Does veggie broth make ramen more nutritious?

July 13, 2015 1:12 PM

I've taken to making instant ramen with half veggie broth, half water or thereabouts — improves the taste and texture. But is using broth actually giving me any extra nutrients, or just doubling my dose of sodium? (I'm not deficient of anything, and my diet is otherwise pretty decent, this is just my go-to quick lunch at home)
posted by BlackLeotardFront to Food & Drink (11 answers total)

Response by poster: Quick addition: I consume all the broth in the bowl when I make it this way - when it's just a packet in water, I generally don't.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 1:15 PM on July 13, 2015

are you saying, broth instead of packet, or broth+packet?
posted by entropone at 1:17 PM on July 13, 2015

Response by poster: I'm using broth and packet. I know, it's a lot of sodium. I'm looking into flavoring it with other stuff, but for now that's the recipe.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 1:21 PM on July 13, 2015

Look at the nutrition label on the vegetable broth you're using and see what nutrients it contributes.

(It won't be much, aside from all that sodium. A Google search tells me Swanson's broth has a small amount of vitamin A in it, probably others do too, since broth is generally made with carrots.)
posted by mister pointy at 1:23 PM on July 13, 2015

This is a better way to increase the nutritional value of your instant ramen.
posted by cubby at 1:30 PM on July 13, 2015 [2 favorites]

Store bought? Not really. Homemade? Maybe.

Toss a strip of kombu and/or a couple of dried mushrooms into the boiling water if you want to add flavor but no additional sodium!
posted by divined by radio at 1:36 PM on July 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Well, looks like a pretty clear no. Oh well! Thanks for the help, guys.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 1:55 PM on July 13, 2015

Yes, I came in to suggest kombu too. If you store it right it lasts just about forever and it makes a big difference in flavor plus nutrition. Another similar thing is basically any leafy green like kale or collards or turnip greens. Lately I've been seeing something called "braising mix" in my shmancy grocery store next to the spring mix of hardy greens all washed and ready to go, but they are an assortment of all the things that do very well at being boiled and making the water in the pot into a delicious and nutritious "pot likker" which all right-thinking people prize. You could toss in a handful of those greens and get a similar impact. Or both!
posted by Mizu at 1:58 PM on July 13, 2015

The other thing you can do in a situation that requires the little ramen packet is to make your own.

If you make a batch of real ramen broth, and after you're done reduce it down to a thick, viscous syrup. This syrup can be frozen in ice cube trays. Then it can be reconstituted with the water your noodles are cooking in.

It tastes way better, and the time outlay of an afternoon will pay for a dozen or three little batches of instant ramen ice.

Tastes SOOOO much better than the packet.
posted by furnace.heart at 3:16 PM on July 13, 2015 [4 favorites]

You can get vegetable broth without salt.
posted by amtho at 4:46 PM on July 13, 2015

If you want more nutrition add an egg for a boost of protein. You can let it just sit there and get soft boiled or swirl it around so it gets scrambled up in the broth.
posted by like_neon at 2:20 AM on July 14, 2015