Unhealthy Noodles
Forget Instant Noodles.
If you are youngster I guess you can digest/enjoy instant noodles like Maggi or Top Ramen and survive. Don’t give it to your kids though. It’s a ‘treat’ not meant for growing children. These noodles are made from maida (white refined wheat flour) unless it is stated specifically that whole wheat flour has been used. Maida is wheat flour stripped of all nutrients. In fact, if any ingredient in any product, whether noodles or biscuits is described as ‘wheat flour’, read this as maida, and not whole wheat flour.
This applies to the so-called atta noodles as well. Though these noodles (some pasta’s too) do have some atta (whole wheat flour), this ‘atta’ is not the genuine atta that we use to make rotis with at home. What the manufacturers do is mix atta and maida, or add a small amount of wheat fibre to maida and lo behold, Indian laws allow them to call this an atta or whole wheat product! Unfortunately in India we do not have specifications as to how much atta need be present for the product to qualify as a whole wheat product.
And anyway, we all know that these atta noodles don’t taste like atta at all. The companies who sell this stuff do not realise that if consumers can make out the difference between a whole-wheat roti and a maida roti, they will be able to make out the difference between maida noodles and whole-wheat noodles as well. A little bit of brown colour fools no one. There was a health programme on television recently which said that many companies make a fool of consumers by telling them that the product is made from whole- wheat. Actually what the companies do is mix maida and atta, and the atta is a much smaller quantity. Don’t we do that for parties when we want to make soft light puris?
But companies don’t have the right to do it. Specially when they claim that they are selling an atta product. The bread companies do this all the time. The so-called whole-wheat bread is mostly made from maida with a bit of atta thrown in. The so-called ‘brown’ breads usually have the colour caramel added to it to make it appear as if it is made from whole-wheat. Real whole-wheat breads are extremely difficult to bake and taste coarse and grainy. It’s easy to tell the difference.
Besides, instant noodles also have chemicals, just like other processed foods do. Not the right thing for growing kids or their growing brains. Childrens’ stomachs are small and they take in much less food in a day than adults …if they eat a packet of Maggi it’s probably a quarter or half of their day’s intake of solid food. Imagine what you are giving them…chemicals, hydrogenated oils and wheat stripped of nutrients!
If you do have to serve Maggi to your kids, make sure it’s once in a blue moon and don’t forget to add a lot of vegetables to it.
Or why don’t you just serve our fresh Indian snacks? They are tastier and more nutritious.
(Photos are by me and copyrighted)
Related articles: Research in India shows that children demand advertised products
Eleven reasons for health problems in India
The dangers of re-heating, over-cooking, micro-waving and re-frying
How food affects our brain and personality
The chemicals we ingest in food
How toxins leach into food from packaging
Trackbacks
- Chowchowbath.com blog » Blog Archive » Noodles and Energy drinks - ruling the roost worldwide and in Bengaluru
- the Chowchowbath.com blog » Blog Archive » Noodles and Energy drinks - ruling the roost worldwide and in Bengaluru
- Which of these Maggi u like most ? - Digit Technology Discussion Forum - Tech Discussion Forums in India
A wide angle view of India 
Can i get more information on health aswell as nutritional aspect of atta noodles
Binod, there isn’t any other place as far as I know. Atta noodles are peculiar to India and India has no laws of specifications as to what constitutes atta or whole wheat. So you will not find it in any government handbook. Also as far as I know this aspect has never been written about.
However if you want to check out if a particular Indian product has whole wheat, you can taste various genuine whole wheat products (mostly not Indian except for a few exclusive bakeries) and see the difference between that and the product you want to know about.
Well one of the other dangerous things in maggi is trans fat of 3g. No wonder india is one of the countries which faces the most number of heart attacks
but they do not mention the amount of transfat in Maggie noodles, they are simply mentioning 14.4 grams of fat in 100 grams.. I have started getting cautious recently when doctor told my blood sugar levels are nearing to the border. I started learning importance of a helathy diet for diabetics.
http://www.healthydietfordiabetics.com
Pasta and other things like cupcakes, cookies etc…also contains TRANS FAT (really bad for our health) so i think we should limited that things too not just maggie but also cookies, cupcakes…so we can change the WORLD not just India. Germany, Belgium and France, top most countries-got highest death rate from heart attacks.
