Are Instant Noodles Good For Weight Loss (5 Tips For Weight Loss)

Instant noodles are the staple food in a college diet or anyone that has grown up eating Asian food.

They are a very cheap but delicious product that is widely available and exciting to eat as so many new flavors are created by the top noodle companies.

However, are these noodles good for weight loss?

Instant Noodles are high calorie meals that have a poor ratio of macronutrients. Most of the calories come from carbs and fats while neglecting the protein which translates to a high potential for weight gain and fat retention. This means that it will be difficult to fit into a healthy and balanced diet as it has low nutritional value.

If you’re someone who wants to shed fat while eating cup noodles, then you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve summed up 5 tips and facts about Instant Noodles that will help you drop fat while eating your favorite snack or meal.

Here are the 5 tips to help you eat cup noodles while still losing weight and staying fit.

Know How What Goes Into Your Instant Noodles
Know How Many Calories There Are In Your Instant Noodles
Understand How Many Calories You Need To Consume In a Day
Make Sure To Workout Regularly When Eating Instant Noodles
Make Sure To Increase Your Activity Level When Eating Instant Noodles

Now that we know our 5 steps, let’s get into the details that will help you stay slim while enjoying some delicious Instant Noodles.

Tip 1: Know What Goes Into Your Instant Noodles

There are many ingredients that make Instant Noodles what it is.

What you put into your body is very important in understanding how to control how you look and feel so we are going to discuss the main ingredients on many popular Instant Noodle brands that you can find worldwide.

We will discuss if each ingredient is harmful is harmful or not and see what kind of risks go into each of the components that make Instant Noodles what it is.

There are many to talk about so let’s go through the list one by one.

Propylene Glycol

There are many different uses for Propylene Glycol in foods such as avoiding clumps in dough, improving shelf life of foods, or thickening foods to stabilize when used.

In the form of Instant Noodle, however, it helps the prepackaged noodles (either fried or dehydrated) to keep its shape throughout its long journey to stores.

It’s generally safe to eat as you’ve probably eaten a lot of it already throughout the vast products that you can find this product in.

It’s not bad for you but it’s not good for you which is not a positive when looking at food.

Here is a study by pubMed that summarizes that there are no disease causing substances that are found through the consumption of Propylene Glycol

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23656560

Sodium

Now Sodium is something that does not really cause weight gain or fat retention but has many studies that show its negative effect on high blood pressure and heart disease.

Sodium doesn’t contain any calories at all but, when eaten too much, can affect your health.

Here is a study by pubMed that shows the negative effects of higher sodium consumption.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5098396/

When it comes to weight loss and fat management, however, sodium isn’t really the main issue to be worried about.

It’s the total amount of calories and the macronutrients that determine your shape.

However, you want to be concerned with both your health and how you look.

Corn Syrup

Corn Syrup in Instant Noodles help the noodles to stay in place and adds flavor to the dish.

It has many negative effects on health and will also negatively affect your fitness goals.

It’s essentially an artificial sugar made from corn and is something that does not occur naturally.

It causes an excess amount of fructose in the body which can lead to many health problems.

Here is a study by pubMed that discusses all the negative effects that Corn Syrup places on the body.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15051594

Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)

TBHQ is a preservative found in many foods and there is lots of research on the negative effects that it might have on the body.

It is an antioxidant that prevents the oxidation of food which basically means that it preserves it from going bad.

Studies show that high amounts of TBHQ can cause many negative effects on the body.

However, the FDA limits the amount of preservative found in a food so it is provided in safe quantities according to professionals such as Dr. Sean O’Keefe.

Here is the article on whether or not it is safe and the FDA’s approval of the substance.

https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/tbhq-what-is-it-and-is-it-dangerous

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=172.185

Now that we know some of the main components that go into a typical Instant Noodle package, let’s take a look at it’s caloric content and macronutrient ratios.

Tip 2: Know How Many Calories There Are In Your Instant Noodles

There are many kinds of Instant Noodle packages out there so each one can have a different set of calories and macro nutrients that make up its nutritional value.

In order to know if we can eat Instant Noodles to stay in shape, we need to know what the calories are and how much of each macronutrient a certain brand contains.

I’ve done some research and I’ve looked up some of the most popular cup noodle brands out there.

