Ramen, the Japanese noodle soup which thousands of broke college kids survive on, is a diverse and regionalized dish. In its most simple form, ramen is noodles combined with flavored broths, meats and/or vegetables, and topped with a boiled egg.
The noodles within the ramen packages are essentially vegan, made from wheat, flour, water and salt. However, the flavoring packets included with the noodles do contain animal products, such as chicken and beef. Consuming the noodles alone could be considered vegan-friendly, but not the flavoring packets. The best healthier and vegan alternative to ramen is Nasoya Pasta Zero Spaghetti.
In this article we’ll take a look at how ramen is made and some of the more popular brands of ramen. We’ll also dive into why ramen is not a healthy food, and then offer some vegan-friendly, and more healthy, brands. Let’s get started!
Contents
Ramen and how it’s made
Ramen is considered a fast food in Japan, with small street vendors providing the warm bowl of noodle soup to passers-by.
There are different types of ramen:
- Shio – This base of clear broth is paired with chicken, fish, or vegetables. It is the lightest of all the ramen varieties and broth is the focal point of the dish.
- Shoyu – Usually made from soy sauce and chicken/vegetable broth, filled with chicken or seafood, (not pork) and is both sweet and salty.
- Miso – Miso paste is a new addition to ramen, and you can tell when it has been added, as the broth becomes “cloudy” instead of clear. Miso ramen has a flavor profile all its own, and can be paired with many foods.
- Tonkotsu – This popular ramen dish in Japan combines either shio or shoyu and boiled pork bone stock.
Why ramen is not healthy for you
Honestly, where to begin? The long list of processed and refined ingredients of the commercial brands of ramen is quite concerning. Let’s take a look at some of these ingredients.
1. Natural flavors
Natural flavors can be considered an “umbrella” term, including both plant and animal-derived flavors. For vegans, staying away from chemically processed foods is vitally important. So “natural flavor” keeps ramen off the vegan list.
2. Palm oil
Palm oil is a plant-derived ingredient, however some vegan organizations still advocate against its use. Palm oil harvesting companies have caused habitat loss and environmental destruction to many species of animals because of their tearing down of rainforests and other areas to build more plantations.
3. tBHQ
In laboratory studies, tBHQ, an additive to preserve foods, has been shown to cause vision disturbances, enlarged livers, convulsions, and even paralysis in laboratory animals.
In addition to some questionable ingredients, the sodium content in just a single serving is well beyond what the recommended daily allowance is for humans. High consumption of such large quantities of sodium can increase the risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.
Brands of ramen / flavors
Maruchan
Founded in 1953 by Kazuo Mori as a frozen fish distributor in Tokyo, the Maruchan company has come a long way from its humble roots. Opened in Irvine, California in 1977, Mori took his fish company into the instant ramen noodle business. Promising ramen which tastes like homemade noodles, the company offers a variety of ramen products.
Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Chicken
Ingredients:
- Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Vegetable Oil (Canola, Cottonseed, Palm)
- Tbhq
- Salt
- Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt)
- Potassium Carbonate
- Sodium (Mono, Hexameta, Tripoly) Phosphate
- Sodium Carbonate
- Turmeric
- Sugar
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Maltodextrin
- Lactose
- Celery Seed
- Hydrolyzed Corn
- Wheat And Soy Protein
- Natural Flavors
- Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic, Onion, Chive)
- Disodium Inosinate
- Disodium Guanylate
- Vegetable Oil (Palm)
- Yeast Extract
- Powdered Cooked Chicken
- Cabbage Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 43 gram/1/2 block noodles with seasoning serving):
- 190 – Calories
- 7 g – Total Fat
- 3.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 830 mg – Sodium
- 26 g – Total Carbohydrate
- <1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 1 g – Sugars
- 4 g – Protein
Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Beef
Ingredients:
- Ramen Noodle Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Cottonseed, Palm)
- Preserved By Tbhq
- Contains Less Than 1% Of:
- Salt
- Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybean, Salt)
- Potassium Carbonate
- Sodium (Mono, Hexameta, And/Or Tripoly) Phosphate
- Sodium Carbonate
- Turmeric
- Soup Base Ingredients:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Contains Less Than 1% Of:
- Maltodextrin
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Lactose
- Dehydrated Soy Sauce (Wheat, Soybeans, Salt)
- Caramel Color
- Spices
- Beef Fat
- Yeast Extract
- Hydrolyzed Corn
- Wheat And Soy Protein
- Dehydrated Vegetables (Onion, Garlic, Chive)
- Natural Flavor
- Disodium Inosinate
- Disodium Guanylate
Nutrition Facts (for 43 gram/1/2 block noodles with seasoning serving):
- 190 – Calories
- 7 g – Total Fat
- 3.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 790 mg – Sodium
- 26 g – Total Carbohydrate
- <1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 1 g – Sugars
- 4 g – Protein
Sanyo Foods
Founded in 1953 in Japan, Sanyo Foods was originally an alcohol distributor. In 1961, the company moved into manufacturing dry and instant noodles. They are credited with offering the first salt-flavored ramen in the industry. The company opened the Sanyo Foods Corporation in Garden Grove, California in 1978.
