Instant hit: How a war sparked the birth of the noodle craze

vours, coupled with the convenience and low price tag, helped Nissin build a global empire in a few decades. Before the company could shift its sights to India, though, Nestle launched its Maggi brand of noodles here in 1982. By the time Nissin’s Top Ramen attempted to break in, in 1988, it was too late.

India is now the world’s fourth-largest consumer of instant noodles, after China, Indonesia and Vietnam, as per the World Instant Noodles Association. Though Maggi retains the bulk of the market share here, Ando lived to see Nissin become popular worldwide (he died in 2007). But with generations hooked to the taste and convenience of instant-noodle meals, it’s worth asking: How healthy are they?

Well, all instant noodles are flash-fried, unless they specify that they are “air dried” or “non fried”. Instant noodles are calorierich foods, with nearly a third of those calories coming from the fat of the oils they are fried in, and much of the rest coming from the starch of the noodles themselves. Instant noodles are low in protein and fibre, unless specifically fortified. They also contain high sodium levels, with a standard noodle packet containing between 900 mg and 1200 mg of sodium, which corresponds to nearly 60% of the recommended dietary allowance of 2 gm set down by the World Health Organization.

Despite these concerns, the instant noodles market continues to grow. A Swiss company using an invention created by a Taiwanese entrepreneur in Japan, successfully reformulated with local masalas to cater to the Indian audience, has achieved great success. Such is the power of food, even processed and packaged food, to unite people and transcend geography.