Too much ramen a danger for women: study

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By Lee Han-soo

Eating ramen can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially for women, according to a Baylor University and Harvard study published in the Journal of Nutrition, according to the Washington Post.

the study analyzed the eating habits and health of 11,000 Koreans aged 19 to 64.

It showed that Korean women are highly exposed to the risks of metabolic syndrome because of the large amounts of ramen they eat.

The syndrome can lead to increased blood sugar and high blood pressure, causing a greater risk of diabetes, stroke or heart disease.

But the syndrome was not found in the male subjects, leading scientists to believe the reason is a biological difference between the genders.

Tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), a petroleum industry byproduct used to preserve cheap processed foods such as ramen, was found to be the main cause of metabolic syndrome.

“Although instant noodles are a convenient and delicious food, there could be an increased risk of metabolic syndrome given high sodium, unhealthy saturated fat and glycemic loads,” said Hyun Shin, Harvard School of Public Health doctoral candidate and co-author of the study.