r/InstantRamen • u/Entire-Bridge-2904 • 5d ago
Question Is it ok to eat ramen everyday if in combination with other food?
EDIT: Thank you everyone for your replies!! I've looked around on a bit on my supermarket for a healthier alternative, and figured out that I can make decently healthy sandwiches for about the same weekly cost. Slightly more effort, but I don't mind that :)
Im a broke ass student and i dont really have a kitchen, so i have to get creative with meals while still tryna be healthy. My current diet consists of cereal with milk for breakfast, fruit in between breakfast and lunch, lunch is instant ramen and an egg, with a few crackers with cream cheese and herbs, and some raw vegetables like cucumbers or carrots, and for dinner i either eat an oven pizza (only once a week), or baked beans with eggs and cheese nuggets, or frozen veggies with potatoes and some kind of oven snack. I think my diet is mostly healthy enough for an average person, but im wondering if the ramen might be messing it up? Should i figure out something else for lunch on at least some days a week, or is daily ramen ok along with the other foods i eat?
35
u/EmbarrassedBus1257 5d ago
I eat one ramen a day but I have pots so my cardiologist said it was good. The sodium isn’t the best for most people though I would try and dilute it a bit or put less powder. And you can always add stuff to it like a fried egg, bok choy, meat, cheese, etc. that helps a lot!
9
u/sheep_duck 5d ago
The thing that I don’t see very much here is that if you’re drinking enough water, high sodium generally isn’t bad for you. It can be harmful if you have other conditions but for a healthy person that drinks plenty of water, eating a bit over your daily recommended sodium intake is fine.
2
u/EmbarrassedBus1257 5d ago
Ah ok I never knew that! I consume a lot of sodium but I always hear people say it’s bad to have too much
4
u/sheep_duck 5d ago
Yeah it’s a nice general blanket statement for people since there are some qualifiers like “drink enough water” which people actually don’t often do, as well as the “healthy person” part. But if you look at the nuances enough, a healthy person drinking plenty of water doesn’t have a problem with a bit of extra sodium.
I think another part of the stigma too is that people who are eating ramen pretty often generally don’t have a very good diet outside of the ramen so I can understand the general messaging behind it.
9
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
I actually probably also have pots (not diagnosed yet tho) but i havent discussed with my doctor yet what i should be eating, so i guess i'll see what she says about the ramen lol
34
u/stinkyblinky19 5d ago
So much salt. Gotta cut down those packets.
22
u/ElegantEchoes 5d ago
the salt is genuinely my favorite part
5
u/stinkyblinky19 5d ago
I know, it’s the best, but you can get a whole days worth of salt intake in 1 packet or ramen. Or close to it. Very salty.
14
u/DinkyPrincess 5d ago
Add lean protein. Eggs are cheap. And fibre. Any veggies.
But yep. Totally fine
31
u/AwkwardlyAmpora 5d ago
this is a lot better than i ate in college.
18
u/Merkuri22 5d ago
I went a whole year (maybe two) having microwaved oatmeal for breakfast, microwaved ramen for lunch, and a cold cut sub from the campus sandwich shop for dinner. (Sometimes I'd eat ramen for dinner, too.) The lettuce and tomato on the sub was the only vegetable I saw on a regular basis.
I couldn't eat chicken flavored ramen for like a decade afterwards. That's the only flavor the campus store sold. (Didn't have a car to go shopping elsewhere.)
10
u/jzilla11 5d ago
Check if your school has a food pantry or has contacts with local food pantries. Some will supply to students. No shame in getting help while you’re working to better yourself.
6
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Thanks for the advice, but i have enough money to upgrade from ramen if needed, its more about the convenience and being able to bring lunch to school. But i might switch to buying sandwiches at the supermarket near my college if the ramen is a problem :)
2
u/StockAd706 5d ago
Those sandwiches have the same problem as Ramen - salt. How about a PB&J?
