FactCheck: Is it true that eating instant noodles two to three times a week can cause an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes

Claim: Eating instant noodles can linked to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes (Is it true that eating instant noodles two to three times a week can cause an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes)

Verdict: True

Full Text: On 24 January, 2025, an Instagram User, Instagram.com/facts posted a picture of noodles on his page with the caption: Eating instant noodles two to three days a week linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The post had generated over 56,863 likes.

A visit to the comments section revealed that people debunked the claim while some testified to it.

Verification: Asiwaju verification showed that significant consumption of instant noodles may increase a person’s risk for Cardiometabolic Syndrome, especially in women.

Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS) are the cluster of conditions that increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Cardiometabolic syndrome includes abnormal obesity, insulin-resistant glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia and increase in blood pleasure.

A single serving of instant noodles contains 861 mg of sodium. However, if someone eats the entire package, that amount doubles to 1,722 mg of sodium.

Such individuals may be more susceptible to the effects of sodium and an increase in sodium intake may cause an increase in blood pressure.

Instant noodles contain few nutrients and high amounts of sodium and monosodium glutamate (MSG). It tends to be low in calories, fiber and protein, with higher amounts of fats, carbs, sodium and select micronutrients.

Instant noodles are lower in calories, eating them could potentially lead to weight loss. On the other hand, fiber moves slowly through the digestive tract, helping to promote feelings of fullness while enhancing weight loss.

Despite being relatively low in some nutrients like fiber and protein, instant noodles contain several micronutrients, including iron, manganese, folate and B vitamins.

Instant noodles often contain an ingredient known as monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common food additive used to enhance flavor in processing foods, which may cause adverse effects in high doses and could trigger symptoms in those with a sensitivity.

Some studies have linked extremely high MSG consumption to weight gain and even increased blood pressure, headaches and nausea.

Instant noodles may also increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

A 2014 study looked at the diets of 10,711 adults. It found that eating instant noodles at least twice per week increased the risk of metabolic syndrome in women.

Studies show that instant noodle intake may be associated with a higher intake of sodium, calories and fat plus a lower intake of protein, vitamins and minerals.

Also, U.S scientists found people who ate noodle dishes two to three times a week including the Japanese noodle soup dish ramen – had an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic syndrome.

What Expert say

In an interview with Dr. Orji Onyinyechi Lilian, a graduate from UNN medical college at University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, said Instant noodles are naked carbs which means it has a very high calorie content and poor in other essential nutrients, frequent consumption of noodles can be linked to heart disease, stroke and diabetes. She said cardiometabolic syndrome are conditions that increase the risk of cardiac disease, as a result of obesity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and Atherosclerosis.

“Cardiometabolic syndrome is basically a group of conditions that increase the risk of cardiac disease as a result of metabolic inefficiency, including some of the risk factors for hypertension (increased blood pressure) which leads to stroke and other ailments like diabetes is Obesity, High blood pressure, Dyslipidemian and Atherosclerosis etc.”

Dr. Oriji highlighted that When one has some of these conditions simultaneously, the person can be said to have cardiometabolic syndrome.

However, Naked carbs with their high calorie content cause a sudden spike in insulin levels in the blood. Meanwhile carbohydrates are also referred to as naked carbs which leads to sudden spikes of insulin in the blood.

The specific nutritional factors in instant noodles, such as sodium can contribute to some health risks because high blood sodium is one of the major factors leading to high blood pressure, sodium by causing water retention which increases blood volume and load on the blood vessels, leading to increased pressures.

Also, this constant increase affects the thickness, elasticity and stiffness of vessel walls, making it difficult for vessels to dilate, this ultimately leads to hypertension. Also sodium affects the renin-angiotensin system, the system in control of fluid in the body.

Research showed that South Koreans have the highest consumption of instant noodles in the world, and they have experienced a rapid increase in health problems, especially heart disease.

Conclusion: Asiwaju results show that frequent consumption of instant noodles can cause cardiometabolic.