Sapporo Ichiban Ramen
Ingredients:
- Oriental Noodles: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Palm Oil (Tbhq And Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor)
- Tapioca Starch
- Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate [Preservative])
- Salt
- Guar Gum
- Sodium Carbonate
- Tocopherols
- Potassium Carbonate
- Soup Base: Salt
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Sugar
- Maltodextrin
- Soy Sauce Powder (Soy Sauce [Wheat, Soybeans, Salt] Maltodextrin, Salt)
- Onion Powder
- Leek Chips
- Caramel Color (Contains Sulfites)
- Spices
- Chicken Broth Powder (Maltodextrin, Chicken Broth Flavor [Contains Chicken Broth, Salt, Flavor])
- Beef Stock Powder
- Disodium Succinate
- Malic Acid
- Garlic Powder
- Disodium Inosinate
- Disodium Guanylate
- Corn Oil
- Sodium Citrate
- Sesame Oil
Nutrition Facts (for 100 grams serving):
- 470 – Calories
- 20 g – Total Fat
- 10 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 1870 mg – Sodium
- 63 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 4 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Sugars
- 10 g – Protein
Alternative vegan brands
Nasoya Pasta Zero Spaghetti
Certified gluten-free and vegan, the Nasoya brand of spaghetti noodles is made with shirataki and is also low calorie.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Konjac Flour
- Chickpea Flour
- Potato Starch
- Calcium Hydroxide
- Reduced Iron
- Folic Acid
Nutrition Facts (for ⅔ cup serving):
- 20 – Calories
- 0.5 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Sugars
- 0 g – Protein
Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods
Vegan, Non-GMO, made with solar power (cool!) and free of any oils, Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods products are made with organic, gluten-free and lower sodium ingredients.
Ramen Chicken Soup with Noodles
Ingredients:
- Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour
- Yeast Extracts
- Organic Starch
- Sea Salt
- Organic Corn*
- Onion*
- Garlic*
- Carrot*
- Organic Sugar
- Organic Wheat Gluten
- Organic Lecithin (Soy Or Sunflower)
- Spices
- Spinach*
- Turmeric (Color)
- Lime Powder*
- *Dried
Nutrition Facts (for 50 gram serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 1 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 680 mg – Sodium
- 34 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 2 g – Sugars
- 8 g – Protein
Miracle Noodles
Grain-free, low in carbs, and full of fiber, the products from Miracle Noodles offer plant-based noodle dishes which are Non-GMO, vegan, and organic.
Organic Shirataki Konjac Spaghetti Pasta
Ingredients:
- Water
- Konjac Flour
- Citric Acid
Nutrition Facts (for 3 ounce serving):
- 5 – Calories
- 1 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 3 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Sugars
- 0 g – Protein
Final Thoughts
Ramen noodles, alone with no seasoning added, are considered a vegan-friendly food. However, with so many processed ingredients, a high level of sodium and carbohydrates, and ingredients which go against the vegan standards of “do-no harm,” it cannot be considered a food which is healthy for you, or the animals in nature.
Related Questions
Is ramen gluten free?
Most brands of ramen are made from gluten-containing ingredients, such as wheat. There are options which are made with rice or brown rice, and others from buckwheat. If you are looking for gluten-free alternatives to wheat-containing ramen, look for these alternatives.
Is ramen paleo?
Ramen is not a paleo food, as it is a processed and refined product, containing many artificial ingredients. Ramen, and most noodles, is not a food which is considered to be part of the hunter/gatherer proponent which makes up the paleolithic diet.
Is ramen keto-friendly?
Ramen is not keto-friendly as it is high in carbohydrates and low in fat. Made with enriched wheat flours, the average serving of instant ramen noodles contains between 30-60 grams of carbs.