I have been acutely aware of this problem for long. Initially in the early 80’s we used to get some real atta noodles in the market (DElhi) but now it has become rarer. Even the whole wheat noodles`we used to get in supermarkets in Mumbai are no longer seen regularly. I have tried making atta noodles and have been moderately successful and am still looking for a good recipe.
For some reason the demand of real atta noodles seems low. At one time one used to get whole wheat pasta here imported. But now you don’t. The shopkeepers tell me that there is no demand. If only more people asked for these products, we will have companies providing them!
Thanks for the info it is high time we got to know good food and junk food
keep up the crusade of information
What about imported pasta that we get nowadays? Is it made of maida too.
You get some imported pastas that are made of whole wheat, Vidhya. Its not widely available but if I get my hands on it, I grab it!
maggi is surely a junk food, involving a lot of maida causing serious problems to the body
your website is saying that MAGGI is harmful for children, but if children donot agree to eat maggi once in blue moon, What should we do?
How about adding lots of vegetables and even cheese, seeds etc to it? 🙂
Atta noodles however do claim to have 10g of proteins per (100g) serving, which is more than a glass of milk. What say thee?
Well, they may have protein, but what else? Milk has calcium too and vitamins as well. Finally its a balance that we have to achieve, or rather, pick the better foods. Sure eating junk once in a while is alright, but I feel more comfortable calling it junk. Thats what bugs me about these so-called atta noodles, that they claim to be nutritious.
Nita, I remember when Maggi was newly introduced in the Indian market and how we kids used to ask our parents to buy them for us. I don’t remember correctly, but they used to have some scheme of sending in x number of wrappers for toys or some kid stuff. The marketing and ads are so insidious that parents have a difficult time saying no. While my mom did use to cook it once a while (it was very rare though), she always added a lot of vegetables to them, and it was never just the noodles by themselves.
Himanshu, I’m not a parent, but the best I can say is to educate oneself and possibly be a little firm with kids? Don’t know if it’s practical 🙂 . The best parents can do is to minimize such junk food, encourage healthy food by setting examples, and involve kids into food preparation. There may be some online parenting groups that share the same concerns, and that could be a place to discuss and exchange ideas, possible solutions etc.
Marion Nestle has written some books on food issues in the US, but with globalization, I’m sure many of the same issues would apply to India too.
I agree, If one cannot convince his kids abt the health hazards of some product, or anything, its of no use becoming a father. remember ur the parent, not the kid. its important to be friendly wit r kids,but at the same time know to draw the line and show them ur still the PARENT,
Himanshu, also found a website with free online book.
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309097134
Maybe Chapters 3 & 4 could be helpful?
The whole wheat foods are not only healthy, but delicious too! Here, we buy only whole wheat bread for us as well as the kids. The kids do not know anything about white bread yet though they may have eaten them probably once in their life. Pasta here is usually made with plain wheat, not whole wheat. But we have started getting whole wheat pasta too and that is what I buy nowadays. I also make sure not to buy any cookies, cakes etc. – the very thought that the number of chemical ingredients (listed on the label) that go into making and preserving them repulses me – instead I try to bake them at home with whole wheat. But occasionally, when the mind gives in to the smell and color, we do buy them. As far as Maggi is concerned, I would buy it for convenience and also the thought that it is Indian. But since I know better now, I will think twice before buying it.
Amit, thanks. 🙂
Wishtobeanon, hi. 🙂 You are lucky that whole wheat stuff is easily available. here a lot of the so-called brown bread is actually made mostly from maida! whole wheat is not easily available and whole wheat pastas are also not available, except in rare instances.
Hi. Yes, and this is one thing among many others which I will definitely miss when we move back.
woaaah…i didnt kno maggi was this harmful ! it used to be my staple diet……USED TO !
wow…thats a very informative article…thanks for writing this !!
You are welcome Tushar. 🙂 – Nita
i was 45 kg earlier……….. after i started to eat maggi i become 60 kg even after iam being 16 yrs…..! so people beware.
