Doctors have warned that fans of a popular type of super-spicy ramen could be at risk of a kidney problem that can lead to blood poisoning.
Packets of thick noodles, which contain a sachet of spicy powder and are cooked in hot water, contain up to half the recommended daily serving of salt in a single meal, warned urologist Dr. David Shusterman.
This high salt content in the product, called Buldak ramen, increases the risk of crystals forming in the kidneys, which can then become stones that damage organs and trigger infections.
If left untreated, kidney infections can spread to the bloodstream, known as septicemia.
The warning comes after content creator Lucy Mourad revealed she had suffered the complication after eating ‘buldak ramen’ noodles every week for six months.
She had been eating Buldak noodles (pictured above)
The warning comes after content creator Lucy Mourad, 24, from Washington state, revealed in a recent TikTok clip that she suffered the complication after eating buldak ramen every week for six months.
She blamed the stones, which led to an emergency room visit and caused excruciating cramps, on the noodles, saying: “Buldak ramen… is a huge contributing factor.”
He added that he had been “eating more and more” of this ramen “for the past few months,” so he suspected the ramen was the culprit.
His symptoms began as agonizing back pain that transferred to the front of his body, as stones formed in his bladder.
He also described noticing blood and small floating objects in his urine.
Dr. Shusterman, based in New York City, warned that the complication could be related to ramen.: ‘It’s possible because processed and canned products are loaded with tons of salt.
“This means that…eating processed foods such as instant noodles, soups, frozen meals, etc., could lead to kidney stone formation.”
Research suggests that there is also a risk that some spices, such as turmeric, may cause kidney stones by significantly increasing levels of a chemical called oxalate in the urine, increasing the risk of crystals forming.
Buldak noodles are gaining popularity globally and in the United States, and its South Korea-based manufacturer, Samyang Foods, said sales hit a record five billion products in mid-June last year.
The ready-to-eat noodles are available in a variety of flavours, including the popular ‘Rakisoba Hot Chicken’ and ‘Carbonara Hot Chicken’.
But the products also contain a huge amount of salt: 1,280 milligrams (mg) per serving.
For comparison, a packet of Lays Salt and Vinegar Crisps contains 590 mg per packet, while a standard ready meal is estimated to contain around 580 mg.
The USDA recommends that people consume no more than 2,300 mg of salt per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon.
Manufacturers are likely to add high levels of salt to enhance the flavor of their products.
Other TikTok users responded to Mourad’s clip detailing the health problems they encountered after eating Buldak noodles.
One user, named Saadiqah, commented: ‘Finally someone is posting the effects. I ended up in the hospital too! And now I also have acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. With a very restrictive diet.
Another, called Jas, added: “It literally happened to me that I had terrible gastritis.” [stomach upset] For two weeks I couldn’t eat.’
About 11 percent of men and six percent of women in the U.S. suffer from kidney stones at least once during their lifetime.
The crystals can be removed by surgery or by a procedure to break up the stones using an instrument inserted into the tube through which urine leaves the body.
Other factors that can cause kidney stones include dehydration, which can cause urine to become more concentrated and form crystals.