Most people know that eating too much instant noodles is not good for health. But recently, a study in Korea proved how unhealthy eating a lot of instant noodles is.
A study of more than 10,700 people in South Korea found that eating a lot of instant noodles increases the risk of heart disease, especially for women, according to Popsugar.
All the study participants were between the ages of 19 and 64. Korea is considered to be the country that consumes the most instant noodles in the world.
The results, published in the Journal of Nutrition, also show that women who eat a lot of instant noodles are also more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome. This is a condition in which the body has many risk factors at the same time, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and unstable blood sugar. All of which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
However, research shows that these harmful effects mainly appear in women, not men. “Women who ate instant noodles at least twice a week showed a 68% higher risk of metabolic syndrome,” the study wrote.
High sodium content in instant noodles is not good for health is known for a long time. But the main culprit of harm is noodles. In another Harvard University study (USA), scientists discovered disturbing results after testing the digestion of instant noodles.
The author of the study is Dr. Braden Kuo. He used a micro camera to observe the decay of instant noodles in the stomach. Dr. Braden Kuo found it difficult for the human body to digest a food full of preservatives like instant noodles, according to Popsugar.
Preservative, also known as TBHQ (t-butylated hydroxy quinone), is a fat-soluble antioxidant. They help prolong the shelf life of food and make it harder to digest than usual. Many foods today use preservatives.
However, this does not mean that we absolutely should not eat instant noodles. “Eating once or twice a month is okay, but eating a few times a week is not good,” Professor Frank Hu, an epidemiologist at Harvard University, told the New York Times.