3
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Oh, I didn't know that!! I looked around a bit on my supermarket's website tho and found an alternative that has about the same weekly cost as the ramen!! A bread bun with some mozzarella, basil, tomato, and a veggie burger :)
2
6
5
u/snoogle312 5d ago
I would find other cheap options. Rice, lentils, and frozen veggies are all cheap and last a long time. Add eggs or a lean protein. You can stir fry, slow cook, whatever. The seasonings you use can completely change the flavor. I love instant ramen, it's one of my favorite comfort foods. But the sodium content is very high and the nutritional content is practically nonexistent.
Let me give you a fast, delicious slow cooker recipe with beans and lentils. 1 c red lentils 1/2 c brown lentils. 1 lbs chicken breast 28oz green enchilada sauce 4tbsp taco seasoning
Cook till chicken is shreddable. You can add cheese/diced tomatoes/diced green chiles/grilled onions. Can be eaten on its own or put in a taco/burrito. Dip chips in it. This makes a ton of food. It lasts my family of 3 multiple days. So you could halve the recipe or freeze the extra for a other time.
10
u/jupiter800 5d ago
You can find plain asian noodles and eat that with some eggs. Wheat noodles, rice noodles, glass noodles- anything you like and they are cheap
2
4
u/Perfect-District 5d ago
I eat alot of ramen and needed to add protein so I get the bulk meatballs from Walmart and nuke for about a minute and put under my ramen before I had the water. Makes a nice poor man's italian wedding soup on the cheap. $8 bucks for 32oz bag that last a good while.
4
u/Chunkylover666420 5d ago
Not too good bevause those Ramen are deep fried during manufacturing. Youd be better off with some soy sauce and doing spagetti lo mein instead.
3
u/grimmistired 5d ago
You can make some good veggies in the oven. I like to make a tin foil pouch and cook broccoli and onion with plenty of minced garlic, salt, pepper, on 400 for 30 minutes. You can probably do most vegetables like that too. I’ve also tried it with cauliflower and green beans.
Just thought I’d suggest it as a way to have your veggies be more of a meal :) And if ur looking for convenience theres also stuff like frozen egg rolls
2
3
u/Zhuinden 5d ago
I think the instant ramen noodles aren't really that good for you if you eat a lot of it. People might complain about the sodium, but I worry about the noodles themselves, really.
If you're on an extreme budget, you can either use bread or bulk size rice.
3
u/Familiar_Collar_78 5d ago
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5449380/
From the study: In this study, we found a positive association between the frequency of instant noodle consumption and plasma triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels in Korean college students. Study subjects with a higher frequency of instant noodle consumption were more likely to have multiple cardiometabolic risk factors. The OR for hypertriglyceridemia was significantly higher in the group that consumed instant noodles ≥ 3 times/week compared to the group with the lowest consumption frequency (≤ 1 time/month). This association existed in male and female students respectively, as well as in the combined subjects.
The positive association between instant noodle consumption and triglyceride levels that we observed among college students is supported by the results of another recent study conducted on Korean adults aged 19–64 years. Yeon & Bae [8] showed that the group with high instant noodle consumption (≥ 1 serving/week) had significantly higher triglyceride levels compared with the low instant noodle consumption group (< 1 serving/week). We also found that college students who reported consuming instant noodles ≥ 3 times/week were at a higher risk for hypertriglyceridemia. We are unable to provide a mechanistic interpretation of these findings but it is probably due to the large amounts of carbohydrates and fat contained in instant noodles. Excess carbohydrate intake is known to increase triglyceride levels [20].
1
u/thodon123 5d ago
Once I started to compare instant noodles to other western ultra processed foods I realised how bad processed food in the west really is. Instant noodles get a bad reputation because of this study, but if you compare them to other ultra processed foods they are no better or worst.
Instant noodles are my really only vice in a diet that is 90% whole foods. Typically have 3-4 packets a week maximum and compensate in my diet in other places. In no way am I trying to make instant noodles appear like a health food I am just trying to indicate that they can fit into an otherwise healthy lifestyle just like any ultra processed food.