Pls clarify how instant noodles like Maggi is harmful to children. Is it the noodles or the tastemaker which is harmful or both ?
The instant noodles are made from maida which itself is a refined food stripped of its natural vitamins. Plus the instant noodles are a processed food and therefore they have chemicals. As for the tastemaker, it may be less harmful than the noodles themselves! Best that you check out the ingredients to see if the tastemaker contains artificial flavours and colours etc. If it does, its harmful.
All refined carbohydrates are unhealthy. They have a high glycemic index and can hence spike your sugar levels.
A lot of processed foods also have trans fats which are terrible for arteries.
The only truly trustworthy atta is aashirwaad atta. Great stuff.
Hi Nita,
I just discovered that the flavour enhancer used – E627 (appears as 627) comes from fish. This makes it non vegetarian. And that’s not all, 627 is a mixture of a chemicals. One of which happens to be MSG.
Another thing, the colour used – E150d (appears as 150d) comes from genetically-modified maize.
This makes it much worse.
Thanks Savio. I am sure that the companies are conning a lot of people here in India and because of a lack of a strong consumer movement all these facts are never brought to light. – Nita.
On wikipedia it says E627 According to Nestle Consumer Services, “the ingredient Flavour enhancer- E627 (Sodium Guanylate) used in [Nestle’s] product is made from vegetarian source i.e. from Tapioca starch. It is not prepared from any non-vegetarian item.”[citation needed]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi_noodles
Wikipedia is not a reliable source. Especially because it says that citation is needed. Many companies in fact run Wikipedia (especially in nations such as India) where many people rely on internet for their knowledge not knowing that Wikipedia always comes up first in Google search and that it can be edited by anyone with an internet connection. This is not to say, Wikipedia is unreliable since it does have useful information and US population is more keen on editing “mistakes” (read stuff added by companies to make them seem legitimate).
Does maggi damage brain cells?I m 20 yr old..I eat maggi almost daily..is it so harmful?
All processed food harms the body in the long run, it depends on how often you eat it. Everyday is bad. It’s not just the chemicals, but also the fact that maggi has almost no nutrients. You are wasting the space in your stomach by filling it with non-nutritious food. You body needs nutrition for all parts of the body, including the brain. – Nita
Hi Nita,
Thanks a lot for the info u have given, really maggi is too dangerous, its published tat it contains no msg, but it has,I have been eating maggi since 23 yrs and my digestive system has gone for toss, now i have stopped completely, now recovering it by only raw diet n lots of juices, even i gained lot of wait,Have to bring awarness on this product.
Dear All
we should stop being paranoid bout Maggi. It is a healthy alternative
First of all,
the main concern of Maida – almost all Indian fast foods are made from maida e.g. Chole Bhatura, Namakpare, Samosa BLAH BLAH… and if you start having these on regular basis then the damage done is far more than what you may have from noodle like MAGGI. Because for one, Indian Junk food is made from Maida but most important they are made in unhealthy unhygienic enviornment often at road side.
So i guess MAGGI is anytime better than the indian fast or junk food.
Besides we have ATTA MAGGI now… it contains WHOLE WHEAT and real vegetable pieces and dietary fiber too….
as for it not being 100% atta (dats not issue, becoz you need some base to give desries shape to the product as maida act as that…. however, i would say that i am not sure, may be it is 100% wheat, but if it’s not… then the reason why the company will do it, would be to maintain the noodle consistency, nothing else. Besides MAGGI ATTA NOODLE taste different from normal ones, which proves that yes! whole wheat is dere
SECONDLY,
Replacing MAGGI as a meal is not recommended, neither does Maggi propagates it. However, when you want a quick food, nothing beats Maggi for being safe, clean and easy to cook.
Nutrition wise maggi not only has Proteins but vitamins and minerals too.
THIRDLY,
MAGGI has no added MSG to it. So anyone who says MAGGI has MSG added to it, is uninformed.
Products like WAI WAI noodles, have MSG in it and they specify it on their packs too.
FOURTHLY,
some guy said, i used to eat maggi, my digestion went for toss, i went fat blah blah.
INACTIVITY not MAGGI is responsible for it.
