Na and K Content and Na/K Ratio of Ramen Dishes Served in Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto City, Japan
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Selection of the Ramen Restaurants and Sampling
2.2. Measurements of Na and K
2.3. Statistics
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
WHO | World Health Organization |
DRIJ | Dietary Reference Intake for Japanese |
References
- Powles, J.; Fahimi, S.; Micha, R.; Khatibzadeh, S.; Shi, P.; Ezzati, M.; Engell, R.E.; Lim, S.S.; Danaei, G.; Mozaffarian, D.; et al. Global, regional and national sodium intakes in 1990 and 2010: A systematic analysis of 24 h urinary sodium excretion and dietary surveys worldwide. BMJ Open 2013, 3, e003733. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- The Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium. Global Effect of Modifiable Risk Factors on Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. N. Engl. J. Med. 2023, 389, 1273–1285. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- WHO. WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction. Available online: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240069985 (accessed on 15 January 2025).
- Monteiro, C.A.; Moubarac, J.C.; Levy, R.B.; Canella, D.S.; Louzada, M.; Cannon, G. Household availability of ultra-processed foods and obesity in nineteen European countries. Public Health Nutr. 2018, 21, 18–26. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Shinozaki, N.; Murakami, K.; Asakura, K.; Masayasu, S.; Sasaki, S. Consumption of highly processed foods in relation to overall diet quality among Japanese adults: A nationwide study. Public Health Nutr. 2023, 26, 1784–1797. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- INTERSALT Cooperative Research Group. INTERSALT: An international study of electrolyte excretion and blood pressure. Results for 24 hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion. BMJ 1988, 297, 319–328. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Zhou, B.F.; Stamler, J.; Dennis, B.; Moag-Stahlberg, A.; Okuda, N.; Robertson, C.; Zhao, L.; Chan, Q.; Elliott, P. Nutrient intakes of middle-aged men and women in China, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States in the late 1990s: The INTERMAP study. J. Hum. Hypertens. 2003, 17, 623–630. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. National Health and Nutrition Survey Japan. 2023. Available online: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10900000/001338334.pdf (accessed on 22 December 2024). (In Japanese).
- Okuda, N.; Okayama, A.; Miura, K.; Yoshita, K.; Saito, S.; Nakagawa, H.; Sakata, K.; Miyagawa, N.; Chan, Q.; Elliott, P.; et al. Food sources of dietary sodium in the Japanese adult population: The international study of macro-/micronutrients and blood pressure (INTERMAP). Eur. J. Nutr. 2017, 56, 1269–1280. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kubo, T. Number of Ramen Restaurants by Prefecture. Available online: https://todo-ran.com/t/kiji/11806 (accessed on 22 December 2024). (In Japanese).
- Statistics Bureau; Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Economic Census. 2021. Available online: https://www.stat.go.jp/data/e-census/2021/kekka/index.html (accessed on 22 December 2024). (In Japanese).
- Matsuzono, K.; Mieno, M.; Fujimoto, S. Ramen restaurant prevalence is associated with stroke mortality in Japan: An ecological study. Nutr. J. 2019, 18, 53. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Sasaki, N.; Fukushi, S.; Ukai, H. On the geographic distribution of salt concentration of “Miso-soup” in Japan. Med. Biol. 1960, 55, 12–15. (In Japanese) [Google Scholar]
- Ono, H.; Ogami, Y.; Ono, A. Changes in Salt Content and Salt Concentration in Soup. Kawasaki Med. Welf. J. 2022, 32, 165–170. (In Japanese) [Google Scholar]
- Aburto, N.J.; Hanson, S.; Gutierrez, H.; Hooper, L.; Elliott, P.; Cappuccio, F.P. Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: Systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ 2013, 346, f1378. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. National Health and Nutrition Survey Japan. 2019. Available online: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_14156.html (accessed on 26 November 2024). (In Japanese).
- Okuda, N.; Okayama, A.; Miura, K.; Yoshita, K.; Miyagawa, N.; Saitoh, S.; Nakagawa, H.; Sakata, K.; Chan, Q.; Elliott, P.; et al. Food Sources of Dietary Potassium in the Adult Japanese Population: The International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Nutrients 2020, 12, 787. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- WHO. Guideline: Sodium Intake for Adults and Children. Available online: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241504836 (accessed on 22 December 2024).
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Dietary Intakes for Japanese. 2025. Available online: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_44138.html (accessed on 22 December 2024). (In Japanese).
- WHO. Guideline: Potassium Intake for Adults and Children. Available online: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/potassium_intake/en/ (accessed on 22 December 2024).
