A steaming bowl of oden (關東煮) sold at convenience stores is a popular choice for those braving the cold weather, but the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) yesterday said that one bowl could contain more than half the amount of the recommended daily sodium intake and that overconsumption could harm the body.
Oden, which typically contains meatballs, fish paste balls, tofu and other ingredients boiled in a soy-based broth, is commonly sold at convenience stores and food carts. The cheap meal is especially popular in the winter because many people like to keep warm by drinking the hot broth that comes with the oden.
However, a bowl of oden that contains four types of ingredients, 300g of broth and one packet of sauce could contain as much as 1,500mg of sodium, which is 63 percent of the recommended daily sodium intake as set by the Department of Health.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
“Oden that contains many artificially processed foods typically contains more sodium than oden with non-processed ingredients,” commission section chief Wu Cheng-hsueh (吳政學) said.
The oden broth is also a source of high sodium. Drinking 300g of the soup could cause a person to inadvertently consume as much as 600mg of sodium.
Another convenience store snack that contains too much sodium is hot dogs, which could amount to as much as 600mg of sodium for the hot dog, buns and condiments, Wu said.
A packet of soy sauce contains 145mg of sodium while a packet of relish contains 98mg. Ketchup, oden sauce and sweet-and-spicy sauce contain 87mg, 80.9mg and 177mg of sodium respectively, the commission said.
The commission said that excessive consumption of sodium, which is usually caused by eating too much processed or artificially flavored foods, or adding too much salt or soy sauce to meals, could increase risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Overconsumption of sodium can also damage the liver and kidneys.
Wu said that convenience stores selling unpackaged heated foods such as oden and hot dogs are currently not required by law to label the foods with nutrition facts, so consumers are unaware of the amount of sodium they are consuming each time they purchase meals at the stores.
However, after meeting with the nation’s four major convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, Family Mart, OK Mart and Hi-Life — the commission has convinced the stores to agree to display nutrition facts for unpackaged heated foods in their stores.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS