Ramen noodles may have been a cheap eat for you in college, but in the Japanese culture they are a comfort food. The ramen noodle actually originated as lo mein in China. The word, "ramen," is the Japanese pronunciation of lo mein. Like any comfort food, ramen noodles may not be the most nutritionally sound, but knowing its nutrition information can help you adjust your diet to balance your intake.
Calories
The calories in ramen noodles can vary depending on serving size and additions. One serving, which is about 43 g of dry ramen noodle soup of any flavor, contains 187 calories. The same serving of a low-fat, reduced sodium ramen noodle contains 140 calories. By comparison, a 43 g serving of dry spaghetti noodles contains 160 calories.
Fat
One serving of regular dry ramen noodles contains 6.7 g of total fat, 3.2 g of saturated fat, 2.8 g of monounsaturated fat and 0.6 g of polyunsaturated fat. While the same serving of the low-fat, reduced sodium ramen noodles contains 1.0 g of total fat, 0 g of saturated fat, 0.2 g of monounsaturated fat and 0.5 g of polyunsaturated fat. About 32 percent of the calories in the regular ramen noodles comes from fat. Choose the low-fat ramen noodles if you are concerned about cholesterol in your diet. A healthy diet gets less than 10 percent of its calories from saturated fat to reduce risk of high cholesterol and heart disease, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Carbohydrates
Most the calories in the ramen noodle come from its carbohydrate content. One serving of regular ramen noodles contains 27 g of total carbohydrates and 1.0 g of fiber, and one serving of the low-fat, reduced sodium ramen noodles contains 28 g of carbohydrates and 1.1 g of fiber. A balanced diet should get most of its calories -- 45 to 65 percent -- from carbohydrates because it is the body's preferred source of energy.
Protein
Although some versions do contain meat, ramen noodles are not a significant source of protein. One serving of either the regular or the low-fat, reduced-sodium contains 4.3 to 4.5 g of protein. If you eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods, you should be able to meet your protein needs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most women need about 46 g of protein a day, and men need 56 g a day.
Sodium
The flavor packets from the instant noodles and the broth from fresh ramen the are high in sodium. One serving of the regular dry ramen noodles contains 875 mg, while the low-fat, reduced sodium version contains 480 mg of sodium. You should limit your daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg or 1,500 mg a day depending on your age, genetic history and medical history, according to the USDA.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database
- The History of Ramen; Ron Konzak; February 20, 1999
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: 2010 Dietary Guidelines: Chapter 4: Foods and Food Components to Reduce
- CDC: Nutrition for Everyone: Protein
- McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients: The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat
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