In simple words, you get fat when amount of calorie you intake is more than what you burn. SO guy stop finding stupid reason and just go walk around and burn some fat.
Can You tell me why does it state NO ADDED MSG rather then NO MSG ADDED. Does it mean the same to you?
Minu, I am not sure whether you mean the grammar. But if you do, yes the latter is more correct. But what is a fact that Indian Law requires all ingredients to be listed and I see no mention of MSG in the ingredients. – Nita.
I would like to add that the author of this article doesn’t specify to replace Maggi as a fast food rather that fast food, including Maggi, is bad for kids. Ask any parent if the Maggi noodles are good for their child and they will say, “NO”. It’s like McDonald’s here in USA. While we know its unhealthy, the parents still feed it to their kids. I think it is the parent’s responsibility and not the manufacturer’s as to what they are feeding their kids. Also, by the last line where the author says to try indian snacks as an alternative, I don’t think the author means that go out there and buy samosas, etc- I think they mean that try out Indian snacks we make at home… Although, I could be wrong here and if that’s the case then I don’t agree with the last line. And the author also adds that once in a blue moon is okay- which is how junk food should be! My little sisters eat carrots, FiberOne bar, and apple as their snack and because my mother have ingrained in them that veggies and fruits are equivalents of “Snack” food, they always ask for cherubs (little tomatoes), and apples when they are hungry in between meals.
thanks………….your response relieved me!!
eow… can you tell me about the harmful chemical found in instant noodles and its effect to our body? thanks^_^
A very informative post 🙂
Hi All
I am a gymmer and health freak to the core. Maggi Noodles is not that bad a product and there is no reason to fear it (till you do not use it as a meal replacement).
1) Maggi is much much better than Indian Street food. Whenever you are going to eat Puris/Chhole Pathhoore/Gol Gappas n all, think Atta maggi cooked with fresh vegetables.
2) Now, i am not sure about regulations but if you are a health freak like me and check each and every ingredient on each and every processed product you buy, you’ll find that Indian products do list the amount of wheat floor and wheat separately. Almost no Indian Brown Bread is actually Wheat bread. Even the best breads in India contain only 20% actual wheat. Try checking this the next time you buy a Bonn/Select Harvest/Britannia bread.
And Nestle Maggi actually lists Wheat (atta) as 80%. There’s go to be something in it.
3)Personal Experience: I have been on multiple tours outside India and on short tours, I take atta maggi packs along. And it works. If I simply eat chicken outside, it leads to constipation and all. 1-2 packs of Atta Maggi on alternate days seem to have supplied me with the required amount of fibre. Otherwise, I always buy Brown Bread abroad that is made from 100% wheat with no preservatives.
4) The amount of Fiber and Protein listed by Nestle for Atta Maggi can come only from a good amount of Atta in maggi. For your own sake, try comparing atta maggi ingredients to Brown Bread ingredients the next time.
The above points under no circumstances should lead you to start eating maggi as a substitute to Fruits/Vegetables and Chapatis. It is just to alleviate fears of people who eat Atta maggi once in a while or on weekends.
Secondly, if you want to eat noodles, always go for atta maggi. It is way ahead of other noodles at least if you are concerned about your health.
Third, I do not recommend noodles (atta or otherwise) for young children. Better go for milk or other home cooked foods.
I am not a dietitian and what I told above is based on my personal experience as I practice highly regulated eating. Each and every product ranging from fruits and vegetables to any processed food I eat has some consequences attributed to it and I can easily relate those consequences to food!
I have helped a no. of people in their lives by recommending proper diet and exercise plans. And I don’t charge for it. For me this is a service to my countrymen.
If you have any queries and you are tired of living an unhealthy life, if you are fat, or if you are too thin, it is time to change your attitude towards life. If you know anyone who has tried almost everything and is just too upset with weight problems, whose body type does not permit him/her to change, please refer them to me.
You can get in touch with me at ramandeep.arora@in.com
HI
its not unhealthy to eat noodles ,chinese ,japanese,koreans and remaining asian consuming noodles most of the days …..they are healthy …..and their life expectancy is 80 where as indian life expectancy 60 so eat noodle be healthy
Older generation Asians are healthier and have longer life expectancies, yes, but not the younger Asians nowadays, who are succumbing to all kinds of lifestyle and obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and heart congestion.
