Instant noodles, Mala Tang, hamburgers… Every time these foods are mentioned, parents will say:
Eat less junk food!
They are “unhygienic,” “not fresh,” and “not nutritious”!
“It’s all preservatives.”
Actually, these foods are all misunderstood.
(After reading this article, you can eat with peace of mind)
Instant noodles are said to be “junk food” for two main reasons:
Myth 1: Contains a lot of preservatives
Myth 2: No Nutrition
Let’s talk about it one by one.
Truth 1: From pasta to ingredients, instant noodles basically do not use preservatives.
Instant noodle cakes will go through frying or hot air drying during the production process. The vegetable buns are also dehydrated, and their moisture content is very low, so bacteria and mold cannot survive. Survival and growth in such an environment [1].
(Source: Tencent Video)
Sauce packs are generally high in oil and salt, and the high-salt environment itself has a certain antibacterial effect.
The preservatives added in some sauce packages are also within the range of safety standards and will not cause any harm to the body.
Truth 2: Instant noodles are nutritionally similar to dried noodles with brine (sauce).
Let’s take a look at the nutritional content of instant noodles and dried noodles.
Although from the data point of view, instant noodles are higher in fat, calories and sodium than dried noodles.
However, the nutritional ingredients of instant noodles contain various ingredients. Instant noodles can be eaten directly after cooking.
Noodles are just ingredients, and usually need to add seasonings to cook. If the seasoning, brine, sauce, and toppings that need to be added are counted, it is usually similar to instant noodles.
(Source: soogif)
Summary
Instant noodles are not so scary. If you want to be healthier, you can choose non-fried instant noodles first, and put less seasoning packets.
By the way, add some vegetables, eggs and meat, and the nutrition will be more complete.
Canned food is called junk food for two reasons:
Myth 1: It can be stored casually for two or three years, and it must contain a lot of preservatives
Myth 2: No Nutrition
Let’s talk one by one.
Truth 1: Canned food has a long shelf life and relies on strict processing techniques.
After the canned food is canned, it goes through a series of processes such as exhaust, sealing, sterilization, and cooling [2].
During this process, not only will most of the microorganisms in the can be killed, but the can will also become completely sealed, and the outside microorganisms will not be able to enter.
Therefore, canned food can be stored for a long time under normal temperature conditions.
(Source: soogif)
As for the preservatives that many people worry about, rest assured, According to the national standard, such as canned fruit and canned aquatic products, it is not allowed to add preservatives at all.
Only a few types of canned food (bamboo shoots, sauerkraut, mushrooms, nuts, bayberry, canned meat, etc.) can add preservatives, and the content is not high[3].
So, as long as the cans are produced by regular manufacturers and are still in storage, don’t worry!
Truth 2: Canned food is a little less nutritious than fresh food.
As for nutritional issues, although canned food will lose some heat-sensitive nutrients (such as vitamin C, B vitamins, etc.) due to high temperature sterilization.
But overall, the quality and nutritional content of food is better preserved[2].
The only thing to watch out for is this: a lot of cans contain a lot of sugar and salt, don’t eat too much at one time.
(Source: soogif)
Rumor: Frozen food is not nutritious and not fresh after a long time?
Truth: Frozen foods are nutritious and delicious because they freeze fast enough.
Frozen food is all about speed.
Frozen food is the reduction of the core temperature of the food to an extremely low temperature (usually -18°C) for a very short period of time (usually 30 minutes or less) [4 ].
Because of the rapid cooling, the nutritional value of meat or vegetables is not much different from fresh.
This is recognized by many authoritative organizations. For example, the American Heart Association [5], the US Food and Drug Administration [6], the US National Library (NLM) [7], the European Food Information Center (EUFIC) [8].
At the same time, the whole process of cold chain transportation of quick-frozen food is actually safer.
Choose big brands (with guaranteed raw materials), buy them in large supermarkets (with perfect cold chain), and eat them within the shelf life. By doing these three points, quick-frozen food is not only convenient, but also nutritious and delicious.
(Source: soogif)
Rumour: Mala Tang has a strong taste, is unhygienic, and the ingredients are not fresh?
Truth: Mala Tang is well-balanced and healthy.
On the premise of guaranteed quality, Mala Tang can be called healthy fast food.
It is made by putting various ingredients into the bottom of the pot and boiling, so in essence, Mala Tang is a bowl of boiled vegetables and meat with rich ingredients and various flavors.
(Source: soogif)
The combination is reasonable, you can eat vegetables (lettuce, lettuce, chrysanthemum), soy products (tofu, bean skin), meat (fat beef rolls, lunch meat), carbohydrates (instant noodles) , potatoes)…
And these foods aren’t fried yet, which is healthier.
It would be even better if you could choose a soup base with less salt and less oil.
(Source: soogif)
Myth: Burgers are high in calories and nutritionally unbalanced?
Truth: Burgers and Roujiamo have a similar nutritional profile.
Bread, lettuce, patties, cheese slices, and sauces all look like a well-matched meal when taken apart, and together they are what people think of as a high-calorie, nutrient-poor burger.
So, do hamburgers have any nutritional value?
Take a hamburger of a certain brand as an example. This hamburger consists of hamburger embryo, beef patty, cheese slices, lettuce and other ingredients. The nutrients are as follows[9]:
It is not difficult to see that its nutritional structure is very similar to the Roujiamo that we often eat.
And this burger is not particularly high in calories, not as much as 1 bowl of rice (1 bowl of 200 grams of rice, 232 kcal [10]), and the nutritional content is also online .
Although the calorie and nutritional content of different burgers are inconsistent, as long as you choose a style with less frying and less sauce.
(Source: soogif)
Does everyone have a new perspective after knowing the truth about these junk foods?
The negative perceptions about junk food are sometimes just blinded by stereotypes.
Choose food from regular manufacturers, and at the same time make a reasonable mix, so that junk food can also be eaten healthy.
Relieve your worries and eat with confidence!
Reviewer: Yun Wuxin
PhD in Food Engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
References
[1] Wang Yingchun. Investigation and research on instant noodles without adding preservatives [J]. Tianjin Science and Technology, 2014, 41(6):102-103.
[2] Zhao Sujuan, Bao Qin, Liao Qikai. Analysis of Canned Food Industry Status and Production Safety Risk Factors [J]. Journal of Food Safety and Quality Inspection, 2020, 11(22):7.< /p>
[3] National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China. Standard for the use of food additives (GB2760-2014).
[4]Li Zhicheng, Liang Xuyu, Pan Zhenhui, et al. Research status and development trend of quick-frozen food industry[J]. Modern Food, 2020(3):5.
[5]American Heart Association. Fresh, Frozen or Canned Fruits and Vegetables: All Can Be Healthy Choices!
[6]https:https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/are-you-storing-food-safely
[7]U.S. National Library of Medicine. Foods – fresh vs. frozen or canned.
[8]EUFIC. Are there nutritional differences between fresh and frozen berries?
[9]McDonald’s.Cheeseburger[EB/OL].https:https://www.mcdonalds.com.cn/nutrition_calculator, 2022-03-15.
[10] Yang Yuexin. “Chinese Food Composition Table Standard Edition” 6th Edition Volume 1 [M]. Beijing: Peking University Medical Press, 2018.
Editors: Zhao Yanan, Wu Jiaxiang, Ye Zhengxing | Typesetting: Han Ningning
Operation: Li Yongmin | Coordinator: Wu Jiaxiang