Instant Noodle is Harmful for Our Health

     Instant noodle is a food which is highly favoured by many people. Instant noodle is chosen as a favourite food by many people because it’s delicious but cheap and it’s quick and easy to cook. Moreover, we can find instant noodle easily, both in small shop or in supermarket. Nowadays, people consume instant noodle more and more. For example, a family nowadays consumes instant noodle for breakfast or lunch or dinner every day. Even, sometimes people consumes instant noodle more than once in a day. Although it’s cheap, delicious, quick and easy to cook, instant noodle as an industrial fast food products contains a lot of chemical and additive ingredients, such as preservatives and dye which is harmful for our health because those substances will be accumulated and poisoned our body. Consuming instant noodle should be avoided or even stopped because it contains some dangerous chemical additive that is not healthy for our bodies and it’s considered as junk food.

     It has been argued that people nowadays consume more instant noodles. As we know, people nowadays are busy and then they don’t have enough time to cook a healthy meal. Instant noodle is the solution for them because it only needs less than five minutes to cook instant noodle. In addition, instant noodle is delicious because the seasoning contains a lot of MSG. Instant noodle also effectively make us full because it’s consist of a lot of carbohydrates. “Most instant noodles have gone through the process of fortification, which is the process of adding micronutrients to the product. These micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, niacin, vitamins and minerals such as calcium” (Ayu : 2011). So, no wonder if people choose instant noodle as their daily food. It’s not only contain carbohydrates but also micronutrients.

     However, instant noodle contains some dangerous chemical additive that is not healthy for our bodies. Chemical and additive ingredients that most harmful in instant noodle are Propylene glycol, Monosodium glutamate or MSG, and Sodium. Family Health Article said:” Instant noodles contain propylene glycol, anti-freeze ingredient that prevents the noodles from drying by retaining moisture. The body can absorb it easily and it can accumulate in heart, liver and kidneys. This will cause damage and abnormalities in organs, and also weaken the immune system.” Furthermore, MSG or Monosodium glutamate as flavouring agent that makes the instant noodle tasty and delicious, also isn’t good for our health. MedicoPk said that consumption of glutamate can interfere with the normal functioning of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Then, according to Family Health Article, instant noodle contains a lot of sodium and eating too much sodium can lead to hypertension, heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. Besides that, instant noodles are a major cause of obesity. Avoid too often eat instant noodles as they contain a lot of fat and sodium which causes water retention in the body. In addition, Consumers Association of Penang said that some of the chemicals found in instant noodles are also capable of causing cancer, such as dioxin and plasticisers leached from the containers in the presence of hot water.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 30 percent of all cancers could be prevented through simple measures such as adopting a healthy diet. Stop eating instant noodle is the best way, considering that instant noodle is a food which is highly favoured by many people. Further, although instant noodle contains micronutrients such as mentioned above, it still doesn’t fulfil the nutrition that our body needs.

     It has been explained that the instant noodle contains ingredients that are harmful for our body. However, if it’s balanced with fibrous foods, of course it will reduce that risk. If you see an ad on television, the best way of eating instant noodle is by adding a menu derived from animal-based materials and fibrous vegetables. Ads of instant noodle on the television shows the habit of eating instant noodle with additional menus such as chicken, fish, eggs, kale, carrots, and peas. In every instant noodle packages also shows noodle with those menus. It’s not just to attract attention, but remind us to serve instant noodle such like that. As we know that the base animal material provides a protein, whereas fibrous vegetables provide vitamins. In addition, fibrous vegetables also contribute to neutralize the fat content.

     However, instant noodle is considered as junk food. Family Health Articles said that instant noodle is considered as junk food because it contains a lot of carbohydrates, but no vitamins, minerals or fibre. These foods also contain a lot of saturated fat and trans-fat. “Noodles are junk food with little nutrition value in spite of all the health claims” (Moneylife). Of course, all of instant products are junk food, included instant noodle. This argument is strengthened by Elaine Magee’s article which is posted in WebMD: “Most "junk food" falls into the categories of either "snack food" or "fast food."” One problem with junk foods is that they're low in satiation value – that is, people don't tend to feel as full when they eat them – which can lead to overeating. Another problem is that junk food tends to replace other, more nutritious foods. For example, instant noodle replaces rice because the both of them contain carbohydrates that give us energy and satiety. One thing that we have to know is carbohydrates that contained in instant noodle is different with carbohydrates that contained in rice. Rice has more complex carbohydrates which make us full for longer time. The other, instant noodle also contains a lot of calories such as another junk food. Junk is junk. So, we have to avoid it because it’s not healthy for our health.

     In conclusion, instant noodle is harmful for our health. We have to avoid or even stop consuming instant noodle. We shouldn’t eat it in a long term. Instant noodle couldn’t fulfil our nutritional needs although instant noodle claimed themselves that they contain micronutrients. Besides that, it’s recommended not to eat instant noodle because the chemical additive in instant noodle will be accumulated in our body and will poison our body, especially heart, liver and kidneys. Instant noodle is also the trigger of obesity and cancers. From now, please take a moment of your life to cook healthier foods that contain enough nutrients, rather than cooking industrial instant foods that contain lots of harmful chemical additive to our body such as instant noodle. Consuming fresh vegetables and fresh fruits are sounds great!

Work Cited:

“8 Reasons to Avoid Instant Noodles.” MedicoPk, We Share We Care, n.p, n.d. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://www.medicopk.com/2013/09/8-reasons-to-avoid-instant-noodles/>

“Alert, Instant Noodles Caused 10 Health Problems!” Family Health Articles, n.p, n.d. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://familyhealtharticles.blogspot.com/2013/06/alert-instant-noodles-caused-10-health.html>

Ayu, Prista.“Dampak Positif dan Negatif Mengonsumsi Mie Instant.” Everyday Sociology, 16 Feb 2011. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://pristality.com/2011/02/16/dampak-negatif-dan-positif-mengkonsumsi-mie-instant/>

“Efek Buruk Makan Mie Instant Setiap Hari.” Dokter Sehat, Portal Kesehatan Terbesar Indonesia, 3 Feb 2010, n.p. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://doktersehat.com/efek-buruk-makan-mie-instan-setiap-hari/>

Evo, Herizo.”5 Reasons For Not Eating Instant Noodles.” ArticlesofHealthCare.com, 10 June 2013. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://www.articlesofhealthcare.com/463/5-reasons-for-not-eating-instant-noodles/>

Magee, Elaine.”Are you junk-food junkie? Here’s what you need to know.” WebMD, n.d. Web. 28 Dec 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/junk-food-facts>

Princesskaurvaki.”Reasons to Not Eat Instant Noodles Often.” Bubblews, 19 June 2013. Web. 26 Dec 2013. <http://www.bubblews.com/news/684516-reasons-to-not-eat-instant-noodles-often>

“Shocking! All Instant Noodle Brands are Fooling You on Nutrition, Health.” Moneylife, n.p, n.d. Web. 27 Dec 2013. <http://www.moneylife.in/article/shocking-all-instant-noodle-brands-are-fooling-you-on-nutrition-health/29306.html>

“Stay Away from Instant Noodles to Keep Healthy.” Consumers Association of Penang, n.p, n.d. Web. 27 Dec 2013. <http://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/food/nutrition/132-stay-away-from-instant-noodles-to-keep-healthy>