Hmmm. So this article was written 4 years ago. Am sitting in my office, feeling hungy… and thnking of going for Maggi. But then I wanted to check how bad it was for me (have been hearing a lot of stuff). And I read your article. Nice. Am in two-minds now 🙂
Anyways, Page Rank 4 is highly impressive Nita. Good job I say.
It was 6 when I was writing regularly on it. 🙂 – Nita
hey. i have to ask u guys something!! as i’m staying in my college hostel for past 2 years,maggi is the only food that i take … coz our hostel food is not edible!! at first i was taking twice a day(afternoon and night).. but now for past six months i have made it to one time a day!!! still now i’m not suffering from any ill effects!! i dont know what may happen to me at anytime.. i dont have anyother source which can replace maggi as a meal.. so can u please tell me what will be side effects of maggi and please dont tell me that itz just non nutritious thatz all!! coz i need to know the original drawbacks of maggi!! and more i take many sprouted grains as my snacks, fruits etc.. so u need to care about my nutritious content more! i just want to know whether my habit of having maggi and itz future ill effects if so and some alternatives of making something in my hostel room which serves a healthy meal and replacement of maggi if possible!!!
thank you
A wholewheat bread sandwhich, toasted if you like, is far better. Or perhaps dal chawal. roti sabzi. This can be made. Good things cannot be made instantly. If you want instant food then eat Maggi. I have already mentioned that it is devoid of nutrition. – Nita
i love noodles but coz of these problems im missing it to eat
sorry noodles
hi,
would u plz tell me if maggi is harmful for our memory???
thanks for such wonderfull information
Thank you for this detailed and enlightening explanation. I found it very useful. There are write-ups about the unhealthy effects of eating too much maida or even plain white flour. Maida flour is worse because manufacturers add alloxan, a chemical that destroys beta cells in your pancreas. This means the pancreas will be less able to produce insulin. This will cause diabetes.
Hi, that was really superb in content ,
very informative
but a confusion in my mind is why is maida so dangerous. many say it doesn’t have nutrients and it also sticks to your stomach as its gummy in nature. how far its true.
am confused because, where ever you see you will find a maida product, its usage is so wide especially in bakeries. and what about many countries which depend mostly on bakery products?
another query of mine is whether other processed instant foods like porridge, corn flakes and oat meal are also not recommended as they may contain chemicals?
The reason why maida is not good is because it is not a natural food. It is refined, and the outer coverings which contain nutrients and roughage is removed so as to give a smooth powder. Each natural food comes with its own nutrients and should be consumed as it is. What is to be kept in mind is that all food requires nutrients to digest the food and as refined food does not come with its own nutrients, it takes nutrients from the body and other foods. At times stored nutrients and enzymes (enzymes are essential to the body) are taken from the body for use. So not only does refined food take away stored nutrients, by itself it provides no nutrients for use by the body, but it fills the stomach. The body then craves for more food as the body’s nutrient needs are unsatisfied. This can lead to obesity, confusion of hunger signals and nutrient depletion which in the long run can lead to illness and weakness.
In western countries they always used whole wheat traditionally but then later started using maida as it is easier to bake. They have realised their mistake and maida food there like white bread now comes with added nutrients. Ofcourse this is not an ideal situation and there is a huge awareness in western countries even amongst middle class people about the harmful effects of maida. Whole wheat products are freely available in western countries like whole wheat pasta for example, but in India awareness is low.
All processed foods contain chemicals but oatmeal is not that refined and it is healthier than maida. Cornflakes are made of corn and therefore healtheir but yes they do contain chemicals. In today’s modern world all packaged food is full of chemicals. One has to be careful and try and maintain a balance. When it comes to maida, it is really bad, and one should not have a maida food more than once a week, if at all.
As a doctor (who is trying to lose weight), I am HORRIFIED at the 3 gms trans fat comment that someone posted. I have been unable to locate the label which states Trans-fat (or partially Hydrogenated vegetable oil). Whether this is a case of willful mis-information or an iandvertant oversight on the part of the manufacturers, I do not know.
