<p>Who likes ramen?
Do you think its healthy?
What brands/flavors do you eat?</p>
<p>Nong Shim is amazing btw.</p>
<p>I hate ramen. I feel so salty after eating it.</p>
<p>Instant ramen is nothing compared to the [real</a>, fresh thing](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen]real”>Ramen - Wikipedia).</p>
<p>I like Ramen, but it is not healthy for you. It has a lot of preservatives and it is not good to eat it too often. My daughter will put some tofu, fresh veggie and maybe some shrimps in it, and it’s a filling meal for her. But I do tell her not to have it too often. She has switched to fresh noodles instead.</p>
<p>I go to the local Asian market and pick up a huge box of Dosirac/도시란 noodles for about $17. This is a box of 24 I think, but they’re so much better in every way than plain ole’ Ramen. </p>
<p>They do taste good, but I’m pretty sure all ramen is loaded up on MSGs and stuff.</p>
<p>EDIT: That Wiki link makes me hungry.</p>
<p>S is eating some as we speak. No, it is not healthy. Sigh …</p>
<p>vitacost sells an organic brand with all natural ingredients and much less sodium and fat. I don’t buy it but I know someone who does.
The regular ramen in the stores is garbage (if you must, make it and throw out the packet. Use a little soy sauce and butter).</p>
<p>toneranger - ok, I am going to assume you are non-Asian now…butter? No respectable Asian would put butter on pasta.</p>
<p>When DS was in HS, I would drop him off, and then go to a nearby grocery which had free coffee. Coffee group of friends. I felt guilty in having several cups so I started to buy the breakfast of champions-5 for a buck, then 4, then 3 for $1. Top Ramen is not the best and Cup-of-noodles the worst.</p>
<p>My D made us buy cases of the stuff and then would eat one or two servings! They are expiring (they do have “best if used by dates”). We’ve decided we’re not going to humor her in the future & just but a very few packages at one time. :(</p>
<p>We are slowly learning to buy smaller quantities because inevitably as soon as we stock up on something that is LOVED, it falls into disfavor. I guess we should just donate to the food pantries, but I like to offer them healthier foods, especially protien (tho most of it is loaded with sodium & preservatives :().</p>
<p>oldfort lol…yeah not asian here. And honestly, I haven’t had ramen for YEARS, although they do bring back memories of my college years off campus. There was a time when I lived on a $3 per week food budget and those noodles at 15 cents per pack (on sale) came in VERY handy. Later, early in my marriage, I would sometimes serve them with soy and butter. Yummy. </p>
<p>Now? Brown rice with salsa. Whole wheat with fresh tomatoes. Ramen is not on the radar screen…and I don’t miss it!</p>
<p>Ramen tends to bring back those wonder memories of good old days. We don’t eat anything but organic now. My kids actually think having ramen is a treat now, so D1 had quite a bit when she first went off to college.</p>
<p>Instant ramen are usually steamed (to pre-cook them) then fried (in palm oil, to dehydrate them). Usually they are about 15% oil by weight, and about 5% moisture.</p>
<p>They are not usually high in sodium, and the noodle itself does not have MSG. Just dump those little extra packets of stuff.</p>
<p>There is nothing wrong with instant ramen except the high oil content, and the harmfulness of that would depend on your dietary balance and energy needs. Thye are not intrinsically unhealthy.</p>
<p>If you look around you can find low-fat ramen (less then 1% oil) which are ‘steamed-and-dried’ (air-dried) not ‘steamed-and-fried’. These are 1-2% of the market, because the high oil ones taste better. Some Korean brands are low-fat.</p>
<p>I also ate a lot of ramen when I was in my twenties. Now I get yearning for it when I have a sore throat and sinus problems. The saltiness and steam and the soft noodles; it is a comfort food. Unfortunately I don’t keep it around and when I’m sick the last thing I want to do is go to the grocery store. (Well, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.)</p>
<p>Oldfort, I assume you’ve not been to Sapporo? It’s famous for its ramen with butter and corn.</p>
<p>Real ramen is vastly different from the packaged stuff. Rather than buy the packages and not use all of the seasoning package, most Asian markets have a selection of pre-portioned dry noodles that cook up quickly. You know, a wrapped box with 6 or 8 bunches of noodles or the like. A real Asian market may have 100 varieties or more, including various rice versions (which you make by pouring hot water over to soften). Cut up a few mushrooms, a scallion, maybe a few cubes of tofu, a little miso paste or whatever and you have a great meal without the hideous packaged seasoning.</p>
<p>Noodles can indeed be a comfort food. The ramen that is sold refrigerated has a much shorter shelf life but tastes worlds better than the dried stuff with indeterminate age. We do indulge in that from time to time. It also has yummy seasoning packets.</p>
<p>Sometimes, I just use canned chicken broth, add veggies & meat and have a quick meal that is pretty healthy.</p>