# How much sodium do I get from my instant noodles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349 "2018-10-22T20:28:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/1 "2018-10-22T20:28:49Z")
Instant noodles are famous for having lots of sodium. I am looking at a Maruchan styrofoam bowl of them right now. It says it is one serving and contains 1280 mg of sodium. Ok, that is a lot. However, for most foods you eat all of the product, but instant noodles are a bit different. The noodles cook in the hot water, you eat the noodles, and then a good bit of water is left behind. No doubt that a large portion (most?) of that sodium stayed in the water and unconsumed. How much sodium am I really eating and how much is dissolved in the water? Is there a way to figure it out? I am betting on the Chemistry majors here. To the mods: Although this might look like a food discussion (some might disagree with these being considered food), but I am definitely looking for a scientific factual answer to a question, so I put it here. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/2 "2018-10-22T21:18:33Z")
If you’re willing to do the experiment, you could weigh the prepared serving, and then weigh the remaining broth. Assuming that the salt saturation will be the same in the cooked noodles as in the broth (likely, since the cooked noodles will be mostly water), it’s then just a matter of proportions. You could double-check this by measuring both the mass and the volume of the remaining broth. Assuming that salt is the primary solute, you could then use the density to find the salt proportion in solution. ---
**Author:** ![doubleminus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@doubleminus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doubleminus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/3 "2018-10-22T21:27:00Z")
This is seemingly another political fight, similar to the low-fat craze with AHA on the wrong side of the facts. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html) > [@](#): > > In a report that undercuts years of public health warnings, a prestigious group convened by > the government says there is no good reason based on health outcomes for many Americans > to drive their sodium consumption down to the very low levels recommended in national > dietary guidelines. > Those levels, 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day, or a little more than half a teaspoon of salt, > were supposed to prevent heart attacks and strokes in people at risk, including anyone older > than 50, blacks and people with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease — a > group that makes up more than half of the American population. > Some influential organizations, including the American Heart Association, have said > everyone, not just those at risk, should aim for that very low sodium level. The heart > association reaffirmed that position in an interview on Monday, even in light of the new > report. > But the new expert committee, commissioned by the Institute of Medicine at the behest of > the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there was no rationale for anyone to > aim for sodium levels below 2,300 milligrams a day. The group examined new evidence that > had emerged since the last such report was issued, in 2005. > “As you go below the 2,300 mark, there is an absence of data in terms of benefit and there > begin to be suggestions in subgroup populations about potential harms,” said Dr. Brian L. > Strom, chairman of the committee and a professor of public health at the University of > Pennsylvania. He explained that the possible harms included increased rates of heart attacks > and an increased risk of death. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2018/08/09/new-study-adds-to-evidence-that-reducing-salt-to-very-low-levels-may-be-dangerous/#3f03411b5622](https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2018/08/09/new-study-adds-to-evidence-that-reducing-salt-to-very-low-levels-may-be-dangerous/#3f03411b5622) > [@](#): > > The new results from PURE result offer no support for very low sodium levels recommended in the guidelines but they do support more moderate reductions from very high levels. An increased cardiovascular risk was only observed in communities where the average intake was greater than 5 g/day. But only about 5% of people in developed countries have sodium intake over 5 g/day. The study found no increase in risk in the communities with sodium levels between 3-5 g/day. > > By contrast, rather than finding a benefit the researchers found an increase in cardiovascular risk in communities with the lowest levels of sodium. This finding supports the perspective of the guideline critics, who propose that lowering sodium, an essential nutrient, below a certain threshold may be dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/4 "2018-10-22T21:32:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If you’re willing to do the experiment, you could weigh the prepared serving, and then weigh the remaining broth. Assuming that the salt saturation will be the same in the cooked noodles as in the broth (likely, since the cooked noodles will be mostly water), it’s then just a matter of proportions. > > You could double-check this by measuring both the mass and the volume of the remaining broth. Assuming that salt is the primary solute, you could then use the density to find the salt proportion in solution. According to the instructions of most ramen packets, you cook the noodles in plain water, and add the seasoning packet at the end, so I think you’d have to weigh the cooked noodles, then add them to the broth, and then weigh them afterward, and account for that tiny amount of broth that stuck. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/5 "2018-10-22T21:34:27Z")
> [@doubleminus](#): > > This is seemingly another political fight, similar to the low-fat craze with AHA on the wrong side of the facts. > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html) What does any of that have to do with the OP’s question? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/6 "2018-10-22T21:52:30Z")
> [@bump](#): > > According to the instructions of most ramen packets, you cook the noodles in plain water, and add the seasoning packet at the end, so I think you’d have to weigh the cooked noodles, then add them to the broth, and then weigh them afterward, and account for that tiny amount of broth that stuck. I thought most **cup** ramen noodles say to pour the flavor packet when you pour the hot water? Anyway, you also need to consider that not all the salt is in the flavor packet - the dry noodles also contain salt. I think the best approximation would be: 1. Measure the amount of hot water you pour in (call it V1) 2. Weigh the contents of the flavor packet. Assume it’s almost all salt. (Call it MF) 3. After eating the noodles, measure the amount of broth left over (V2). 4. Note how much salt the label says it contains. If it’s in grams of sodium, multiply by 2.5 to get the amount of **salt** in grams. Call it MT. The amount of salt left in the broth is approximately MF x (V2 / V1). So the amount of salt you consumed is MT - MF x (V2 / V1). ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/7 "2018-10-22T22:29:43Z")