We’ve always been told that high-glycemic foods, due to their immediate post-prandial hypergycemia (and subsequent crashing of blood sugar) are bad for ANYONE who is trying to stay healthy, but THREE GRAMS of trans-fats takes the cake, bakery (and the baker too, he died of atherosclerosis!!!) Thanks a TON for this blog, I’m NEVER eating the stuff again!!
Thanks
Saw this in my reader, thought you were back
I don’t know why this is happening. Old posts being shown in the reader! I guess there is some glitch going on.
This showed up on my wordpress– maybe the blog is auto-promoting your most popular posts.
But since I read, I just wanted to throw in my two cents worth. 🙂 Starting with this– Maggi’s healthy positioning for instant noodles is so unethical and unbelievable that everytime I see it I can’t help but scoff!
Instant noodles (atta, multi-grain, normal) ingredients list have things like regulators, flavour enhancers, thickeners, humectants, colours, stabilizers, anti-oxidants, emulsifiers, flour treatment agents, preservatives and anti-caking agents. There are a total of 136 additives used in the production of instant noodles, 24 of which contain sodium salts (not just regular table salt).
In Singapore (where I live), the government’ health division recently tested 10 samples of instant noodles from three major organizations- all had sodium content of above 1000mg (not including the tastemaker). According to the US FDA (whose estimates are generous as it is) the Recommended Daily Allowance for Sodium for Adults is 2400mg/day. For children the number is probably a LOT less.
Therefore, consumption of instant noodles can easily cause excessive sodium intake as sodium is commonly used in our other daily food as well. And excessive sodium intake is extremely dangerous- as it can lead to kidney stones in the short term, and kidney damage and heart problems in the long term.
In addition to that, there have also been concerns about the leaching of dioxins and other hormone-like substances from the plastic containers of the ‘cup noodle’ format- when hot water is added, the harmful substances could seep into the soup. Plus- if not manufactured properly, instant noodles can also produce oxidised fat and oil while cooking (and oxidised fat is highly toxic for the body).
Oh did I also mention the noodles are deep fried, and then coated in wax to prevent them from sticking together? If you’ve ever looked at the hot water after the noodles have loosened up, you’ll see the wax and oil floating. Also- to keep the noodles springy and nice, manufacturers add propylene glycol (anti-freeze). This is a dangerous and toxic chemical that accumulate in your heart, liver and kidneys and can cause severe damage in the long term, and can even compromise your immune system.
And finally- the tastemakers! Don’t get suckered into using them, they’re swimming in monosodium glutamate (MSG). The noodles won’t list it as such, but like to name it as a “flavour enhancer” that make your masala noodles taste more “Masala-ish” and chicken flavours taste more ‘chicken-y” MSG itself can severely dehydrate and is dangerous for children who play in our Indian heat. Plus MSG can also trigger an allergic reaction in some, which manifests as burning sensations, difficulty breathing, facial flushing or even migraine pains.
Do you really want to feed yourself, let along your children this Junk?
In contrast- Pasta, is just wheat, eggs, water and oil. And you can make it at home.
~deviousDiv
PS: Not making any of this up- I work in the packaged food and ingredients sector, and believe me, I never ever want to eat any of that crap again after I find out what’ in it. Don’t get me started on Sodas. *shudder*
Thanks for your comment Div. Very informative. I hope those who read it start to feel the same way!
I usually throw away the maggi noodles and use only tastemaker for cooking my meals. I use whole wheat speghetti and lots of vegetables. It tastes like maggi noodles and is a lot healthier.
There is another way of doing it. Instead of the maggi tastemaker you can use a bit of the powder from any chinese soup. It won’t taste like Maggi but you will not have to throw away anything and you can keep the remaining soup powder in the fridge and use it later.
is maggi a fast food
Maggi is a processed packaged food, not strictly fast food.
maggi is not a healthy good, its a junk good and we all know very well about maggi
its information is very good and useful . you ought to it information share to all frineds and relationist and introduser………………….
Excellent. Thank you for the post. Finally there’s someone who took the words out of my mouth.