Ramen noodles are another food that I believe every college student has consumed. Sadly, these instant noodles are extremely cheap (19¢ per package), and require only water, a microwave, and a few minutes to make. However inexpensive and easy, these noodles are terrible for the body.
First, let us think about the ingredients. The seemingly innocent noodles are actually deep fried. That doesn't bode well for any health aspect of the food. This is basically taking enriched flour (the non-whole grain variety), which is already stripped of pretty much any fiber or nutritional value, and dropping it in oil. The seasoning packet is almost all pure salt. How do I know? I looked at the ingredients list on the package. Ingredient number one is salt. Followed by the phrase 'contains less than 1% of...'
Next, we can look at the nutrition information on the package. One package of ramen (technically two servings) contains 14g of fat (half of which is saturated fat). That means one bowl of ramen has one fifth of your daily fat intake (remember, this is just noodles and broth). Ramen also contains almost 1800mg of sodium - 75% of your daily intake. Definitely not good. Lastly, there are 52g of carbohydrates (hey, they are noodles), however, only 2g of this are dietary fiber. In total, this constitutes 400 calories for the bowl of ramen noodles, 150 of which come from fat. Ew.
All of these factors combine into a higher risk for weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Instead of buying ramen deathbricks, try getting some whole grain pasta, and jarred pasta sauce. It might cost slightly more per serving, but it will keep you going in the long run. More on pasta soon.
I personally don't have tons of time in the morning to eat a full, balanced breakfast like I should. Having an entire bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit, and orange juice takes quite a bit of time - and I know we are all on the go all the time. This prompts the question, can I eat a healthy breakfast on the go? The answer, quite simply, is yes. However, there are many pitfalls in the breakfast on the go route.
Fruit - Just having a simple apple or banana before school or work will give you many of the nutrients you need to start your day off right. You might miss your morning dose of protein, but overall you're doing okay.
Carnation Instant Breakfast - All you have to do is add the powder to a glass of milk, stir, and drink. This packet of "No Sugar Added Rich Milk Chocolate" added to 8 ounces of skim milk will only run you 150 calories, give you one-quarter of your daily protein, just half a gram of fat, and no saturated fat.
Bar Food - No, not chicken wings or a hamburger and fries, I'm talking about cereal bars, energy bars, and protein bars. These are easy to prepare (just tear it open), easy to eat with one hand, and don't make a big mess. There are dozens of varieties of these types of bars, so buyer beware. Read the nutrion information on the package - make sure your bar is not so high in fat or sugar that you are essentially eating a candy bar. Try to buy a product with less than 15 grams of sugar per bar (unless you're going to double up). Also, if the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup (essentially high-sugar sugar) then put the package back on the shelf. Anything with a lot of fiber, grains, and fruit (real fruit, not fake sugary fruit) will help start your day off right. If you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start, then check out Fiber One, Kashi, and Nature Valley at your local store.
Arguably we can't eat the healthiest foods all the time, but we can try to pick up something that helps pick us up in the morning.
P.S. If you want to pick something up on the road, here's a list of the best fast-food breakfasts out there.
