Description and peculiarities of making Japanese ramen noodles. Composition, calorie content, benefits and contraindications. Recipes, interesting facts.
Ramen is a traditional Japanese wheat flour noodles that are very long and thin. The side dish was invented in China, but it quickly spread to other regions of Asia and was especially loved in Japan and Korea. As a rule, a dish of the same name is prepared on its basis, which is a rich soup in a hot broth with poultry, meat, seafood, vegetables and other additives. The recipe of the dish is very variable, the only component that is always present in it is just ramen noodles. The product is truly national and unifying: businessmen eat it in gourmet restaurants, and students and the working class can buy it in a simple street cafe or even a special vending machine that somewhat resembles our coffee shops. However, they love the side dish not only in Asia, but all over the world. The first to establish mass production was the Japanese Momofuko Ando, the speed of preparation, excellent taste, low price, long shelf life and light weight during transportation made it one of the most convenient and popular dishes in the whole world. Basically, the instant noodles in the stew briquettes are ramen.
Composition and calorie content of Japanese ramen noodles
Pictured Japanese ramen noodles
It is difficult to call noodles a dietary product; it has a considerable calorie content and, as a rule, is used to prepare hearty first courses. One of the classic recipes for making ramen is a rich chicken broth, additionally seasoned with butter, with chunks of boiled pork, soy sprouts and vegetables.
The calorie content of Japanese ramen noodles is 337 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 10.4 g;
- Fat - 1, 1 g;
- Carbohydrates - 69.7 g.
Nevertheless, the dish itself is not fatty, but it is a source of proteins and carbohydrates, which means that it can saturate and fill with energy for a long time. That is why, having prepared a side dish in your own way, it is quite possible to include it in any diet.
Ramen noodles are prepared from premium wheat flour with the addition of eggs, and although wheat flour is maximally processed, which means there are practically no vitamins and minerals in it, the egg makes the noodles more valuable in terms of the composition of biologically active substances. In one or another amount, ramen contains all vitamins of group B, as well as A, E, K, minerals - potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc.
Health benefits of ramen noodles
Japanese ramen is rarely, or even never, served simply as a regular side dish: at least in Asia, you will definitely get it in a hearty broth with meat or seafood, as well as lots of vegetables. That is why, first of all, the benefit of the product lies in the fact that it is part of a nutritious dish, the vitamin and mineral value of which is mainly composed of additional ingredients.
However, if we talk directly about noodles, it is worth mentioning such positive effects:
- Saturation of the body with energy … Despite the fact that the carbohydrate part of the product is represented by simple carbohydrates that are not able to energize for a long time, due to the presence of eggs in the composition, noodles also become a protein product, but protein is distinguished by its ability to saturate for a long time. In addition, the composition includes B vitamins - these are the main vitamins for metabolic processes, that is, they contribute to a more efficient conversion of food into energy.
- Improving the functioning of the nervous system … In addition, B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, and therefore, by regularly eating the product, one can expect some improvement in its work. Of course, one should not expect significant changes, but the ramen will definitely raise the mood.
- Supports general vitamin and mineral balance … Since the product also contains other vitamins and minerals, albeit in small amounts, it helps to make an important contribution to the overall vitamin and mineral balance, having a positive effect not only on various internal organs and tissues, but also on the bone skeleton, teeth, hair, skin. …
Of course, the dish cannot be called either nutritiously dense or dietary, and, nevertheless, occasionally it can be included in the diet for everyone purely for pleasure, although, of course, it is desirable that the rest of the menu be made up of foods rich in vitamins and minerals. … It is best to eat ramen at lunchtime.
Contraindications and harm to ramen
Despite the fact that noodles came to us from Asia, they are not an exotic side dish for us. The thing is that it is prepared from products familiar to the whole world - wheat flour and eggs. That is why the likelihood of individual intolerance and allergies is very small here.
And, nevertheless, it cannot be said that noodles have absolutely no contraindications. Ramen can be harmful to those who:
- Suffers from celiac disease … This is a disease in which gluten cannot be absorbed normally, as a result of which all gluten-containing foods, including the main component of noodles - wheat flour, are completely excluded from the diet.
- Has diseases of the digestive system … Gluten is, in principle, a rather heavy substance, and therefore, for certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, ramen is also prohibited. In addition, it is worth noting that with a tendency to constipation, Japanese noodles, again, are not recommended to eat, since the product contains practically no fiber, which should promote the movement of food through the intestines.
- Has problems with water-salt metabolism … You need to understand that already at the stage of preparation of the product, a rather large amount of salt is added to it, and therefore if for one reason or another you adhere to a salt-free diet or a diet in which salt is strictly limited, most likely, you will have to abandon the Japanese side dish.
In general, the recommendation for the use of ramen is as follows: if you are healthy, you can eat it 2-4 times a week for lunch, but if you have certain diseases, it is advisable to consult a doctor first.
Note! The composition of ramen noodles is of great importance, although classically it includes only understandable natural ingredients, but careless manufacturers can use numerous additives that create additional restrictions on the presence of the product in the diet.
