey college students consume instant noodles more frequently than adults of other age groups due to the convenience of preparing instant noodles on school grounds.

Impact of noodles on health

Because of a recent survey reported an increasing trend of early premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) death among adults as young as 20-49 years of age in Korean students with unhealthy dietary habits frequently eat instant noodles and may be at increased risk of diseases. There is also an increasing trend in the proportion of young adults with increased cardiometabolic risk factors, such as higher weight, hypertension, and elevated blood glucose and lipid levels.

Does eating noodles pose a risk for obesity?

Obesity is now associated with a variety of factors that increase cortisol production, including high glycemic index foods, chronic stress, and changes in sleep patterns. Physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, an unhealthy lifestyle, and smoking have all contributed to the global burden of non-communicable diseases. It has also been discovered that people prefer high-fat foods over low-fat foods. According to reports, more than one-third of adults consume junk food several times per week. Obesity (central adiposity), a leading cause of heart disease and other non-communicable diseases, has been linked to junk food, according to studies. Poor nutrition may result in lowered immunity and susceptibility to a variety of oral and systemic diseases.

Factors that contribute to disease risk

Unlike fresh ramen noodles, most instant noodles are deep-fried to dry them, which increases their calorie, refined carbohydrate, saturated fat, and sodium content. In Korea, for example, the most popular type of instant noodles contains 505 kcal and provides 24, 31, 53, and 90% of the recommended daily values for carbohydrates, fat, saturated fat, and sodium, respectively. Several studies have suggested that instant noodles’ high energy density, glycemic load (due to refined carbohydrates), saturated fat content, and sodium content may all contribute to increased cardiometabolic risk factors.

South Korea leads the world in per capita instant noodle consumption, with 72.8 servings per year, nearly six times the global average of 13.5 servings in 2015. In recent decades, the convenience and low cost of instant noodles have increased their popularity. College students with time or financial constraints have a strong preference for instant noodles. Several reports reveal that among adults of all ages, those aged 20-49 years consume more instant noodles (22.2 g/d) than those aged 50-64 years (7.6 g/d).

Harvard University researchers discovered a 68% increased risk of metabolic syndrome in women who ate instant noodles twice a week, but not in men. They discovered that frequent consumption of instant noodles results in higher diastolic blood pressure in women.

Conclusion:

Finally, we discovered that frequent consumption of instant noodles is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors in apparently healthy college students aged 18-29 years. Given the significant, negative relationship between multiple risk factors with increased CVD risk and later CVD development, this issue requires immediate attention. It is necessary to encourage people to consume fewer instant noodles, but it is also necessary to educate people and the food industry to improve the nutritional quality of instant noodles or develop healthy instant noodles.

Sources: http://Huh IS, Kim H, Jo HK, Lim CS, Kim JS, Kim SJ, Kwon O, Oh B, Chang N. Instant noodle consumption is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among college students in Seoul. Nutr Res Pract. 2017 Jun;11(3):232-239.

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