After looking at the top brands, I’ve summed it up to 5 noodles that are the best to eat but still in moderation.

5. Shin Ramen

If Korean Instant noodles are your thing, then this is the brand for you. It’s the highest calorie cup noodle on the list and offers the most fat per serving.

Although this is a very popular brand of Instant Noodle, let’s see what’s inside of it to figure out if we can fit this into our diet.

For every 22 grams of fat, there are 72 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein.

As expected from an Instant Noodle dish, most of the calories come from carbs and fats so this option wouldn’t be the best to eat.

From a weight loss perspective, there are a ton of carbs and fats for a very small amount of food offered.

One packet of Shin Ramen is not satiating at all which makes sense because there is such a high amount of fats that come from the dish.

The goal when dieting is to add as much protein as you can to your meals so you can maintain muscle.

When eating something like Shin Ramen, you only receive 8 grams of protein which is not nearly enough for the amount of fats and carbs you are getting.

This is a meal that you should eat in moderation or even rarely as there really is little to no benefit you can towards your diet.

4. Mi Goreng

If you’re a fan of instant noodles, then you’ve definitely heard of Mi Goreng which is an indonesian noodle dish that is converted into a convenient instant noodle form.

Although most noodles come with a soup, Mi Goreng is eaten dry after boiling the noodles which makes for a fun twist on Instant Noodles.

Although these noodles are delicious, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Mi Goreng dish.

For every 17 grams of fat, there are 52 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein.

Not bad at all for an instant noodle dish but still a big step from a typical Shin Ramen dish.

This package takes the number 4 spot as they are not only delicious, but contain 30 less carbs than most Instant Noodle dishes you can find out there.

These are very delicious noodles and are the next best thing after Shin Ramen. Eat this in moderation and you’ll be good to go.

3. Nissin Cup Noodle

Nissin Cup Noodle has to be the most popular Instant Noodle dish you can find all over the world and is featured in so many pop culture references.

You can’t go wrong with Nissin Cup Noodles as they are actually a lot less caloric than many of the other Instant Noodle dishes out there.

Let’s take a look at the calories and see what goes inside of a typical Nissin Cup Noodle package.

For every 11 grams of fat, there are 42 grams of carbs and 6 grams of protein.

This Instant noodle dish takes the number 3 spot due to its lower carb count.

For 42 grams of carbs, this dish is not bad at all when looking at a weight loss perspective. It’s a quick way to get your carbs in and, if you supplement the meal with some proteins, you’ll find that you can get a complete meal in.

Now, weight loss and health are two different things so be aware of all of the things to go inside of these noodles which is what we discussed in the first section of this article.

No matter how good these noodles can be for weight loss, I would recommend to always eat these in moderation!

2. Maruchan Ramen

Filling up the number 2 spot is Maruchan Ramen. Maruchan is another popular cup noodle dish with a huge variety of flavors that can keep Instant Noodle fans satisfied for months.

These are the noodles I grew up eating when schools had no other options to eat for lunch (the school system really needs to step up its food game).

Although this brand is delicious and acts as the staple diet for college students and late night gamers everywhere, what are the calories and can you fit it into a diet?

Let’s take a look at the calories to see what goes inside of a typical Maruchan Ramen dish.

For every 12 grams of fat, there are 38 grams of carbs and 7 grams of protein.

Not bad at all considering many cup noodle brands out there have upwards of 90 grams of carbs and 30 grams of fat.

The total amount of calories in this dish is 290 which makes for a meal that is totally affordable and can definitely fit into a weight loss diet.

Our tip when eating this Instant Noodle dish is to make sure to pair it with some healthy meats and vegetables.

You’re missing protein and fiber when you eat cup noodles so make sure you get all aspects of your nutrition when eating something like this.

1. Nissin Ramen (Instant Packet)

The Nissin Ramen packet differs from the Cup Noodle item as it is way less calorically dense while still keeping the awesome flavor of Instant Ramen.

It’s the staple brand that people love worldwide and, due to its many versatile options, even has a low calorie form of noodles.

Let’s take a look at the calories and see why this brand takes the number one spot.

For every 7 grams of fat, there are 26 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.

This makes for an awesome meal as there are only 190 calories in the dish and is relatively satisfying.

