Table of contents:
- Additives can make children more hyperactive
- Instant noodles are usually high in fat fat
- Children can also develop hypertension
- What if the child is forced to eat instant noodles?
Apart from being easy to obtain, easy to serve, and delicious in taste, instant noodles are one type of food that is widely consumed by both adults and children. Unfortunately, instant noodles are categorized as unhealthy food because they contain a lot of salt, preservatives, and dyes. These ingredients are said to have adverse health effects, but can the same effect occur in children?
Additives can make children more hyperactive
Instant food is a type of food that contains a variety of additives ranging from preservatives to dyes. A study in England found that removing additives (preservatives and dyes) from the food of a group of 3 year olds can reduce the level of hyperactivity of children. Parents report their children to be less hyperactive, in contrast to when preservative foods are included in the child's diet. Based on the results of this study, the researchers concluded that if there were 15% of children who had problems related to hyperactive behavior, eliminating food additives would reduce their prevalence by up to 6%.
The concept of eating patterns to reduce behavioral problems in children gained popularity after in 1970, an allergist Benjamin Feingold, MD, introduced a diet that limits more than 300 types of additives to treat hyperactivity. Since then research on the effects of additives and behavior has been continuously developed.
Instant noodles are usually high in fat fat
Instant noodles and other instant foods are usually high in fat, especially saturated fat. Children actually need fat. Fat functions to form nerve tissue and hormones. The body also needs fat as an energy reserve. Fat in food serves to provide taste and texture, but fat is also high in calories. Excess amount of fat will cause various health problems, mainly because it can lead to weight gain and increased levels of bad fats in the blood.
It is not impossible for children to have high cholesterol. High cholesterol in children, especially can lead to health problems related to the heart in the future. Too much cholesterol can block blood flow to the heart, thereby causing the heart not to get enough oxygen-rich blood. This cholesterol buildup does not occur in a short time. So that if the child already has high cholesterol levels since childhood, it is not impossible that heart attacks and strokes can occur at a relatively young age later.
Children can also develop hypertension
One of the dangers of instant noodles is that they have a relatively high salt content. You try to check what percentage of sodium or sodium levels are in a packet of instant noodles. If this amount is large enough for adults, then for children this amount may exceed the need for sodium and sodium in a day. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 children ages 8 to 17 have high blood pressure. Although the effect is not immediately apparent, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Salt works by making the body hold water out of the body. This excess water then causes high blood pressure and causes stress to the kidneys, arteries, heart, and brain. Too much salt consumption can cause tension in the arteries. To overcome this tension, the muscles in the arteries will then become stronger and thicker. This causes the space in the arteries to become narrower and has an effect on increasing blood pressure.
This process can occur for years until the arteries are unable to cope with the situation, leading to rupture of the blood vessels or obstruction of blood flow due to the narrowing of the arteries. If this happens, the organs that receive blood from the problematic vessels will lack the necessary oxygen and nutrients, which can cause damage or failure of the organs to work.
What if the child is forced to eat instant noodles?
If the child does not have other food choices besides instant noodles, anticipate the dangers of instant noodles by including vegetables and other side dishes in their meal portions. Reduce the portion of instant noodles served, for example, only half a packet and combine it with boiled vegetables. Don't give children too often eat instant noodles or other instant foods.
