Instant noodles, also known as instant noodles, instant noodles, cup noodles, instant noodles, instant noodles and instant noodles, are generally called bowl noodles in the south and doll noodles in Hong Kong. It is a kind of flour food which can be used to soak cooked food in hot water in a short time.

Broadly speaking, it refers to a kind of flour food that can be used to soak cooked food in hot water in a short time, and there are related dishes such as instant noodles and instant noodle salad. In a narrow sense, instant noodles usually refer to the finished products consisting of flour cakes, seasoning packets and oil packets, which are mostly packaged in bags and cups or bowls on the market. Ando Baifu invented instant noodles in 1958. With the accelerated pace of life and travel needs, instant noodles have become one of the indispensable simple foods in modern life.

Instant noodles are instant food that can be eaten in a short time (usually within 3 minutes) by cooking and frying shredded noodles, fixing the shape of noodles (generally square or round), brewing with boiling water before eating, dissolving seasonings and heating the noodles.

The main ingredients of instant noodles are wheat flour, palm oil, seasoning sauce and dehydrated vegetable leaves, which are all necessary ingredients to supplement human nutrition. With the acceleration of globalization and the improvement of life rhythm, instant noodles, a delicious food that can satisfy hunger quickly and is rich in nutrition, are increasingly liked by people.

According to Professor Hu Xiaosong, doctoral supervisor of the School of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University, instant noodles are often criticized by people, who think that eating more is not good for health, mainly for the following reasons:

First, the oil content is high, because most instant noodles are dried by frying. However, Professor Hu pointed out that compared with French fries and hamburgers, the oil content in instant noodles is not very high, and the average oil content per serving is about16% ~18%. Among them, 1 1% is palm oil, which is a vegetable oil beneficial to human health, and the oil content in a hamburger.

Second, it contains certain additives. Professor Hu said that when it comes to additives, people turn pale at the mention of them and think that they are unhealthy substances, which is a misunderstanding in concept. The food industry is inseparable from additives such as thickeners and stabilizers. All the additives allowed by the state have been strictly tested and proved to be harmless to the human body, so you can eat them with confidence.

The third is the acrylamide problem that many people pay attention to. Professor Hu pointed out that all starchy foods will produce this carcinogen when cooked at high temperature (over 120℃), so it is found in French fries and certainly in instant noodles.

In response to many people's view that instant noodles are not nutritious, Professor Hu said that in the instant noodles and seasoning packages, all the six nutrients necessary for the human body-water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins-are available, so the nutrition is comprehensive.

The dehydrated vegetables in the seasoning bag basically preserve the nutrition of the original vegetables, but they are slightly insufficient because of the small amount. However, the dietary balance is based on the premise of reasonable food collocation. As long as you eat instant noodles, you can mix more vegetables, fruits and other foods rich in vitamins.

New nutritional instant noodles are being developed at home and abroad, such as instant noodles fortified with iodine or iron, instant noodles for weight loss, instant noodles suitable for diabetics, etc., which can meet the nutritional needs of different people in the future.

Antioxidants are generally added to the oil in instant noodles, but it can only slow down the oxidation speed and delay the rancidity time, but it can not completely prevent rancidity. After rancidity, oily food will damage nutrients, produce peroxide lipids and have a spicy taste. Long-term excessive lipid peroxide will damage the important enzyme system of the body and promote premature aging.