Instant noodles are a convenient and tasty food that can quickly satisfy a meal. However, patients with diabetes cannot eat ramen freely due to the carbohydrates, sodium, and fats contained in it. Is ramen consumption for diabetics forever out of reach?

 

I am a diabetic patient in my 30s. During the week, I have a lot of work, so I often eat hastily or sometimes skip meals. Occasionally, I think it would be nice to cook and eat ramen. Is it okay to rely on ramen for my meals?

 

 

Q. I want to know how to enjoy ramen healthily and deliciously.

 

A. Use less soup and serve with vegetables.

Ramen is actually not recommended for people with diabetes. This is because it is a processed food that contains a lot of ingredients that can raise blood sugar levels, such as starch (polysaccharides), palm oil (saturated fat), and salt (sodium). Since its nutritional composition is unbalanced, it can cause blood sugar levels to become unstable.

 

However, there are times when you must eat, and it's not always necessary to completely suppress your cravings. For diabetics who want to eat healthily, here are some tips. First, choose 'dry noodles' products.

 

There are several products made with naturally dried noodles that are not fried in oil. They have relatively lower calories and fat content compared to fried noodles. If purchasing dried noodles is inconvenient, you can choose regular products but use two pots: cook the noodles in boiling water in one pot and then remove them, and in the other boiling water pot, add the soup and finish cooking. This process involves boiling the noodles once to remove palm oil.

The next thing to pay attention to is reducing sodium intake. The average sodium content per package of ramen is 1,693 mg, which is equivalent to the recommended daily sodium intake (2,000 mg). To reduce sodium intake, one way is to use about one-third less of the seasoning powder. Don't like it to taste bland? You can maintain the flavor by using less water accordingly. Also, pairing ramen with lettuce salad or other vegetables instead of kimchi can greatly help in reducing sodium intake.

 

To maintain a balanced nutrition, add toppings such as soft tofu, eggs, bean sprouts, and cabbage to your ramen. Not only does this supplement the protein and fiber lacking in ramen, but the potassium-rich vegetables also help eliminate sodium from the body.

No matter how healthily you eat, ramen is a processed food. It would be best to avoid excessive consumption!

 

==============

The soup is about one-third (with less water).

Add vegetables, eggs, and soft tofu to balance the nutrition.

Serve with salad instead of kimchi

 

After eating greasy food during Chuseok,

I also think about ramen.