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PrickleyPete
Joined: 25 Aug 2009
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 Posted: May 06, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject: are plain ramen noodles really that bad for you? |
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Ramen noodles are super cheap but I'm pretty sure they are terrible for you. I haven't had them in years but I am now exploring very cheap ways to eat.
I would only use half or 1/4 of the seasoning packet and I would also add vegetables. So is this a magic cheap meal or is this going to be terrible for me and I'd be better off sticking to either rice and beans and real pasta with veggies?
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Morgan
Joined: 09 Apr 2004
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| Posted: May 06, 2011 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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Well, ramen is bad for you because there's tons of sodium and like no nutritional value. So I guess if you aren't using all the seasoning and are adding veggies, it's not as bad. If the alternatives are white rice and white pasta, they're probably equally bad. Brown rice or whole wheat pasta would of course be better. Protein instead of carbs would be even better, and would maybe end up costing less in the long run since you would stay fuller longer, so how about investing in dried beans as a base for veggies?
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midnightsky1686
Joined: 06 Nov 2004
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PurpleDoor
Joined: 07 Apr 2004
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| Posted: May 06, 2011 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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Ramen is also super high in not especially good-for-you varieties of fat, if I recall correctly. I would consider it debatable whether or not it is actually on par with white rice/pasta. How often are you thinking of eating it? Occasionally having ramen is not going to kill you but it is not a food I would want to be eating on a regular basis. I mostly use it as a quick/energy dense backpacking meal.
I will second the suggestion of using dried beans as a base for vegetables rather than ramen. They are better for you and much more filling. And although they are probably more expensive than ramen, they are still pretty cheap. Even the priciest dried beans in my area are less than $2/lb, a total bargain. |
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midnightsky1686
Joined: 06 Nov 2004
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| Posted: May 06, 2011 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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(ok, still thinking about this)
I think bulk pasta or couscous would be cheaper than ramen, ounce per ounce. Thin pastas you can also cook the same way (pour hot water over or dump in boiling water and remove from stove until done) as ramen.
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snoopy
Joined: 07 Apr 2004
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Location: SF
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| Posted: May 06, 2011 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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I can't remember the source, but I remember reading several years ago that ramen is pretty terrible for you, not just the flavor packets but the noodles themselves (bad fats, too much sodium...).
That said, I love me some ramen. So good. I like to add veggies and an egg to them.
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meexie
Joined: 08 Apr 2004
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| Posted: May 07, 2011 7:58 am Post subject: |
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The noodles are par-cooked by deep frying, so there's more fat in them than you might want.
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PrickleyPete
Joined: 25 Aug 2009
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| Posted: May 07, 2011 10:56 am Post subject: |
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Ok wow, I will totally not buy ramen. I just figured since it's like .25 per pack it would be good food for when you're budgeting severely.
Let me stick to dried beans, seems much better! |
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PurpleDoor
Joined: 07 Apr 2004
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Location: California
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| Posted: May 09, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| midnightsky1686 wrote: |
(ok, still thinking about this)
I think bulk pasta or couscous would be cheaper than ramen, ounce per ounce. Thin pastas you can also cook the same way (pour hot water over or dump in boiling water and remove from stove until done) as ramen. |
I know around here it's pretty common to find 1lb packs of plain pasta for $1 (they're usually technically more expensive, but go on sale pretty regularly). Calorically, 1 lb of pasta is, I believe ~1600 calories. 1 package of ramen is ~400. So, if you get pasta for $1/lb and ramen for $0.25/package, the price per calorie at least is the same. I think dried beans are usually a little more expensive per calorie, although it obviously varies from bean to bean. Around here, split peas are generally the best value option, they are typically on special at at least one of the local grocery stores for 70 cents per 1 lb bag.
On the topic of cheap staple foods, another place to look for cheap dried beans is hispanic grocery stores, if you live near one (they sometimes have cheap produce too!). |
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sporadicus
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
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| Posted: May 09, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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Inspired by this thread, I totally made myself a packet of ramen noodles last night because, like snoopy, I really really really love them even though I know how bad they are. I hadn't had ramen in maybe 3 years, though, so I'm pretty sure it's OK -- and I added a bunch of fresh snap peas from my mom's friend's garden and an egg. Yum yum yum.
But, like I always do when I eat ramen, I burned my mouth with the boiling hot water because I couldn't wait for them to cool. So, you know, there's that hidden danger in ramen noodles too.
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meexie
Joined: 08 Apr 2004
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| Posted: May 09, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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Chef Chen Kenichi has a recipe for giving packaged ramen more oomph and making it into spicy and sour ramen - prepare the ramen according to the package, put a little vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, and toasted sesame oil into the serving bowl, pour the prepared ramen into the bowl, top with a big handful of chopped green onion and grind a lot of black pepper over it. It's pretty good. I make a healthier version with dried noodles (that aren't from a ramen package), homemade broth, and at least 2 cups of chopped veggies. I don't think it takes much more time than making packaged ramen, and it's tastier.
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greenbean
Joined: 26 Jun 2004
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Location: Saskatchewan
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| Posted: May 09, 2011 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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If you want to make your ramen MORE unhealthy, you can stir a slice or two of processed cheese into it once it's cooked. It is horrible and glorious. Yummm.
You can also get ramen-like instant noodle packets that are rice noodles instead of fried wheat ones - I think those are healthier, though the seasoning still has MSG and whatnot in it. I like to drop an egg and some veggies in.
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sporadicus
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
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| Posted: May 10, 2011 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| meexie wrote: |
| Chef Chen Kenichi has a recipe for giving packaged ramen more oomph and making it into spicy and sour ramen - prepare the ramen according to the package, put a little vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, and toasted sesame oil into the serving bowl, pour the prepared ramen into the bowl, top with a big handful of chopped green onion and grind a lot of black pepper over it. It's pretty good. I make a healthier version with dried noodles (that aren't from a ramen package), homemade broth, and at least 2 cups of chopped veggies. I don't think it takes much more time than making packaged ramen, and it's tastier. |
This sounds sooooo good. I am totally doing this. But with non-ramen noodles.
Hopefully this time I won't burn my tongue.
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kitchen
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 1301
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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| Posted: May 10, 2011 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| meexie wrote: |
| Chef Chen Kenichi has a recipe for giving packaged ramen more oomph and making it into spicy and sour ramen - prepare the ramen according to the package, put a little vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, and toasted sesame oil into the serving bowl, pour the prepared ramen into the bowl, top with a big handful of chopped green onion and grind a lot of black pepper over it. It's pretty good. I make a healthier version with dried noodles (that aren't from a ramen package), homemade broth, and at least 2 cups of chopped veggies. I don't think it takes much more time than making packaged ramen, and it's tastier. |
holy i am so making this for dinner tomorrow.
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daysleeper
Joined: 07 Apr 2004
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| Posted: May 10, 2011 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| greenbean wrote: |
| If you want to make your ramen MORE unhealthy, you can stir a slice or two of processed cheese into it once it's cooked. It is horrible and glorious. Yummm. |
Oh Greenbean! In my pre-diet, pre-nutritional awareness days this was one of my favorite meals. Ahh, the memories. It sounds so bad, but it is so so good.
Overall, yes, Ramen isn't a good regular food option. If you buy the biggest bag of brown rice you can find, then cook and freeze some reasonable portions you'll be much better for it.
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