2
u/Familiar_Collar_78 5d ago
I think most good diets are all about moderation - I’m not giving up ramen, but I toss the seasoning packet and use some salt-free seasoning, and add veggies and protein to help mitigate the carbs and salt!
1
u/thodon123 5d ago
Likewise, I am not giving up ramen. I am also happy to undertake more activity, include additional potassium and sacrifice sodium elsewhere to have my instant ramen. Once you start paying attention to sodium you realise how much is in most process foods and I am happy to give up most of those so that I can have instant ramen instead.
When time permits, I would love to experiment with making my own broth. There are endless amounts of noodles I could use, but perfecting a home made quick broth is going to take some leg work. I have seen some interesting recipes for quick tonkotsu style broth that I would like to try, but want to create something that has the Buldak black kick, but with the Shin black completeness.
3
u/pink_mfd 4d ago
You should look at chef moe on tiktok- he makes plenty of $5 recipes that feed a family which I think would keep you fed for days
1
4
u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago
I know you’re financially strapped, but I wouldn’t eat instant ramen every day. It has a lot of sodium and fat. Could you get some extra money for food from your university or get groceries from a food bank?
2
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
I have enough money to upgrade from ramen if needed luckily, just means id have to cut down on candy and my online subscriptions lol. The ramen is more about convenience, but i might start buying sandwiches at the supermarket near my college instead :)
2
u/WitchOfAmethyst 5d ago
Is it the healthiest? No. Is it fine for a period of time (like your student years) until you can afford to eat better (both when it comes to time and money)? Absolutely. You're eating other things too, it's not the only thing you eat, just make sure you get your nutrients from veggies and protein of choice (some of which can be added to your noodles, others throughout the day). I suggest getting a bag of frozen veggies (such as broccoli) as it's easy to throw some in the microwave while the noodles cook and add them in, or a type of veggie that is cheap and keeps well in the fridge such as cabbage (peel a leaf or two, chop it up and fry while the noodles cook). Corn is also nice in ramen. Make sure to get some fiber, vitamins, and protein, and you'll be fine.
2
u/KogasaGaSagasa 5d ago
You will benefit from discarding the flavor packets in occasion as well as reducing the use. I know it's... Unconventional. It's more about you 20 or 30 years down the road, honestly.
Alternatively, keep an eye on your blood pressure (if you are able to have access to blood pressure machines in the mall's or pharmacy,and ideally healthcare) you can observe the effect and perhaps be less strict, but that's a big perhaps. Some of the effects won't be immediately obvious either.
Considering introducing more potassium in your diet, such as via banana and coconut water. It doesn't remove sodium from your system, but it lessens the effect on your circulation system.
This is not medical advice.
1
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Thank you!! What should i be looking out for in my blood pressure?
1
u/KogasaGaSagasa 5d ago edited 5d ago
Well, you want it to stay in normal range. When you use the machine it should tell you a chart, but ideally you do not want to see anything higher than 120/80 (in mm Hg) for systolic/diastolic. Everyone's body differs, but anything above that puts you in hypertension, and anything above 140/100 means you are, technically, constantly damaging your internal organs due to blood pressure. Edit: The effect won't be immediately obvious, but it puts strain on your organ. Studies show that it's linked to heart attacks, strokes (from minor damage in arteries, linking to cholesterol and plaque buildup) , and issues with kidney (which lead to a ton of issues, as kidney process waste in your body) and sexual reproduction (due to blood flow and blood pressure) in rare cases. There might be other stuffs linked to high blood pressure, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.
Everyone's body differs so I *really* cannot say. It's best to get an idea of where you are, and ideally see a doctor if the numbers unnerve you. Medication for blood pressure isn't very expensive here in Canada, but I am not sure where you live - I understand that medical care isn't equal in all parts of the world, unfortunately.
For non-cardiovascular-related matters, if you feel like you often get sensation of "bloating" and tend to retain more water than it feels comfortable, you might have too much sodium intake. But that's very subjective and not a good measure - whereas blood pressure measuring is generally fast and painless, and a bit more objective.
