Is Buldak Ramen Healthy? Risks of Eating Spicy Noodles

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Nutritionist Alex Jamal shares if Buldak ramen is healthy & how to make it safer to eat

Co-authored by Alex Jamal and Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: November 13, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Is it bad for you?
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• Specific Health Concerns
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• Making Ramen Healthier
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

Buldak ramen made its debut in 2012, offering deliciously spicy noodle kits for all. Since then, the South Korean noodle brand has taken the world by storm. Recently, many food content creators on TikTok have posted themselves eating Buldak ramen on a daily basis, raising some health concerns. So, is Buldak ramen actually bad for you? Keep reading for a breakdown of this quick and convenient meal, and decide if the tasty pros outweigh the risky cons. Plus, nutritionists, dietitians, and food experts weigh in with their noodle health hacks.

Is Buldak ramen healthy?

Nutritionist Alex Jamal says the ingredients used in Buldak ramen aren’t the best and can cause bloating, but it is mostly fine to eat in moderation as long as the spice amount isn’t too high. Buldak ramen can be unhealthy if eaten regularly, as it contains tons of sodium, fat, and chemicals with no nutritional value.

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Section 1 of 3:

Is Buldak ramen bad for you?

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1. 
   Yes, Buldak ramen is considered to be bad for your health. The ingredients in Buldak ramen not only lack nutritional value, but they’re high in sodium, saturated fats, and harmful additives. The noodles are made out of wheat flour, containing tons of thickeners and preservatives. Buldak ramen can also have very high levels of capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers spicy. Too much capsaicin can lead to stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

   • Jamal says, “I’m not a huge fan of the ingredients [because] some people can have bloating from the type of flour used in the ramen.”
   • However, Jamal adds that Buldak ramen is generally safe to eat as long as the spice or capsaicin levels aren’t too high. He notes that the seasoning comes in a packet, so you can control the amount of spice you want to add.
   • Food authorities in California determined that Buldak products carry trace amounts of lead, a carcinogen, or a toxic chemical that can cause cancer.
     • According to California’s Proposition 65 law, which limits the number of toxic chemicals in our food, Buldak products are legally required to have a warning printed on the packaging about their potential to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
     • On Instagram, @omggotworms posted a now-viral video of him reading the warning labels on a Buldak ramen pack he was about to eat. The video sparked outrage, with many users expressing concern.
   • Research shows that eating Buldak ramen regularly is linked to an increased risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke, and obesity.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Alex Jamal is a nutritionist and certified personal trainer with over 19 years of experience. He creates tailored training plans for men and women.

   Jennifer Lease, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and trained chef. She specializes in a plant-forward approach to applying nutrition information to cooking.

   Dee Dine, CNS, is a certified nutrition specialist and the founder of the food blog Green Smoothie Gourmet. She creates and shares healthy recipes to her community of over 121k followers.

   Thuong Tan is a noodle expert and the founder of Noodelist, a plant-based instant noodle brand. Her mission is to produce premium plant-based moroheiya noodles that are nutrient-dense, texturally pleasing, and environmentally friendly.
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Section 2 of 3:

Exploring Specific Health Concerns

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   Buldak ramen contains very high sodium. Although sodium levels vary by flavor, Buldak ramen is generally high in sodium. For example, one serving of the Buldak Carbonara Hot Chicken contains 1330 mg of sodium. This accounts for about 58% of the recommended daily amount.

   • While salt does play an important role in our bodies when it comes to regulating blood pressure and other functions, a high sodium intake can cause heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, and stroke.
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   High levels of capsaicin in certain flavors can lead to acute poisoning. After about a dozen Danes got sick from eating the extremely spicy Buldak noodles in 2024, Denmark’s National Food Institute looked into the matter. They found that capsaicin levels in the spiciest Buldak flavors were as high as those found in the notoriously spicy Paqui chip, made from Carolina Reaper peppers.

   • Danish authorities recalled some of these Buldak flavors, including Buldak 3x Spicy Hot Chicken, 2x Spicy Hot Chicken, and Hot Chicken Stew.
   • They determined that the noodles’ level of capsaicin could pose a health risk for certain people and lead to acute poisoning.
     • Acute poisoning symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting, usually affecting children and those with certain health issues.
   • Executives at Buldak’s parent company, Samyang, announced that they would look into these claims.
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   A Buldak ramen diet is linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases. A 2014 study published in The Journal of Medicine found that an instant noodle diet is linked to a rise in heart-related conditions, particularly among women. The study followed over 10,000 South Koreans, who make up the largest instant noodle-eating population in the world. Researchers found that women who ate ramen twice a week had a 68% chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, or stroke.
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Section 3 of 3:

How to Make Ramen Healthier

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   Add protein and veggies for a more well-rounded meal. There are lots of ways to spruce up your ramen. Registered dietitian and trained chef Jennifer Lease, RD, CDN, suggests that you “add veggies to your ramen” for a more “balanced” and “nutritious” meal. She shares that the “fiber in the veggies” can keep you feeling full and satisfied longer than you would otherwise. Nutrition and vegan food specialist Dee Dine, CNS, says to eat the noodles with “a low-sodium bone broth” for added nutrients, like collagen, magnesium, and vitamin K.

   • Noodle expert Thuong Tan describes her preferred way of giving her noodles a boost: “While the water is boiling, I crack two eggs in it.”
   • Tan also encourages you to work with what you already have. She adds in “whatever [she] finds from [her] fridge,” like “leftover grilled chicken” or “shrimp.”
   • If your diet is plant-based, try adding in some tofu or tempeh.
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   Don’t use the entire seasoning packet. To reduce the amount of sodium you’re slurping up, use about half of the seasoning packet. Then, enhance the flavor of your dish with herbs and natural spices. “Spices and dried herbs are great ways to add tons of flavor to a dish without needing to use as much salt,” Lease explains. “Using fresh herbs” as well as “fresh citrus zest and juice” are other ways to increase flavor without increasing salt. She notes that certain cooking methods, like “roasting or sauteing with olive oil and garlic,” can help create flavor bombs.
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   Eat Buldak ramen in moderation. Greek foodie philosopher Epicurus once said, "Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.” When it comes to Buldak ramen, he may have been right! While indulging in oodles of instant noodles regularly is not advised, enjoying a bowl of Buldak once in a while should be fine. Tan agrees with this sentiment, stating, “My go-to piece of advice is to eat everything in moderation.” She adds that you simply “do extra exercise,” which sounds both reasonable and doable.

   • When you do indulge, stay hydrated. Drinking water can help tame the heat, cool down your body temperature if you start sweating, and help you digest the noodles better.
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