Instant ramen: An instant success story

When Edwin Starr [demanded to know “War! What is it good for?”]( in 1970, “ramen noodles” was probably not the answer he had in mind. Born out of necessity in 1950s post-war Japan, instant noodles were considered a luxury item when they were first introduced. Now known as a cheap staple for college students or anyone trying to stretch a paycheck or prison commissary fund, instant noodles are known more for being sodium bombs than for their innovative qualities. They are, though, thought of as [a “platform food;”]( everyone from soldiers to chefs to prisoners has tweaked the formula and come up with new ways to enjoy them. Ramen noodles are not only one of the most popular packaged foods on the planet, they’ve been to space. Can a frozen pizza say that? 🐦 [Tweet this]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( [Quartz Obsession] Instant ramen September 06, 2019 A noodle for the masses --------------------------------------------------------------- When Edwin Starr [demanded to know “War! What is it good for?”]( in 1970, “ramen noodles” was probably not the answer he had in mind. Born out of necessity in 1950s post-war Japan, instant noodles were considered a luxury item when they were first introduced. Now known as a cheap staple for college students or anyone trying to stretch a paycheck or prison commissary fund, instant noodles are known more for being sodium bombs than for their innovative qualities. They are, though, thought of as [a “platform food;”]( everyone from soldiers to chefs to prisoners has tweaked the formula and come up with new ways to enjoy them. Ramen noodles are not only one of the most popular packaged foods on the planet, they’ve been to space. Can a frozen pizza say that? 🐦 [Tweet this]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( By the digits [1,820 mg:]( Sodium in one package of chicken-flavored ramen [2,300 mg:]( Sodium recommended per day by the FDA [$1.7 billion:]( US instant noodle market in 2016 [40 billion:]( Servings of instant ramen sold globally in the mid-1990s [100 billion:]( Servings of instant ramen sold globally in 2018 [5,460:]( Possible flavor combinations at the Cup Noodles museum [$25.99:]( Price of a ramen noodle hoodie on Amazon [<$0.30:]( price for a package of noodles [5,000:]( Ramen restaurants in Tokyo [51 m (167 ft):]( Length of the noodles in an average package [$98,000:]( Value of ramen stolen in Fayetteville, Georgia, equivalent to 300,000 meals, in a 2018 noodle heist IRL We’re opening up a members-only event to SF Obsession readers! --------------------------------------------------------------- Come listen to [Quartz reporter Tim Fernholz]( interview the head of business development at Planet, the company operating the world’s largest private constellation of remote-imaging satellites. They’ll discuss how space data is transforming agriculture, defense and other industries. [Register here.]( Want to be invited to all our events? Get [50% off your first year of membership]( with code QZOBSESSION. Origin Story The twisted tale of instant ramen --------------------------------------------------------------- At the end of World War II Japan found itself in the midst of an economic and agricultural disaster. The US, which occupied Japan from 1945 to 1952, [imported large amounts of wheat]( which changed the Japanese diet and found its way onto the [menus of the 45,000]( black market food stalls that fed post-war Tokyo. People lined up for hours to get steaming bowls of wheat noodles in broth—and that’s where Taiwanese-Japanese entrepreneur Momofuku Ando came in. Walking the war-torn streets of Osaka, Ando was stunned to see the never-ending queues for ramen. “I thought, ‘People are willing to go through this much suffering for a bowl of ramen?’” he later [wrote](. The image stuck with him, and several years later, he invented instant noodles. Ando determined that one of the main production challenges was how to flavor his noodles without making them soft since they weren’t meant for on-the-spot consumption. After some experimentation, he developed a method that involved using a watering can to evenly sprinkle broth over the noodles. “This allowed the noodles to soak up the soup on the outer layer,” he [wrote]( in his autobiography, The Story of the Invention of Instant Noodles. “I then dried the noodles so they would keep longer and could be easily prepared with boiling water.” This tedious method eventually [gave way]( to the flavor packet. Ando’s Chikin Ramen was an immediate success, despite the fact that it was [more expensive]( than fresh noodles—people were willing to pay for convenience. Today instant ramen is popular around the world and has even become a [underground currency in US prisons,]( where funding has declined along with food quality. [Read the Quartz Obsession on MSG]( Giphy Quotable “Mankind is noodlekind.” —[Momofuku Ando]( timeline [1958:]( Momofuku Ando founds Nissin and begins selling instant noodles in Japanese supermarkets. [1971:]( Nissin introduces Cup Noodles after Ando sees American businessmen making their noodles in styrofoam cups at work. [1973:]( Nissin launches Cup O’ Noodles in the US. [1994:]( The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum opens in Japan with a price tag of $38 million. [1997:]( The World Instant Noodles Association is established in service to noodle integrity. [1999:]( Cup Noodles Instant Ramen Museum opens in Osaka, Japan. [2004:]( Momofuku, David Chang’s now famous noodle emporium, opens in New York City. [2005:]( Ramen goes to space on the Discovery space shuttle. [2011:]( Cup Noodles Instant Ramen Museum opens in Yokohama, Japan. Giphy Pop quiz South Korea consumes the most instant ramen per capita per year. Vietnam is second place. Which country is third? JapanBrazilMexicoNepal Correct. Incorrect. If your inbox doesn’t support this quiz, find the solution at bottom of email. Have a friend who would enjoy our Obsession with Instant ramen? [ [Forward link to a friend](mailto:?subject=Thought you'd enjoy.