Experts Agree: This Is The One Processed Food You Should Stop Eating Over 40 (It Causes Abdominal Fat!)

Prepackaged Ramen

"These meals may have been a good source of calories in your twenties, but after the age of 40 you should reconsider making them a regular part of your diet," Richards tells us. "It is fully understood that these meals are full of sodium, which can cause inflammation, bloating, high blood pressure, abdominal fat, and other health concerns." Yikes!

But that's not all. The quality of the carbohydrates is an important factor to consider as well, she explains, noting that this can lead to digestive issues: "This pasta is highly processed and inflammatory which can lead to gut dysbiosis and bloating." Gut dysbiosis is when the bacteria in your GI tract becomes unbalanced, and the symptoms of which are bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach cramps.

Processed noodles like Top Ramen can contribute to weight gain, too. "This high calorie levels can trigger fat retention or accumulation in the belly as the pancreas tends to store more," Komova points out. "Ramen noodles are also low in essential nutrients like proteins and fiber," she says, noting that "lack of these macronutrients in your body can make you eat more, translating to added calories as proteins and fiber enhance fullness feelings, and lower hunger."

Richards agrees. "Because of their ultra-processed nature, the body will process these carbs quickly and store much of them as fat," she says. "You will also find that you are hungry soon after eating, which will leave you eating again and likely overeating on calories overall." And, unlike in college, you can't get away with that snacking quite as easily anymore!

Luckily, there are plenty of healthy alternatives. "I recommend you replace prepacked processed noodles with better alternatives like spiralized vegetables, cabbage noodles, sob noodles, quinoa pasta, black bean noodles, red lentils noodles and whole-wheat pasta," Komova concludes. Yum!