Is instant noodles junk food and can it be eaten by children? The truth may be different from what you think
Parents themselves may regard instant noodles as a staple food when they are busy, but when it comes to giving them to their children, they will almost immediately shake their heads, "No, instant noodles are junk food, and children can't eat them." ”
Speaking of junk food, let's first take a look at what exactly junk food is.
In fact, there is no clear definition of junk food, and no agency has published a list of junk food, or classified a certain food as junk food. The so-called junk food is actually a common name for some foods that may make people fat if they eat too much, have unbalanced nutrition, and bury hidden dangers for their health.
So, is instant noodles junk food? Can children eat them?
1. Are instant noodles junk food?
At present, most instant noodles are fried, with a relatively high fat content, and in order to be delicious, the salt content in the instant noodle seasoning is also relatively high.
According to statistics, the salt content of a bucket of instant noodles is about 6.6 grams, which exceeds the recommended limit of 6 grams per person per day. The fat content is about 21.6 grams, and the recommended intake of cooking oil per person per day is only 25~30 grams.
From the perspective of nutritional content, instant noodles are high in protein, fat and carbohydrates, and trace elements such as vitamins and minerals are relatively lacking.
This unbalanced nutritional ratio, if consumed for a long time, may lead to excessive intake of carbohydrates and fats, leading to obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and other diseases. At the same time, it can also cause nutritional imbalance in children, affecting their normal growth and development.
From these points, instant noodles are indeed not healthy food.
But at the same time, we should pay attention to one point: a lot of so-called "junk food" is not a problem with the food itself, but a wrong way for us to eat it.
For example, sugar, eating too much sugar will indeed pose a threat to our health, but if there is no sugar in this world, it will be too bitter, isn't it?
Therefore, many claims about instant noodles are actually sensationalism, and it is not as "unforgivable" as some rumors say.
02. These rumors about instant noodles are not reliable
(1) Instant noodles can cause cancer
The source of this rumor is the presence of acrylamide in instant noodles.
Acrylamide is classified as a Group 2A carcinogen by the International Agency for Cancer, that is, it has been shown to be carcinogenic in animal experiments, but it is uncertain whether it is carcinogenic to humans.
Acrylamide is mainly formed in high-carbohydrate, low-protein plant foods that are heated to temperatures above 120°C. 140~180°C is the optimal temperature for its generation, so many foods may produce acrylamide after cooking or heating.
According to the data, 1 kilogram of fried instant noodle cake contains about 27 micrograms of acrylamide, while the acrylamide content in the same weight of potato chips is 559 micrograms, which means that the acrylamide content of one kilogram of instant noodles is one-twentieth of that of potato chips.
The amount of instant noodles we usually eat is generally 80-150g, and the amount of acrylamide is actually very low, far from meeting the carcinogenic conditions.
(2) There are preservatives in instant noodles
Not all foods that have a long shelf life need preservatives to keep them fresh, and the reason why instant noodles have a long storage time is because of the frying and drying dehydration technology, which does not require the addition of preservatives.
It is true that there may be preservatives in the seasoning packets of instant noodles, but this amount is produced after strict control and testing, and it will not have much impact on the body.
In addition to these two most widely circulated claims, such as paraffin wax on the bucket of instant noodles, etc., are also rumors.
03. Can children eat instant noodles?
said that instant noodles are not good, and also said rumors about instant noodles, and then back to the question we asked at the beginning, can children eat instant noodles?
The answer is, you can eat it, but don't eat too much.
When eating, the first choice is non-fried instant noodles, you can put a little less in the seasoning packet, and in addition, in order to make up for the balanced nutrition, you can make some vegetables, eggs, meat and the like to match.