&body=Read this Quartz Obsession email – to the email – The way we 🍜 now Fancy ramen --------------------------------------------------------------- Ramen has long been a quick, filling meal in Japan, where in many ramen shops diners purchase a token from a vending machine which they exchange for a steaming bowl of fresh noodles with toppings like pork belly and soft-boiled eggs. Spots like [Ramen Jiro cater to students]( and anyone who wants a lot of food for a modest price. That doesn’t mean that ramen shop noodles are made without care, as the [wonderful 1985 movie Tampopo]( described as a “ramen Western,” and starring a very young Ken Watanabe, lovingly attests. On the fancier end of things, the chef [David Chang opened the first Momofuku]( in 2004, and has since become a culinary juggernaut. Garlic chicken ramen there will run you $17. Quests for the [best bowls of ramen in New York City]( abound, featuring many tiny spaces with long lines. One Japanese chain even offers [individual ramen booths]( for when you need solitude to properly contemplate the bowl of noodles in front of you. If you just want to dress up your microwaved cup, there are lots of options. Anthony Bourdain was partial to [“Korean Army stew,”]( an “unholy mix of ramen, hot dogs (or Vienna sausage), spam, beans, kimchi, and Korean spices.” Korean-American chef Roy Choi has popularized adding [American cheese and an egg](. Kylie Jenner does [an egg with butter and garlic powder](. Brian Reilly of Mecha Noodle Bar [points out]( that Asian markets are “like an entire building devoted to cheap ramen toppings,” beginning with dried shiitake mushrooms that cook with the ramen. Or try [“Orange Porkies,”]( a jailhouse recipe with rice, unsweetened Orange Kool-Aid mix, and pork rinds. Watch this! How ramen is made --------------------------------------------------------------- We’ve come a long way since Momofuku Ando stood over a pile of noodles with a watering can. Bon Appetit visits a Sun Noodles factory to see how they crank out their ramen. Fun fact! Japanese citizens [voted]( instant ramen the most important Japanese innovation of the 20th century in 2000. Ramen beat out karaoke, the Walkman, and Nintendo’s video games. Giphy Million-Dollar Question Is instant ramen really bad for you? --------------------------------------------------------------- Maybe. Instant noodles are high in sodium, but ramen’s bad rap goes beyond excessive salt. [Baylor University]( researchers studied more than 10,000 South Korean adults ages 19-64 and found that those who ate instant noodles of all kinds (not just ramen) twice a week or more were more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that increase the likelihood of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The results were particularly striking among the female study participants. [Snopes]( is quick to point out that this was a single study with limitations, and the results have not been replicated, so it’s probably best to take these results with a grain of salt. On second thought, maybe avoid the salt. Whether you’re a ramen addict or a frugal grocery shopper, there’s no need to cut instant noodles out of your diet entirely. Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard, [told The New York Times]( that moderation is key. “Once or twice a month is not a problem, but a few times a week really is.” For their part, instant noodle industry execs aren’t too concerned. “Consumers tell us that they love the products because of their taste, and they find a lot of comfort in it,” says [Leslie Mohr]( vice president of marketing at Nissin Foods. “It is to a great extent a bit of a guilty pleasure for consumers.” take me down this 🐰 hole! Instant ramen can fill your belly while keeping your wallet full. But can it repair your toilet? [Spoiler alert… probably not](. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko Poll How often do you eat instant ramen? [Click here to vote]( At least weeklyAt least monthlyHaven’t touched the stuff since collegeI’ve never had ramen In yesterday’s poll about [Greenland]( 30% of you said you’re eager to visit, 22% think that vacations require palm trees, and 48% would like to revisit the idea in five years. Correction: Yesterday’s email incorrectly said that Andrew Jackson’s administration tried to purchase Greenland. It was in fact Andrew Johnson, whose secretary of state was William Seward, not Steward. 🤔 [What did you think of today’s email?](mailto:obsession%2Bfeedback@qz.com?cc=&subject=Thoughts%20about%20instant%20ramen&body=) 💡 [What should we obsess over next?](mailto:obsession%2Bideas@qz.com?cc=&subject=Obsess%20over%20this%20next.&body=) [🎲 Show me a random Obsession]( Today’s email was written by [Stacy Conradt]( edited by [Annaliese Griffin]( and produced by [Luiz Romero](. The correct answer to the quiz is Nepal. Enjoying the Quartz Obsession? [Send this link]( to a friend! 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