Who doesn’t have a craving for a college food favorite? I remember living on Ramen Noodles. It was quick, easy to make, and filling but unfortunately not very healthy.
Even after leaving college campus and living on my own; Ramen Noodles were pretty much a staple because it was inexpensive.
When I started my health journey, I began looking at ingredients on foods I purchases a little bit closer and decided that Ramen Noodles didn’t belong in my pantry.
The noodles weren’t the problem as much as the little seasoning package that came with it. The seasonings may be what makes Ramen Noodles tasteful, but there’s just a lot of sodium and MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), a flavor enhancer.
MSG alone is a good enough reason to NOT eat Ramen Noodles.
The package that I’m looking at right now in this photo is 2 oz. and the sodium content is 1050mg.
WOW, if you have high blood pressure, this is not what you want to be consuming.
Also MSG is a known excitotoxin. There have been studies that show MSG was found to cause brain lesions, obesity, and brain damage.
MGS side effects that can be deadly for some people and according to the Mayo Clinic, some reactions from eating MSG includes:
- Headache, sometimes called MSG headache
- Flushing
- Sweating
- Sense of facial pressure or tightness
- Numbness, tingling or burning in or around the mouth
- Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Weakness
By now you’re probably thinking of skipping the Asian isle all together the next time you visit your grocery store right? I did for years!
I wouldn’t recommend eating this on a regular base, but here is how to still enjoy the old school favorite with out all the dangerous side effects from MSG.
Ditch the seasoning pack and add your own; besides who wants over 1000 mg of sodium in just one meal?
How to make Ramen Noodles healthier:
1. Replace water with 2 cups of Organic Chicken broth (already flavored with sodium)
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic
3. Add a dash of pepper
4. cut up a few slices of onions
5. Add some chopped Cilantro
6. Throw in whatever vegetables you have left over in your fridge (red & yellow peppers seen in photo)
6. Either crack an egg (stir with fork) or add sliced chicken or wild shrimp (source of protein)
Enjoy occasional healthier Ramen Noodles without worrying about all the sodium and dangerous side effects of MSG.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks. I was feeling like I was trashing the part that was costing the money. After feeling horrible with all the symptoms you list from MSG. I did what you suggest in your recipe. I even made my own noodles but that isn’t practical all the time so this fits in when time is tight.
Thank you.
I completely understand. I grew up eating ramen noodles and it was hard to ditch that, but I do not miss it at all now that I’ve replaced it with healthier alternatives. There is sodium already in chicken broth and you can add other seasonings like garlic, pepper, chili red pepper etc and not get the MSG to go with it. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Thanks so much for this! My family and I all have some type of reaction to MSG, including breaking out in mouth sores. And we love Ramen. So nice to know another strategy for avoiding it!