Did you know a woman named Tammy ate raw pasta for over 30 years, and she lost her teeth and self-confidence because of this? Just like Tammy, there are several people around the world who indulge in eating raw pasta and noodles, probably due to their crunchiness.
While eating it once in a blue moon is alright, it must not be made into a habit as it can potentially harm your health. If you also enjoy snacking on raw pasta and noodles, this article is an eye-opener.
Moreover, we have also shared some details on instant noodles and how to cook pasta and noodles appropriately. So, without further ado, let us begin.
Should You Eat Raw Pasta And Noodles?
You can consume raw noodles and pasta in small amounts. However, it is not healthy for you. It may disturb your intestines and cause ailments, inflammation, and dietary problems.
Raw flour isn’t treated to eliminate or kill microorganisms in most cases. And even the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says not to consume raw pasta.
To know why you should not eat them, read the points below.
1. Bacterial Infection
When pasta and noodles are not stored appropriately, they can carry bacteria and other microorganisms.
So, when you eat them raw, they can lead to bacterial infection.
There is zero probability of bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella occurring in pasta and noodles. But sometimes, when exposed to moisture, they can carry microorganisms.
In the case of E.coli, it can make your intestinal walls weak and can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach ache-like issues.
Salmonella infection occurs by chance in your body. Within 72 hours, it might cause fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Diarrhea can lead to dehydration, and many life-threatening diseases can also develop as the infection keeps budding inside your intestine.
2. Hard to digest
Problematic digestion can degrade your colon condition and lead to pain, flatulence, and cramps.
Eating cooked pasta makes it easier for your intestine to churn down the food.
However, consuming them in raw form can cause stomach aches because it is difficult for your intestine to process the food since the starch is present.
3. Anti-nutrients create a harmful impact.
Eating raw pasta can lead to the consumption of anti-nutrients. Majorly lectins and phytates.
Lectins can cause malnutrition as it prevents your body from consuming healthy nutrients. It can also cause digestive disorders like abdominal pain and diarrhea. You may also feel nausea.
Phytates present in raw pasta and noodles can impair your mineral (iron, zinc, and calcium) absorption. Thus, it may lead to a mineral deficiency.
Basically, when you don’t have healthy food, then this anti-nutrient can lead to dietary issues (this all can happen if you consume them in an inappropriate amount)
However, phytates have a few advantages as they may lower your cholesterol.
4. Food poisoning
When you consume dried spaghetti, it does not offer a major risk of food poisoning as the lack of moisture in the pasta prevents bacteria from growing.
But, if you let it get wet or moist, bacteria can thrive and cause food poisoning.
Once you encounter food poisoning, you can experience the following symptoms:
- Upset stomach
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
5. It may damage your teeth.
As dry pasta and noodles are hard and have complex and rough textures, they can give your teeth hard times in chewing.
Consuming a large amount of dry pasta can damage your enamel. Also, if you don’t chew pasta or spaghetti properly, you will eventually swallow portions with sharp edges and pointy ends.
As a result, this could puncture your intestinal tract at any point.
Why are instant noodles bad?
Recently, instant noodles have been in high demand. They have gained significant popularity because of their ease of preparation and budget-friendly yet tasty food options.
But there is a huge argument in the market as they are unhealthy and may harm your body.
So, is it true? Is it genuinely unhealthy?
Sadly, the answer is yes. Instant noodles are bad for your body as they are loaded with a high amount of sodium and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Eating a high amount of sodium can lead to high blood pressure problems and can also risk your heart health.
Did you know it roughly takes 2 hours or more to digest instant noodles?
Furthermore, they have fewer fibers and proteins. Thus, you can gain more weight as they will make you feel less fueled.
Quick noodles are high in fat, carbs, sodium, and micronutrients, negatively impacting your body.
MSG, which helps to make your noodles taste extra tasty, is another element that makes it a harmful food as they are used in high amounts.
Although it is safe to ingest, studies still reveal that a high intake of msg has been associated with obesity, metabolic issues, neurotoxic effects, Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, and reproductive organ damage.
As a result, eating quick noodles on a regular basis may have a negative impact on your body.
It was all about instant noodles. However, do you want to know the best way to eat pasta or noodles? Let’s go on to the next section to discover more about it.
What is the appropriate way to eat noodles and pasta?
As mentioned earlier, the best way to eat pasta and noodles is to boil them and cook them well.
Now that you know all the cons of consuming raw pasta and noodles, you must avoid eating them raw.
Let’s learn how to boil noodles or paste appropriately!
First, take the saucepan and pour water and salt into it. Then boil it for 1 or 2 minutes. After that, you can add pasta or your noodles to it.
Second, you have to keep on boiling it for 8-12 minutes (depending on the type of pasta, boiling time can vary). You have to make sure the pasta or noodle’s white center part has disappeared.
Well, there is a particular stage in the process of boiling pasta and noodles that is called “al dente.” This word’s literal translation is “to the tooth” in Italian.
It means when you bite into cooked pasta, it has a supple but hard and chewy texture, and if you skip the al dente stage, your pasta will get mushy and soft.
So make sure to reach the al dente stage while boiling, and your work is done.
Dry pasta vs. Fresh pasta, which is better?
When it comes to fresh pasta, it’s prepared with durum wheat flour, water, and eggs. You should cook fresh pasta straight away and use it in butter sauce because it won’t remain fresh.
Note: If you want to use it later, make sure to keep it in the fridge.
Well, dry pasta is made of flour, water, and flour. It has a tough texture. It can be stored and eaten whenever you want. You just have to boil them before adding them to your dish.
Which pasta is better solely depends on your choice. It doesn’t really matter. If you want to make tomato-based pasta go for dry pasta, and if you like buttery sauce, go for fresh pasta.
However, some people love dry pasta over fresh pasta because it is convenient and easy to make.
FAQs
Can you eat 2-minute noodles raw?
While the 2-minute raw noodles might seem like a quick snack, it is best to cook them as consuming raw noodles can cause health issues in the short and long run. So go ahead and cook them, it’ll only take 2 minutes.
Can you get worms from eating raw ramen noodles?
Eating raw noodles will not cause worms. That being said, it is not advisable to eat raw ramen noodles as it might lead to food poisoning.
Does raw ramen taste good?
Even though raw ramen tastes good and crunchy, cooking it is recommended to avoid any health consequences.
Well, that’s a wrap!
You can eat raw pasta and noodles. However, consuming them in high amounts can lead to various other problems like stomach aches, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, tooth decay, digestive disorders, and many more.
Therefore, make sure to always consume cooked pasta and noodles, and while boiling, remember to achieve the al dente stage.
If you have any queries related to this, you can share them with us in the comments. And, if you gained knowledge from this piece, do share it with your friends and fam.
