In the dead of night, instant noodles are seen as the savior of hunger, and a steaming bowl of instant noodles seems to be a symbol of deliciousness in the world.
Whether it's the rising aroma or the boiling soup, instant noodles have an irresistible temptation. However, in recent years, instant noodles have been questioned by many people:
"Instant noodles must have added a lot of chemical additives to make them so delicious. "
"Long-term consumption of instant noodles can easily induce cancer. "
"It takes a full 32 days for the liver to detoxify a pack of instant noodles, which is no joke. "
……
Are instant noodles safe and reliable, and what are the effects of eating them on the body?
01
It is rumored that after consuming a pack of instant noodles, it takes up to 32 days for the body to completely flush out the toxins in it, but is this true?
The additives of instant noodles include sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium bicarbonate, etc., which do not pose a health threat under normal use and meet food safety standards. Therefore, the so-called "32-day detoxification" claim has no scientific basis.
Another theory says that instant noodles take 32 hours to fully digest. However, this claim comes from a loose experiment involving only two participants, each with different digestive abilities, so no universal conclusions can be drawn.
More critically, the results of the experiment showed that after 2 hours, the instant noodles were basically digested, and the experiment itself had many flaws, and lacked credibility from beginning to end.
Although instant noodles are not "junk food", the seasoning in them contains a lot of fat and salt, and the salt intake in one packet can even meet the needs of the whole day, so excessive consumption of instant noodles may increase salt intake and cause health problems.
However, instant pasta bread provides about 30% of the daily calorie requirement, which is standard for a meal.
In general, occasional consumption is convenient and poses no threat to health, but it should not be consumed in large quantities for a long time.
In terms of dietary choices, more attention should be paid to balanced nutrition and proper control of salt intake to ensure good health.
We should be cautious about all kinds of rumors about instant noodles, treat them rationally, and not be misled by false information.
02
Some people claim that instant noodles produce acrylamide, a substance that is considered a carcinogen, during processing, so long-term consumption of instant noodles increases the risk of cancer. However, it's not that simple.
Acrylamide is classified as a Group 2A carcinogen and only increases the risk of cancer at certain doses.
The amount of acrylamide contained in instant noodles is very limited, even lower than that found in some common foods such as fried rice cakes and fried chestnuts, so normal daily consumption will not cause the carcinogenic amount of acrylamide.
Still, long-term consumption of large amounts of instant noodles can bring health problems. Instant noodles are high-calorie, nutrient-neutral foods that can lead to malnutrition if consumed for a long time.
In addition, instant noodles are high in salt and fat, and long-term intake may increase the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity.
However, there are four other foods that should really be touched less:
Salted fish: Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization, long-term consumption increases the risk of many types of cancer, especially nasopharyngeal cancer.
Barbecued and fried foods: Carcinogens such as benzopyrene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced during the production process will increase the risk of cancer if ingested for a long time.
Hot food: Long-term intake of too hot food may cause scalding of the esophageal mucosa, increasing the risk of inflammation and cancer.
Alcohol: Clearly classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization, long-term alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer, especially for people with mutations in the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene.
03
In real life, we will inevitably eat instant noodles, but how can we enjoy this convenience food healthily? Here are a few suggestions:
01Choose non-fried instant noodles
When shopping for instant noodles, try to choose non-fried products. Compared to fried instant noodles, non-fried foods are healthier because fried foods are higher in fats and fats, and long-term intake may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
02Add fresh ingredients
When cooking instant noodles, consider adding some fresh ingredients such as vegetables, beans, mushrooms, eggs, or meat to increase the nutritional balance.
This can make instant noodles more nutritious and also help reduce the dependence on instant noodles with high salt and oil.
03Treat instant noodles as an emergency ingredient
Instant noodles should be considered as an emergency ingredient and should not be used as the main source of daily diet.
Despite convenience, over-reliance on instant noodles can lead to malnutrition and health problems, so the frequency and amount should be controlled as much as possible.
04Control the intake of soup
The noodle soup in instant noodles often contains a lot of fat and salt, so you should control the intake of the soup when eating it and try to avoid excessive consumption.
If you're worried about consuming too much fat and salt, you can choose to throw out some of the soup or just eat the noodles without the soup.
05Reduce the use of seasoning packets moderately
Instant noodles usually contain a lot of salt and seasonings, so when cooking instant noodles, you can moderately reduce the amount of seasoning packets used and only put in a portion to reduce the health effects of salt and seasonings.
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