Instant ramen noodles have been around for decades.  I loved them as a young adult until I learned the truth about them.  For people on a budget, or needing a quick fix meal, they appear to be the perfect go-to food.

Many years ago when I was working in a vitamin store in Hollywood, one of my regular customers, a middle-aged woman, came in swollen up like a balloon.  She was in a panic. I asked her what she had been eating and she said several packages of ramen noodles.  I explained to her that instant ramen noodles were very high in MSG and that is what probably caused her edema.  I told her to eat nothing but fruits and vegetables for 48 hours and  it would go away.  Sure enough, she came back in a few days later very grateful for my advice.  She was back down to her normal size and promised she would never eat them again.

My customer was obviously very sensitive to MSG.  But what about all the people who aren’t and continue to eat them because they don’t have an obvious reaction?

Why Ramen Noodles Are So Filling

Ramen noodles aren’t just inexpensive, they taste pretty good and are filling.  More filling in fact, than wholesome grain noodles. Now, why is that?

Ramen noodles sit in your stomach and remain undigested even 2 hours later.

Dr. Braden Kuo of Massachusetts General Hospital did an experiment with these noodles. He put a camera in the stomach of someone that ate some to see what happened.  Here is a 2 minute video of his experiment.

Ramen noodles are full of processed ingredients and chemicals.  Besides the very toxic MSG, which can trigger brain damage, learning disabilities and many more problems, these instant soups contain a preservative that can kill you if you ingest just 5 grams

This ingredient is called tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ).  This preservative extends the shell life of food by preventing the oxidation of fats and oils.  It is a by-product of the petroleum industry and is found in many processed foods, as well as pesticides, cosmetics, varnishes and perfumes.

Just one gram of TBHQ can cause nausea & vomiting, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), delirium and collapse.

TBHQ does not accumulate in the body but eating soups or other foods that contain it on a regular basis can be very dangerous.

There is no shortcut to health.  Don’t eat processed and packaged food. They can cause you harm.

To your Health!

Peter Gillham