_blink_ Who are these people who aren’t drinking the broth of their ramen? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/8 "2018-10-22T22:41:03Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > _blink_ Who are these people who aren’t drinking the broth of their ramen? People who love ramen but are making some effort to reduce their sodium intake. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/9 "2018-10-22T22:46:00Z")
To what degree do the noodles taste salty to you? What I do is make low-sodium chicken soup, then add the noodles without the “flavor” pack. I don’t taste much sodium in them. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/10 "2018-10-22T23:40:44Z")
Yes, that number represents a lot of sodium, and if you don’t have the option of limiting the amount of a separate “flavor pack” – i.e.- the stuff is already in the cup with the noodles – then I suspect you’re getting most of the sodium, since a great deal of the broth will be absorbed into the noodles. I love noodles in general and occasionally have a snack of ramen noodles with bits of added chicken or pork and peppers and onions, the particular brand I like weighing in at 1870 mg of sodium which is 78% of the daily value! And in looking at the ingredients, the noodles themselves seem relatively innocuous, but the “soup base” envelope lists the following as the three major ingredients, starting as legally required by the ingredient present in the largest quantity: **salt** , monosodium glutamate, sugar! :eek: From a health standpoint, you may as well climb up on your roof and jump off! So what I do is try to limit my consumption of this snack, and when I do have it, I make it with less than half of the recommended amount of water and add less than half of the soup base, and throw the rest out. The added ingredients of real food provide their own flavor with much less sodium and chemical crap. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/11 "2018-10-23T00:47:25Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > _blink_ Who are these people who aren’t drinking the broth of their ramen? My question exactly. Don’t you eat and drink the whole thing?! I mean, I sometimes make it for just the noodles – in that case, I use half the seasoning packet or less, after dumping out all (or almost all) the water before starting to eat. But, typically, I’d make it as a broth, and every roommate I’ve ever had in college made it as a broth, dumped the packet it, and ate everything, noodles, broth, and all. I had no idea anyone dumped the broth. ---
**Author:** ![doubleminus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@doubleminus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doubleminus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/12 "2018-10-23T02:41:20Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > What does any of that have to do with the OP’s question? This means the salt panic is unwarranted and the package, even if he eats it all is only 1/4 of the best point on the mortality curve (4-5 g per day of sodium depending on physical activity) Sent from my POCOPHONE F1 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/13 "2018-10-23T12:05:23Z")
Yeah, I thought the OP’s behavior was a bit unusual, too (in my younger days when ramen was a common meal for me, I drank the broth, too), but that’s what he does, and that’s what he wanted information on, so that’s what I tried to address. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/14 "2018-10-23T12:28:41Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > My question exactly. Don’t you eat and drink the whole thing?! I mean, I sometimes make it for just the noodles – in that case, I use half the seasoning packet or less, after dumping out all (or almost all) the water before starting to eat. But, typically, I’d make it as a broth, and every roommate I’ve ever had in college made it as a broth, dumped the packet it, and ate everything, noodles, broth, and all. I had no idea anyone dumped the broth. On some packages, the instructions specifically tell you to drain the water (usually _before_ adding the flavour packet). I used to do it your way for years before actually looking at the directions. I think that some ramen noodles are intended (at least by the manufacturer) to be consumed alone, and others as a soup. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/15 "2018-10-23T14:11:21Z")
Oh wow, I never considered drinking what was left over. I guess I assumed it was saltwater with a little bit of spices, so no effective nutrition at all. Since all of my noddle packets are at work and we do not have a scale here, I might not get to do the weighing experiments. However, I like the idea of just looking at volumes. How much volume is it all combined, and then how much volume is left after noodles are gone. Assume the salt is evenly distributed. Maybe I will eat one today and see. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/16 "2018-10-23T14:45:35Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > On some packages, the instructions specifically tell you to drain the water (usually _before_ adding the flavour packet). I used to do it your way for years before actually looking at the directions. I think that some ramen noodles are intended (at least by the manufacturer) to be consumed alone… Technically, the those are instant [yakisoba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakisoba), not ramen. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/17 "2018-10-23T14:51:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh wow, I never considered drinking what was left over. I guess I assumed it was saltwater with a little bit of spices, so no effective nutrition at all. And I was assuming that anyone eating ramen in any form wasn’t looking for effective nutrition, in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/18 "2018-10-23T22:21:24Z")
> [@doubleminus](#): > > This means the salt panic is unwarranted and the package, even if he eats it all is only 1/4 of the best point on the mortality curve (4-5 g per day of sodium depending on physical activity) Once again, _what does that have to do_ with the OP’s question? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/19 "2018-10-23T22:45:25Z")
You could always evaporate the broth and weigh the residue, which is probably mostly the remaining salt. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349/20 "2018-10-24T00:38:06Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > To what degree do the noodles taste salty to you? > > What I do is make low-sodium chicken soup, then add the noodles without the “flavor” pack. I don’t taste much sodium in them. I agree that’s the best way. I tend to use turkey broth, though. Sorry guys, the packets just taste like salt to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-sodium-do-i-get-from-my-instant-noodles/823349.md?page=2)