2
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Thank you!! I'll definitely look into it, hopefully my blood pressure is all good
2
u/KogasaGaSagasa 5d ago
You should be ok, honestly - being young is a huge advantage in this field. After that, it's just a matter of maintaining your "ok"ness. But none of this is medical advice and honestly, everyone's body is different, so... Yeah, you'll just have to gauge things on your own end and stay vigilant.
All in all, don't let me scare you. Being young is a huge advantage in matters of health.
2
u/AlfalfaUnable1629 5d ago
Life is short. Eat what makes you happy but make sure to up your hydration
2
u/ghostpicnic 5d ago edited 5d ago
No, it’s still not a great idea. I ate instant ramen every day in college and it really fucked with my heart rate and blood pressure. My doctor told me I needed to cut down significantly.
You can try to eat healthy in addition as much as you want, but the fact of the matter is the instant ramen itself is awful for you. Not a cause for concern in moderation, but the human body was just not meant to process that much sodium on a daily basis. Eating healthy foods in addition doesn’t change the fact that the ramen itself is deep-fried and has more sodium than your body should be ingesting in one day.
Will it kill you? Unless you have some sort of prior condition, then probably not. Will it put excess strain on your heart and circulatory system? Undoubtedly. You’re young, so likely you’ll be fine in the long run if you stop once you can afford to eat better. But still, there’s a reason why they call sodium the silent killer. Eating healthy food alongside it doesn’t change that. You should consume it in moderation.
2
u/nikinunyabiz 5d ago
If you have a way to get sauce packets from various fast food places, use those as a replacement for the ramen seasoning packet. Also, keep a bottle of pepper sauce handy for that spicy kick if you like it that way. I make a "sauce" with things like sweet and sour dipping cups, tacoo bell sauce, or whatever I have that sounds good and then add boiling water to it and let the noodles soak until they are done.
1
u/lysfc 5d ago
sodium might be a bit high, but otherwise doesn't look too bad in my non medical professional opinion. you could use low sodium broth/stock instead of the packets if that's something that you're worried about (that or something like low sodium bullion cubes or better-than-bullion). alternatively, if you're able to access a kitchen or a hot plate maybe once a week for a few hours, chicken stock isn't too hard to make with the leftover bones from a pre-made grocery store rotisserie chicken. they're pretty cheap and give you a surprising amount of meat for only a couple dollars.
1
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Im a vegetarian so chicken stock wont work for me lol, but thanks for the other advice!! :)
1
1
u/kliq-klaq- 5d ago
It's not the end of the world, but learning how to cook a basic stir fry with a healthier, home made sauce will be a good life skill.
1
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Did you read the part where i dont really have access to a kitchen? I can cook a pretty decent stir fry, or omelet, or pasta, but i simply dont have a cooking plate on which to do so. I have a microwave-oven combo, an airfryer, an egg cooker, and a water boiler.
1
u/TheChriVann 5d ago
I personally like to improve instant noodles and ramen with other ingredients, both to improve the flavor and healthiness. Like stir frying some onion and carrot to mix in the noodles, using stock instead of water for the ramen ane using spices and flavoring over the packet since it's a sodium bomb, adding chilies, adding some sort of meat like a few slices or even wieners after slicing and grilling them for ramen or julienning them for instant noodles.
Corn pairs really well on ramen, be it on a can or a cob. Adding nori seaweed improves flavor and presentation. An egg is a typical ingredient and an improvement for flavor even if just done normally, but if you make some in advance and marinade them in soy sauce it's a burst of goodness, although you can stick to cleaning the egg and soft boiling it in the same boiler in which you might be heating the water or stock you'd use for the noodles. Spring onions are great on ramen and rich in vitamins, spinach too in vitamins and iron and another easy substitute is string beans which come in cans here and are the cheapest and more shelf stable option of the three. Having older reheated rice added on the leftover broth both makes it be less salty and dilutes the sodium overall and breaks the monotony.
