Our post-college selves know that eating oodles of cheap instant noodles can wreak havoc on our insides, but an NPR report reveals that those 69 cent Styrofoam cups pose other dangers, too.
Each day, kids are sent to the hospital with severe burns as a result of the cup's “uniquely troublesome” design. The problem: It's lightweight with an unstable base, making it tip easily. When splashed, the noodles themselves cling to the skin, causing deeper burns.
One doctor interviewed said his most common cases involve small children, often toddlers. I'm no parent, but let's think about it. Tiny kids + really hot soup in flimsy cups = come onnnnnn.
In a study titled “Instant Cup of Soup: Design Flaws Increase Risk of Burns,” the most prone-to-tip brand was Nissin's Cup Noodles, the most popular and one of the cheapest. Short and wide instant noodle bowls found at Asian markets turned out to be much safer bets.
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Dr. David Greenhalgh, who led the study, suggests that companies invert the shape of the cup a la Yoplait's yogurt container. Or you can always buy the instant noodles that come in plastic packets and heat them in a pot, caveman style. Check out our picks here.
Or you can, you know, be careful.
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