Instant ramen is a cheap and easy to way to get a hot meal on the table—there's no denying that. Its nutritional value, however, is questionable. Here's a trick to make it a little better for you.


Instant Ramen is often fried in palm oil during manufacturing. Palm oil is high in saturated fat and studies have shown that it can raise LDL cholesterol.

When you boil instant ramen, the oil from the noodles is easily visible in the water. If you want to reduce some of the oil you consume from the ramen, try dumping out the oily water and rinsing the noodles, before adding fresh water back in and boiling it again. You can save some time by simultaneously boiling a second kettle of water, then just transferring it in when you're ready.


Double boiling instant ramen won't suddenly make it a health food, but it may help you reduce your intake of saturated fats, which is always a good goal to have.

Update: Some of you have pointed out research that shows saturated fats and LDL cholesterol may not be as bad as previously thought. So take this with a grain of salt (heh)—it can't hurt, of course.

Photo by Alpha.