What is a Noodle?

A noodle is food made from unleavened dough that is cooked in a boiling liquid. Depending upon the type, noodles may be dried or refrigerated before cooking. The word noodle derives from the German Nudel (noodle) and may be related to the Latin word nodus (knot). In American English, noodle is a generic term for unleavened dough made from many different types of ingredients. Noodles exist in an abundance of shapes.

How long have humans been eating noodles?

In October 2005, the oldest noodles yet discovered were found at the Lajia site (Qijia culture) along the Yellow River in Qinghai, China. The 4,000-year-old noodles appear to have been made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet. (source: Wikipedia).

Are noodles always served in the same way?

No. There are basic noodles: cooked in water or broth, then drained. Other foods can be added (for example a pasta sauce) or the noodles are added to other foods (see fried noodles or lasagna) or the noodles can be served plain with a dipping sauce or oil to be added at the table. In general, noodles are soft and absorb flavors. But there can also be:
- Chilled noodles: noodles are sometimes served in a salad. An example is the Thai glass noodle salad.
- Fried noodles: dishes made of noodles stir fried with various meats, seafood or vegetables. Typical examples include chow mein, lo mein, mee goreng, hokkien mee, some varieties of pancit, yakisoba and pad thai.
- Noodle soup: noodles served in broth. Examples are beef noodle soup, ramen, laksa, saimin and batchoy, and chicken noodle soup.
What are the healthiest type of noodles?

Go for buckwheat noodles, and here's some varieties of those you may never have heard of:
- Makguksu - local specialty of Gangwon Province in South Korea.
- Naengmyeon - Korean noodles made of buckwheat and sweet potato starch. Slightly more chewy than soba.
- Soba - Japanese buckwheat noodles.
- Pizzoccheri - Italian buckwheat noodles from Valtellina, usually served with a melted cheese sauce (yum).

The Health Hazards of Instant Noodles

Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-born founder of the Japanese food company Nissin. He used Chikin Ramen (Chicken Ramen) as the first instant ramen noodles. In 1970, Nissin formed the subsidiary Nissin Foods (USA) Co. Inc, to sell instant noodles to the United States. Nissin recognized that the bowls traditionally used to package instant noodles were not common in the U.S, so they instead turned to the paper cup; in 1971, they introduced instant ramen packaged in a foam cup. Nissin subsequently introduced this to Japan. Despite their massive popularity and convenience, instant noodles are often criticised as being unhealthy or junk food.

 

For a start, they pretty much all contain MSG (monosodium glutamate) which triggers allergies in many individuals.

The attached flavour pack is hardly a source of profound nutrition. In fact, if served in this "instant broth" (as they almost always are), instant noodles typically contain high amounts of sodium. The current U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance of sodium for adults and children over 4 years old is 2,400 mg/day. Some brands may have over 3,000 mg of sodium per package in extreme cases.

 

The noodles are low in fibre and lack nutritious qualities. A single serving of instant noodles is high in carbohydrates but low in fibre, vitamins and minerals.

 

The addition of boiling water further destroys any nutritional value.

 

The foam cup, with the addition of boiling water, leeches toxins into the food. This most recent controversy concerns dioxin and other hormone-like substances that could theoretically be extracted from the packaging and glues used to pack the instant noodles. As hot water is added, it has been reasoned that harmful substances could seep into the soup. After a series of studies were conducted, various organisations requested changes in the packaging.

 

Noodles are pre-cooked, usually fried, which is an unhealthy way of preparing them as this substantially increases the amount of trans-fatty-acids in the noodles. They are typically fried as part of the manufacturing process, resulting in high levels of saturated fat and/or trans fat. Recent concern on consumption of fried foods is the possible presence of oxidation products from poor maintenance of the oil. This can be a concern if the cooking oil is not maintained at the proper temperature or changed as often as necessary. These oxidation products can be present in any fried foods, and are suspected to pose various health risks.

 

Often the consumer further destroys the nutrients by choosing to microwave the contents - this increases the carcinogens / oxidants in the mix.

 

In a scene from the movie Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker's character is seen eating cup noodles during Christmas while watching a movie. Part of the culture of eating instant noodles is isolation, depression, poverty, lack of health-consciousness - it's the polar opposite to creating food with love and celebration and sharing.

 

More on the Compact Juicer Machine:

 

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