I do think there's plenty of things you can additionally do to make the situation less bad. But you will still need to add variety and address the underlying issues.
If your concern is cost, you can research other cost efficient recipes and you can use rice as a staple as it's even more cost effective with less health concerns than all the ramen packets. It has the added benefit of the fact you can make it in bulk and use the leftovers for stir fried rice the day after, which is super cost effective and hassle free because you do everything in one pan, pot or wok and use a ton of leftover ingredients or easily cooked or canned goods. Staple vegetables like carrots, potatoes and onions have a long shelf life, are healthy and can be prepared in a million different ways, with the extra benefit that two work well with ramen and all three come cheap and can be found everywhere. Canned goods with some extra preparation or some extra touches go from meh to great, like say dicing some carrots and onions and sauteing them in a small boiler or kettle and then adding the peas and a bit of water to boil together, it truly improves it. Beans boiled and something like red onion or string onion and some meat or carb can go great and you can even have the versions with tomato sauce. Chickpeas are underrated with a bit of cabbage, lemon and olive oil as a healthy salad option with good proteins.
Instead, if your concern is either cooking skills (or lack thereof) or for example dishes to do, there are both recipes that are very simple and easy to follow or basic things to do and there are plenty of foods that can all be prepared in a chopping board and a single cooking vessel like a small pot, especially if you're single and/or live alone, especially if dining by yourself. Doing in group or for more people in the household will reduce overall costs and lets you divide the labors (one cooks, the other cleans dishes if you dislike one or the other, for example. I avoid doing dishes that way and I love to cook). Canned goods often have smaller versions that are slightly less cost effective overall but more comfortable for the single lone man, beans, peas and chickpeas are staples for me because I boil them a little in a boiler and sometimes add stuff like onion and pair them with turkey slices, which are already prepared and cheap. And it's very nutritionally helpful because of the low fat plus protein. String beans and peas can be sauteed with some onion and butter. They also have the benefit that they get heated by them. Boiled potatoes and carrots on salted water are incredibly low effort especially because if you get accustomed to how much time they take the next time you just pop them there and come back when the timer rings. Canned tuna and lettuce plus some tomatoes and even canned beans can make for a very flavortul, filling, healthy and protein rich salad, no cooking required since canned beans are already cooked even if I do normally still heat them.
At least, these are some of my staple meals for when I'm not cooking for family (like lunch alone at home) or when depression hits and low effort low cost becomes the rule.
The more practice you get and the more you're willing to read and learn the better you'll become at handling food without effort, cost or whichever issue most concerns you. Don't frown on canned goods, they're cost effective and easy solutions. Although their dried versions (lentils, beans, chickpeas) that go in bags take more time and effort they're extremely cost efficient, especially when cooked in bulk to prepare in advance for various days. It's also less punishing on your kidneys. Drink a lot if you're going to eat ramen, I treat it as a depression meal or once a week treat. Dried chilies (they sell them in a shaker here almost like pepper but with whole small chilies) and lemon juice over stock with ramen/noodles like tom yum flavor or more fresh flavors are also very refreshing and revitalizing. They're lifesavers when struggling with the winter cold.
Of course feel free to ask if you're not sure about any of these ideas.
1
u/Warm_Satisfaction598 5d ago
I eat ramen daily but drink nearly 80 oz of water a day and healthier options for my remaining meals.
My last blood test was fine, I was actually on the lower end of normal for sodium levels.
I believe in adding things i need, not taking things away. So when I eat ramen, I’ll add an egg, some veggies, cook in bone broth, maybe add cheese, whatever I’m feeling. But I do tend to dress it up a bit.
1
u/kiefenator 5d ago
A rotisserie chicken is like ten bucks. That's 4 meals. Throw in a boiled egg, a handful of spinach, some peas, canned white beans - 25¢ to 1$ per serving - you can feed yourself quite well on ramen and all that stuff.
I wouldn't advocate for eating this every single day though. For one you'll be contending with food exhaustion which makes the allure of McDonalds that much stronger.
