Some interesting new instant noodles and soups I have recently tried from the website Noodelight. While many of the ramen they sell are less than $2/package, they do have some that are slightly more expensive and it shows up in improved flavor. However, improved flavor often means high sodium. To help guide us, please remember that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium intake to < 2,300mg/day.
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√ Prima Taste Singapore Laksa La Mian
This is a very tasty coconut and shrimp flavored broth with wheat ramen noodles. Very large puck of noodles that was chewy and filling. The product also contains a Laksa paste, and coconut dried milk packets. The package shows adding shrimp, bean sprouts, and other white ingredients I cannot identify.
- $2.29 USD
- Servings: 2
- Calories: 340
- Carbs: 41g
- Protein: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sodium: 1030mg
- Sugar: 4g but with 3g added sugar
- Fat: 15g (11g saturated)
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
No artificial flavoring or color, nor any added preservatives. But does contain, shrimp.
√ Ottogi Jin Ramen Mild Noodle Soup
This is a Vietnamese made Korean style soup. A red-colored, mild and tasty garlic-mushroom-beef broth with wheat + tapioca thick noodles. The package had a large noodle puck, and packets of dehydrated veggies and powdered broth. I really liked both the broth and noodles.
- $1.89 USD
- Servings: 1
- Calories: 500
- Carbs: 80g
- Protein: 11g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sodium: 1980mg
- Sugar: 6g but with 2g added sugar
- Fat: 15g
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Contains wheat, soy, and oyster but made in a factory with potentially many allergens so read the package carefully. Per usual, all these noodles have some form of MSG for umami flavor.
Myojo Ramen Noodles and Tonkotsu Broth
This was a tasty white-ish broth with ramen wheat noodles. The package had a noodle puck (that I accidentally crushed a bit), a powdered broth packet and an oil flavor-packet. The packaging shows serving with a medium boiled egg, seaweed, meat slices, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- $2.59 USD
- Servings: 1
- Calories: 460
- Carbs: 62g
- Protein: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: 2120mg
- Sugar: 3g but with 2g added sugar
- Fat: 20g
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, and small bit of Potassium
The contents include MSG, palm oil, various seafood, and is made in factories that also process soy and egg. I love the taste but am not suggesting you eat this due to the amount of sodium this package contains.
√ Unif 100 Stewed Pork Chop Noodle Soup
This is a ramen noodles with artificial stewed pork chop flavors. I found the flavor mild but good tasting and the wheat-tapioca noodles were chewy. It contained a large noodle puck, an oil with ginger-chili seasoning packet, along with dehydrated veggies (cabbage, carrot, scallion), and broth powder. The packaging shows adding young broccoli, pork meat, and carrots to the soup.
- $2.29 USD
- Servings: 1
- Calories: 519
- Carbs: 67g
- Protein: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sodium: 1866mg
- Sugar: 10g but with 1.3g added sugar
- Fat: 25g
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Contains palm oil, soy, shrimp and made in a factory full of potential allergen contaminates.
√ Samyang’ U-Dong Oriental Seafood Flavor
This is a nice, seafood tasting broth (I thought I tasted some bonito), and large, soft udon noodles. The soup packet contained a puck of wheat noodles, and packets of broth powder and dehydrated veggies. The cover shows adding scallions, shrimp, fish cakes
- $2.99 USD
- Servings: 1
- Calories: 500
- Carbs: 80g
- Protein: 13g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sodium: 1840mg
- Sugar: 5g but with 5g added sugar
- Fat: 14g
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Normal cautions about wheat, soy, etc.
√ Sapporo Ichiban Miso Ramen
This is a good tasting wheat ramen with miso broth. The package has a medium sized noodle puck, and two packets with broth and dried spice.
- $2.99 USD
- Servings: 1
- Calories: 460
- Carbs: 62g
- Protein: 9g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sodium: 1800mg
- Sugar: 2g but with 2g added sugar
- Fat: 19g (9g are saturated fat)
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Contains MSF, sea lettuce, soy, gluten, Also main be made in a factory that processes other allergians.
√ Nongshim Gamjatang Myun Pork Noodle Soup
Nongshim Gamjatang myun is a ramen noodle soup with a pork-bone and potato flavor from Korea. The packaging suggests adding chili, potatoes, pork, and bok choy. This slightly spicy broth is a good base. The noodles are wheat-based and chewy. The package comes with a medium noodle puck, and three packets with broth powder, chili oil, and veggies.
- $3.79 USD
- Servings: 2 (nutrition below is per serving)
- Calories: 280
- Carbs: 44g
- Protein: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Sugar: 3g but with 1g added sugar
- Fat: 9g (4.5g are saturated fat)
- Fortified for Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Contains soy, MSG, palm oil.
Comments
I have written about a variety of aspects of instant noodles, at least 9 other posts, that comment on various aspects of this food. From helping in catastrophes, to adding specific nutrition into areas of need, to questionable nutritional values. All things I find interesting.
Bottom line is that this food should never become a base of your diet since it is often high sodium, contains numerous preservatives, and is a very highly processed food with limited return. That being said, it does fill the belly very cheaply, and nutritious, fiber filled food could be easily added.
As with all things, eat in moderation. Confession time, I love this type of soup. But I will not consume more than 3 a week and often will go weeks without having a nice bowl of this style of noodles. Best is when I home cook my own broth and cook my own noodles. As a dish, this can be made quickly if you do it your self or use the instant, the key is occasionally making a bone broth and have some in the freezer so you can make up your flavors when you are ready for soup.
—Patty
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