Ramen noodles are a wildly popular meal among college students because they are cheap, and preparation is quick and easy, but most skip right past the nutritional information to read the preparation directions.
Ramen noodles consist of a very high sodium and fat count and have very little nutritional value. Each packet contains two servings of noodles, 14 grams of fat and 1,600 milligrams of sodium.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,300 mg of sodium is the maximum amount Americans aged between 2 and 51 years old should consume daily.
Even when they're eating out, students rarely seek out the healthiest options.
"I mostly eat fast food because it's cheap and easy to get," Will Baranski, a 19-year-old history major at the University of Memphis, said. "The average college students don't have the disposable income to spend extra on eating right."
According to a study done by Grubhub, college students are 28 percent less likely to place healthier orders than the average diner.
Many students are unaware of just how quick and easy it can be to make healthier alternatives to the fast food choices they make. Damon Durham, a 20-year-old personal trainer at French Riviera Spa and business management major at the U of M, doesn't doesn't think lack of time should be an excuse not to eat healthy.
"Anyone can spend 30 minutes once a week and cook food in bulk to last them all week," Durham said. "Also, a lot of fast food places are going with healthier options. Just look at the nutrition facts on foods before you buy them and watch out for a lot of fats and sodium."
Spenser Allen, a 19-year-old national strength and conditioning association certified personal trainer and exercises and sports science major, agrees and believes staying away from fast food and looking for other options is a great way to stay in shape.
"Most college students are eating on a budget, but there are great alternatives to fast food such as chicken," Allen said.
He actively searches for grocery store bargains, claiming that one time he purchased a twelve pack of chicken from Kroger for as low as $1.99 a pound.
Exercise is another key component for students to stay in shape. While some may not have the time to make their way to the gym because of school and work, there are still many ways to fit workouts into hectic daily routines.
"If someone does not have time to hit the gym, they do not have an excuse to do jumping jacks, push-ups or other short exercises during the little downtime they have," Durham said. "There is always time in a day too throw in some workouts. The gym is not a necessity."
According to Allen, time management is the best way to work in exercise between school and other obligations.
"The average student needs 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to five days a week," Allen said. "Most students have time to go to the gym whether it is in the morning before classes or if it is in the afternoon when they are watching TV or playing video games."
For Allen, the difference between living a healthy life style and accepting a fast food diet is simply a matter of motivation.
"Most students can get in a fair amount of exercise, but many of them go the opposite direction by eating fast food twice a day," Allen said. "I think one of the biggest contributing factors to student health is being intrinsically motivated, or self motivated. Once you get to the point that you can motivate yourself to follow a diet and exercise, everything else becomes a lot easier."