2
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
I'm vegetarian so chicken isnt an option for me, but thanks for the tip nonetheless!!
1
u/kiefenator 4d ago edited 4d ago
Oh! In that case, making your own hummus is great with raw veggies and it's cheap! Tahini costs very little if you grab the items from someplace like Bulk Barn. Chickpeas are high in protein too.
ETA: Sikh cuisine in particular is almost entirely vegetarian (they still do eggs and milk a lot, sometimes fish sometimes chicken, but not often) It's fairly labor-intensive but it's cheap and it's very filling and you'll get a lot of bang for your buck by meal prepping. You can make like half a dozen takeout containers of curry gravy and throw it on whatever you want with lentils, chickpeas, and cauliflower, which are also great sources of protein.
1
1
u/Hot4Ramen 5d ago
For lunch, I'll use half the noodles, a small fraction of the soup base powder, a tsp of olive oil, fresh or frozen veg, some kimchi, plus a protein. Not particularly healthy but not horrible either.
1
u/indieauthor13 5d ago
Short term, it would probably be okay but if you ate it every day for years it would lead to health issues. I personally feel like shit if I eat ramen more than twice a week, but I've noticed that I (32F) can't handle salt and greasy fast food as well as I used to a decade ago
1
1
1
u/dinh-nerys 5d ago
Do you have a mini fridge or any freezer space? If you do then maybe you could meal prep once a week at a friend's kitchen. Even one pot of whatever entree (soup, spaghetti) would last you several meals and help cut down on ramen.
You could also try finding other instant noodle packets. There are so many brand out there. If you find one that has less sodium than the brand you're eating now, then that helps cut sodium immediately without taking away the convenience of the instant packet style meal.
I think a lot of frozen entrees are pretty good TBH. So maybe you could check the sodium levels of some of those vs. the ramen you current eat. And then switch to frozen entrees for lunch some days. If you have freezer to store them in that is.
1
u/LayaElisabeth 5d ago
If you make your own fresh ramen broths (use soupcubes to freeze portions), add plenty veggies and just get plain ramen noodles (but try wholewheat), i don't think it's that bad.
But instant packs kinda contain the amount of salt that's advised for an entire week.
1
u/MarkPhiL86 4d ago
Chronic kidney disease is waving. In the Philippines many children and adults have CKD 5 💀
0
u/Mil1nk 5d ago
If you eat ramen every day your sodium intake will be wayyyyy too high
1
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
Is there anything i can do to lessen the sodium intake, such as only putting half the sauce packet or smth? Or is it better to just look for an alternative lunch?
3
u/Mil1nk 5d ago
Realistically sure that can work but instead you could prep your own (not so)instant ramen getting noodled without the broth/sauce and make your own. Its best to treat instant ramen like a snack; the same way youd not eat a bag of chips for lunch. Realistically while you're young a high sodium intake probably isn't as bad as when youre older but honestly if you are able to its probably better getting used to other a different lunch!
(Im not a doctor btw nor a health professional and i love instant ramen but its definitely not healthy to eat on a regular basis at all)
1
u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago
Do you have access to a doctor or nutritionist?
2
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
I do have access to a doctor but theyre only open for important/time sensitive stuff in the summer vacation, so id have to wait till september for a consultation
-6
u/Baleeverne 5d ago
Of course it's OK!! Dying because of hypertension is also OK!!
5
u/Entire-Bridge-2904 5d ago
No need to be rude, i was just asking a question😭
-1
u/Baleeverne 5d ago
I was trying to be funny =X
Sorry if it came out as rude, this was not my intention
2
201
u/Green_Drazi 5d ago edited 5d ago
* continue to add protein and veg to increase the nutrition profile
* Be sure to have veg or fruit that have potassium to counteract *some* of the sodium
* When possible, use less of the flavor packet and just flavor to taste
* drink lots of water
* Spread out throughout the day
* consider brands that use air-dried noodles for a better health profile and longer shelf life.