[HEALTH AND WEALTH] 15 Reasons Instant Noodles could be killing you slowly.

The appeal of instant noodles lies in the name. Instant - meaning no-stress, hassle-free food. No time to prepare yourself lunch? Just take some instant noodles along to the workplace, add some water, heat them up, and voila! Lunch is served. Plus, they're cheap, so if you're a broke college student, they're a great instant option for you. Except instant noodles might actually be killing you. They have a ton of deadly ingredients that are pretty bad for the body. Read on to find out more about how they're harmful for you and your loved ones.

They're packed with preservatives

You know how you don't have to refrigerate instant noodles or anything because of their long shelf life? Well, that shelf life is a result of instant noodles being packed with preservatives like tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), a petroleum byproduct that make the noodles stay fresh. Even though TBHQ is only part of the ingredient used for this, the more you eat this product, the more your intake increases.

Metabolic syndrome risk

Eating instant noodles two or more times a week can cause a higher risk of metabolic syndrome in women. This is associated with abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, and high blood sugar, and so increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

Contains high amounts of sodium

Never ignore what instant noodles can do to your body. Those high amounts of sodium are part of what makes noodles so tasty, but in those proportions, they can lead to kidney damage, heart disease, and other debilitating cases of crippling illnesses. 

Lacks substantive nutrients

Instant noodles don't have any important nutrients like proteins, vitamins or minerals. In fact, they absorb nutrients during digestion, so that any healthier foods you've consumed will also lose their efficacy. This makes instant noodles especially bad for children under five years of age.

Makes exercise less effective too

Even if you leave an active and fit lifestyle, constant consumption of instant noodls will actively undermine this. If you eat instant noodles more than two to three times a week, it will prove counterintuitive to your attempt to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Higher chance of miscarriage

If you're pregnant, don't consume instant noodles at all. These ingredients can harm the developing fetus, leading to a higher risk of miscarriage. Instead, eat wholesome meals such as kale salad with dried fruit and ratatouille with baked eggs.

Instant noodles are nothing but carbs

Instant noodles have no nutritional value. Apart from sodium, the only nutrient they have in high quantities is carbohydrates, since the product is made from refined and bleached wheat flour. This makes them a highly processed staple that does nothing to help the body except fill it up.

They contribute to obesity

Instant noodles are packed with sugar, salt, syrup, edible vegetable oil, and flavoring. These ingredients are common in other junk foods that lead to weight gain and obesity. For those who are conscious about their size, instant noodles will only serve to make you bigger.

The Bisphenol A (BPA) in the containers is toxic

The styrofoam containers which the noodles come in are made from Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic synthetic that has been found to have health effects like prostate and breast cancer, developmental problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 

It can contribute to hair loss

It is not clear what exact chemical in instant noodles is the culprit but hair loss is also thought to be a consequence of eating instant noodles a lot. A study on Japanese men links consumption of the noodles with baldness. 

It contains MSG

Monosodium Glutamate has been sold as a flavour enhancer. It can be found in just about everything like crackers, Chinese food, salad dressings, and canned soups. Many people are actually allergic to MSG with symptoms varying from headaches, flushing face, and indigestion. Research suggests it may be linked to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Lou Gehrig's disease.

It can cause bloating

Bloating is a common side effect from eating too much instant noodles during the week. It is when the stomach protrudes more than what it normally does, not helping with your body image at all. This might be one reason why your waist length has suddenly increased.

The digestion of instant noodles vs. homemade noodles

A tiny camera closely followed the instant noodles during digestion in the stomach. Within two hours, the homemade noodles are broken down in the digestive system. That is when they start to show their harmful effects to your body.

The reason instant noodles have such a consistent shape and color

Food should readily break down by our digestive enzyme. But the shape and color of all instant noodles is more or less the same, which means our digestive tract has to work harder to break the noodles down. Researchers believe this is due in part to the presence of TBHQ.

It contains propylene glycol

Propylene glycol is a synthetic compound usually found in shampoos and conditioners. It also happens to be found in instant noodles. The body absorbs propylene glycol when digested, weakening the immune system and damaging the liver, kidneys, and heart in the process.