Is it Dangerous?

People from walks of live like instant noodle. In other words, instant noodle has become “the people’s food”.

In addition to its delicacy, what makes instant noodle liked by many people? For me, there are three reasons why many people like instant noodle. First, the price is cheap. By paying only Rp 2,000, you can have 1 pack of instant noodle. Second, it is easy to be served. In my office, I sometimes cook instant noodle in a microwave. Just put the instant noodle in a bowl, add some water, and cook it in a microwave for about three minutes. One bowl of instant noodle is ready to be served. Third, it is very easy to get. You can buy instant noodle in almost every corner, from a very big shopping mall to a very small roadside shop. You can also buy it somewhere here in….

However, there is concern that instant noodle is dangerous for your health. The question is, is this concern justified? The answer is: not necessarily. Instant noodle has been approved by The National Agency of Drug and Food Control, popularly known as BPOM.  

According to dr. Muhammad Caesario, as written in Intisari Magazine, Instant noodle is not dangerous for your health as long as you pay attention to the followings. First, we must not consume it too often.  How often is too often? Once a week? Once a month? Twice a month? It is not easy to determine the frequency.  However, remember this basic principle: diversify your food. Don’t eat the same food everyday for a long time.   So, we must avoid eating instant noodle every day.

Second, we must pay attention on how to cook the instant noodle. Do you see the picture in this instant noodle pack? In this picture, the instant noodle is cooked together with meat, egg, and vegetable. According to dr, Muhammad Caesario, this picture actually contains a message, “If you want to eat instant noodle, please eat them together with other foods containing high protein and high fiber”.  Why? Because instant noodle comprises unbalanced nutrition. It contains very high carbohydrate and very low protein and fiber. One pack of instant noodle contains only 2-3 gr fiber and 7-9 gram protein. By adding vegetable, egg, and meat, the nutriktion would be more balanced.  However, we must never eat instant noodle together with rice. Why? Because it would double your calorie and carbohydrate intake, far exceeding our need. This could increase sugar in our blood, which indeed is not good for our health.

Before eating instant noodle, it is highly recommended to reduce the use of flavoring powder and seasoning oil. Why? Because they contain much MSG, salt, and fat. For example, fat consists of 15-18 gram, although this might be one brand to another.  Consuming them too much can be damaging to your health. It increases the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.

So, in conclusion, eating instant noodle is safe, as long as you do not eat it often and cook it right. By doing that, you can enjoy you instant noodle without being afraid of risking your health.