Although it’s not the healthiest option as it is filled with preservatives and sodium, it is not a bad option when aiming for fat loss.

Again, there are hardly any calories in this version of Instant Noodle so it’s relatively easy to eat this food without too much guilt.

Our tip here is to, once again, eat this with some higher protein options and green veggies filled with fibers.

You’ll find a much more complete meal and can still manage to stay on track with your goals.

A great way to get your protein while eating something like cup noodles is to supplement it with some high quality protein powders.

Here are our recommendations of protein powders that have clean nutrition labels and sell for an amazing price.

Weight Loss Supplements

There are the 5 noodles that are the most popular and surprisingly fine to eat in moderation.

Our major tip with Instant Noodles is to make sure to pair it with some whole foods that contain higher amounts of proteins and fibers.

Instant Noodles make a for a great meal when nothing else is around or if you’re in a hurry.

They should never be a common food in your diet as there can be a lot of complications down the line from eating too much.

Just enjoy them once in a while.

Tip 3: Understand How Many Calories You Need To Consume In a Day

Now that we have a grasp of how many calories a typical Instant Noodle dish runs for, let’s learn about the importance of calories and how many you should be eating within your day.

Understanding your daily caloric needs revolves around trail and error.

It’s a diet coach's job to find out this number and the main process always revolves around figuring out how many calories a client burns throughout their day.

There is a concept called energy balance that states that fat can only be lost when there is a caloric deficit in the body.

Basically this asks the question, “are you burning more calories than you are consuming?”

If you do not know the answer to this question then you need to find out if you want to have a successful weight loss journey.

A good starting place to understand your caloric value to put you into a caloric deficit is to use a TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator online or to simply multiply your body weight by 12.

These are very rough estimates and are not specific to the individual. However, you can use this number and adjust it to see how your weight is affected.

A great way to make sure you are constantly burning more calories throughout your week is to pack on more muscle and to seek out activity such as walking or jogging.

All you need is a couple of adjustable dumbbells (boxflex adjustable dumbbells on amazon) and a reliable treadmill (bluefin fitness treadmill) that tracks your calories and you’re on your way to controlling the amount of calories you burn.

If your weight does not drop, then drop the calories by 100. If it goes higher, drop it by 200 and make sure to never drastically drop your calories.

You’ll hit a plateau faster than ever if you do so. More activity and more muscle will allow you to hit less plateaus so make sure you take care of this aspect as well.

Now that you know your caloric needs for the day, all you have to do is eat that number and not to go over it.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can just eat 10 cup noodle packets in a day as you also need to worry about your macronutrients such as protein, carbs, and fats.

We have a whole article on this so make sure to check it out here if you want a more in-depth description on how to shed fat.

Make sure to stay on track with your goals and to keep eating those calories that you’ve manipulated to meet your fitness goals.

It’s a long process but you’ll be amazed at the improvement you make month to month.

Tip 4: Make Sure To Workout Regularly When Eating Instant Noodles

Eating Instant Noodles can add a lot of calories in your day.

This means that you have to put those calories to use which is best when used for building muscle.

The topic of this article is to understand how you can lose weight by eating Instant Noodles but it really is actually just about how you can lose weight by eating anything.

We talked about the importance of understanding how many calories you need to eat in a day but now it’s time to shift the focus on why calories and muscle go hand in hand.

Muscle burns calories at rest which means that, the more muscle we contain on the body, the more calories we burn while doing absolutely nothing.

This is great as it aids in keeping us in a caloric deficit while eating more throughout our day.

If you’re really committed to making a difference, then building out your home gym where you have weights, racks, and flooring can make or break your fitness journey.

Check out this post where we go over all of the necessary pieces of equipment needed for a proper home gym.

Workout Equipment For Weight Loss

If you are new to workout then muscle will build relatively fast so this is great news for anyone looking to get in shape.

Here is a basic workout plan that can work well for beginners or for anyone looking to get into the gym.

It can be a little intimidating at first but, through practice and consistency, you can definitely get these movements down quick.

