Ramen is wheat noodles in a seasoned broth, from a restaurant bowl with pork and a soft egg to the instant packet or pot version. Both are safe in pregnancy; the instant kind needs a light hand with the seasoning sachet.
Why it's good in pregnancy
A hot, savoury bowl is often welcome when appetite is low, and instant noodles are made from fortified wheat flour in many countries, so they carry some B vitamins and iron. Dropping in frozen vegetables, a firm-cooked egg or leftover chicken turns a packet into a reasonable meal in five minutes, which counts for a lot on tired days.
Key nutrients
B VitaminsFortified wheat noodles supply thiamin, riboflavin and niacin for energy metabolism.
IronMany instant noodle brands are made with iron-fortified flour, contributing a little towards pregnancy's higher needs.
Serving ideas
Instant ramen with frozen peas, sweetcorn and a hard-boiled egg
Miso ramen with tofu, spinach and spring onion
Chicken ramen with the broth made from low-salt stock
Restaurant tonkotsu with the egg cooked through
Stir-fried ramen noodles with vegetables and sesame
Safety
Safe; use half the seasoning sachet, as one packet can hold most of a day's salt.Ask for the ramen egg cooked through; the jammy-yolk version is lightly cooked.Restaurant broth is fine when served piping hot.
Use half the seasoning sachet or make your own broth with low-salt stock, miso or a splash of soy, since a full packet can contain 1.5 to 2 g of salt and the pot versions more. The classic ramen egg is marinated after a six-minute boil, leaving the yolk jammy, so at a restaurant ask for it hard-boiled or leave it out, unless you are in the UK where Lion-marked eggs are considered safe soft. Choose broth that arrives steaming and skip raw toppings such as bean sprouts or thinly sliced raw garlic if you prefer to be cautious. Add a handful of spinach, sweetcorn or peas and a protein so the bowl does more than fill you up.
Common questions
Can I eat instant noodles while pregnant?Yes, instant noodles are safe; the issue is salt, so use part of the sachet and add vegetables and protein to make them a proper meal.
Is the soft-boiled egg in ramen safe during pregnancy?A jammy ramen egg is lightly cooked, so ask for it hard-boiled or skip it; in the UK, Lion-marked eggs are considered safe even with a runny yolk.
Is Pot Noodle safe in pregnancy?Yes, it is a cooked, shelf-stable product and poses no food-safety risk; it is simply high in salt, so treat it as an occasional quick lunch.
Did you know?
Instant ramen was invented in Japan in 1958 and was originally sold as a luxury item costing several times the price of fresh noodles.
Most of the salt in instant ramen is in the sachet and broth, not the noodles, so draining and sauce-tossing the noodles cuts it dramatically.
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