This is my lunch today:
I tend to eat Ramen noodles for lunch a couple of times a week when I do not have leftovers or I have not prepared a lunch for myself. I enjoy the taste, and I usually add some Tapatio hot sauce to the Ramen to make it extra spicy. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. You also can’t beat a $0.33 lunch cost (sometimes even cheaper).
I have some co-workers who have given me a hard time recently about eating Ramen noodles so often, as they claim they are very unhealthy. I usually brush off their concerns and tell them they don’t know what they are talking about.
However, I started poking around and researched the healthiness (or lack thereof) of Ramen (processed, not freshly made) and here are some of the health findings:
They contain Tertiary-Butyl Hydroquinone which is a gas industry byproduct that isn’t recommended for your body
They are very high in salt
They have a high caloric value
They contain a high amount of saturated fat
They are considered a hormone disrupter
There is research showing the Styrofoam cups Ramen comes in contain chemicals that can cause cancer
Wow. I also couldn’t really find any articles rebuffing these concerns or touting any health benefits to processed Ramen.
So I find myself at impasse – Should I stop eating my good tasting and cheap Ramen lunches or should I go cold turkey and cut if off? Well, today I am going to eat my Ramen lunch, but perhaps I will rethink this lunch strategy going forward!
What are your thoughts on this dilemma? Does the potential cost outweigh the benefit?
Brian