Pasta La Vista: Ramen

The year of 2020 is finally over and behind us, so I hope 2021 treats everyone better than last year did. Though last year was awful, there was always one thing that remained good: Ramen noodles. Those delicious, wavy and incredibly squishy (when-over-cooked) pieces of heaven. Ramen noodles have been around for quite some time. In 1958 instant ramen was invented by Nissan Foods in Japan; however, one of today’s more popular forms did not come out until 1971, this would be cup of noodles. A pack of thirty chicken flavored “Cup Noodles” is $8.28 at Sam’s Club. 

On the other end of the spectrum, currently the most expensive form of ramen noodles in the world ring costs an outrageous $180 from the restaurant Koa, in Manhattan. Besides having some yummy noodles, this fancy bowl includes Wagyu beef and truffles.

Though they taste great in my opinion, ramen noodles are stereotypically pretty bad for you. The popular instant kind, that you can find hidden away in your pantry, on average contains between 875 milligrams of salt and 1,820 milligrams of salt. One tablespoon of salt contains 1,000 milligrams. That means that per bowl of ramen there is around an entire tablespoon of salt. Your blood pressure will thank you for thinking twice before dousing them in salt laden soy sauce, just in case 2021 is as rough as 2020. 

That said, I doubt I will be following my own advice and plan to go grab myself a bowl. As always my noodle enthusiasts, don’t be an impasta.