Men:

Monday (Push Day):

Incline Bench: 5x5
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4x12
Incline Dumbbell Fly: 3x10
Seated Shoulder Press: 4x12
Lateral Raises: 4x15
Rear Delt Fly: 4x15
Tricep Pushdowns:3x10
50 close grip pushups

Wednesday (Pull Day):

Assisted Pull Ups: 4x10
Lat Pulldowns: 4x12
Dumbbell Row: 3x10 (on each arm)
Cable Rows: 4x15
Bicep Curls: 3x10
Hammer Curls: 3x10

Friday (Legs):

Squats 5x5
Goblet Squats: 4x20
Walking Lunges: 4x20
Weighted Crunches 3x35
Leg Lifts: 3x35

Women:

Monday (Full Upper):

Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20
Lateral Raises: 4x15
Lat Pulldowns: 4x12
Dumbbell Row: 3x10
Dumbbell Fly: 3x10
Knee Push Ups: 4x20
Weighted Crunches: 3x35

Wednesday (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps)

Assisted Pull Ups: 3x10
Lat Pulldowns: 4x12
Cable Row: 4x15
Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15
Hamstring Curl: 4x15
Bicep Curls: 3x10
Hammer Curls: 3x10

Friday: (Legs/Butt/Abs):

Squats: 5x5
Goblet Squats: 4x20
Glute Bridge: 4x20
Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg
Jump Squats: 4x20
Weighted Crunches: 3x35
Leg Lifts: 3x35

You can definitely look up these workouts online and should definitely get the form down before getting into a routine habit.

This is our job as personal trainers here at Aspire Fitness and, if you’re someone that needs help, make sure to reach out to your local training gym as they will take care of your needs.

A word of advice here is that there will be some patience required to see some substantial results.

I’m sure you’ve heard so many fitness gurus out there say consistency and time is what you need to see awesome results, and they are definitely right about that.

Depending on how much you weigh and how much fat you currently carry, results can come as fast as 3 months or up to years.

For me, I didn’t see results for about two years but I stuck with it and have been going at it ever since.

I’m in my seventh year of working out taking care of my body so make sure you get into this for the long run!

So, next time you’re wondering how you can lose some weight, remember that you need to build some muscle and track your calories to your specified amount.

Make sure to stick with it for a long time and understand that fitness is a lifelong journey that takes time to cultivate.

Tip 5: Make Sure To Increase Your Activity Level When Eating Instant Noodles

The last piece of the puzzle is activity level and why it matters when your diet consists of high carb items such as Instant Noodles.

Calories are direct sources of energy that fuels our everyday life so we need to make sure that we utilize them efficiently throughout our days.

As stated in Tip #3, you need to be able to burn calories throughout your day in order to put yourself at a caloric deficit.

The best way to do this is to build muscle and to also move more throughout your day.

60-75% of energy expenditure comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how much your body burns if it did nothing all day. (NASM)

10% of energy expenditure comes from the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) which is the calories you burn from digesting different foods. (NASM)

15-30% of energy expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) which is movement such as working out and aerobics. Source (NASM)

To sum it up, up to 30% of our energy expenditure can come from movement and activity so this is a huge portion of our weight loss journey that we can actively control.

The more movement the better and, to utilize and burn those calories, you should be moving all you can!

If you put calorie tracking, muscle building, and actively moving more together, then things such as Instant Noodles won’t take you off track because the formula provides so much leniency for you to shed some fat.

However, filling your diet with whole foods will benefit you as they are much more nutritionally sound and offer many beneficial things that Instant Noodles lack.

My tip that I always give to my clients is to make sure to find foods that are low in calories and are satiating so you don’t get too hungry throughout your day.

These foods are typically your proteins and green vegetables which are the best tools for shedding those extra pounds.

This doesn’t mean to cut out all of your favorite foods such as Instant Noodles out of the mix, just eat them sometimes!

So, if you’re going to be splurging on some Instant Noodles this week, make sure to count those calories, consistently workout, and move some more throughout the day!

There It Is!

In this article we went over if Instant Noodles are good for weight loss.

The simple answer is no, they are not good for weight loss but can be combated through an understanding of your body's nutrition and the steps you need to take to get fit.

As long as you understand how many calories you need to consume in a day and fill your body with whole foods that will keep you satiated and satisfied, then you will see results if you put in the time and consistency.

If you like this article and are looking for more articles on healthy Asian foods, then make sure to check out our other posts where we discuss fitness tips and healthy habits that will get you to your fitness goals.