- Asahiya Shuppan Editorial Department. Cooking Techniques of Ramen, 2nd ed.; Asahiya Shuppan: Tokyo, Japan, 2021. (In Japanese) [Google Scholar]
- Neal, B.; Wu, Y.; Feng, X.; Zhang, R.; Zhang, Y.; Shi, J.; Zhang, J.; Tian, M.; Huang, L.; Li, Z.; et al. Effect of Salt Substitution on Cardiovascular Events and Death. N. Engl. J. Med. 2021, 385, 1067–1077. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Yuan, Y.; Jin, A.; Neal, B.; Feng, X.; Qiao, Q.; Wang, H.; Zhang, R.; Li, J.; Duan, P.; Cao, L.; et al. Salt substitution and salt-supply restriction for lowering blood pressure in elderly care facilities: A cluster-randomized trial. Nat. Med. 2023, 29, 973–981. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Greer, R.C.; Marklund, M.; Anderson, C.A.M.; Cobb, L.K.; Dalcin, A.T.; Henry, M.; Appel, L.J. Potassium-Enriched Salt Substitutes as a Means to Lower Blood Pressure: Benefits and Risks. Hypertension 2020, 75, 266–274. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Seto, Y.; Sawada, T.; Endo, K. Salt-reduction Effect of Stock in Miso Soup. J. Cook. Sci. Jpn. 2003, 36, 219–224. (In Japanese) [Google Scholar]
- Okuda, N.; Miura, M.; Itai, K.; Morikawa, T.; Sasaki, J.; Asanuma, T.; Fujii, M.; Okayama, A. Use of Lightly Potassium-Enriched Soy Sauce at Home Reduced Urinary Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2019, 1, 27–36. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Okuda, N.; Higashiyama, A.; Tanno, K.; Yonekura, Y.; Miura, M.; Kuno, H.; Nakajima, T.; Nagahata, T.; Taniguchi, H.; Kosami, K.; et al. Na and K Intake from Lunches Served in a Japanese Company Cafeteria and the Estimated Improvement in the Dietary Na/K Ratio Using Low-Na/K Seasonings and Dairy to Prevent Hypertension. Nutrients 2024, 16, 1433. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Science and Technology Council; Resources Research Subcommittee. Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan; 2020 Edition (8th Revision); National Gazette Sales Cooperative Association: Tokyo, Japan, 2020. (In Japanese) [Google Scholar]
- Takahashi, E.; Sasaki, N.; Takeda, J.; Ito, H. The geographic distribution of cerebral hemorrhage and hypertension in Japan. Hum. Biol. 1957, 29, 139–166. [Google Scholar] [PubMed]
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. National Health and Nutrition Survey Japan. 2010. Available online: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/kenkou/eiyou/h22-houkoku.html (accessed on 26 November 2024). (In Japanese).
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Special Report on Demographic Statistics, Age-Adjusted Death Rates by Prefecture. 2020. Available online: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/jinkou/other/20sibou/index.html (accessed on 22 December 2024). (In Japanese).
- Savica, V.; Bellinghieri, G.; Kopple, J.D. The effect of nutrition on blood pressure. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2010, 30, 365–401. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Type of Broth | p | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicken | Pork Bone | Fish | |||||||
n | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | ||
Type of tare | |||||||||
Soy sauce | 15 | (62.5) | 12 | (66.7) | 6 | (60.0) | 0.192 | 33 | (63.5) |
Salt | 7 | (29.2) | 1 | (5.6) | 3 | (30.0) | 11 | (21.2) | |
Miso | 2 | (8.3) | 5 | (27.8) | 1 | (10.0) | 8 | (15.4) | |
Total | 24 | (100.0) | 18 | (100.0) | 10 | (100.0) | 52 | (100.0) |
Soy Sauce (a) | Salt (b) | Miso (c) | p * | p ** | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(n = 33) | (n = 11) | (n = 8) | a vs. b | b vs. c | a vs. c | |||||
Mean | (SD) | Mean | (SD) | Mean | (SD) | |||||
Soup | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 331 | (50) | 290 | (51) | 329 | (52) | 0.067 | 0.070 | 0.285 | 1.000 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 1.83 | (0.44) | 1.75 | (0.28) | 2.06 | (0.40) | 0.240 | 1.000 | 0.302 | 0.494 |
per serving | 5.95 | (1.23) | 5.10 | (1.46) | 6.76 | (1.61) | 0.034 | 0.223 | 0.031 | 0.398 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 91 | (39) | 107 | (45) | 101 | (29) | 0.467 | 0.725 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
per serving | 294 | (120) | 309 | (138) | 331 | (103) | 0.731 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 16.6 | (11.4) | 13.0 | (6.1) | 15.9 | (9.6) | 0.595 | 0.934 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Topping | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 102 | (56) | 77 | (19) | 114 | (47) | 0.217 | 0.414 | 0.332 | 1.000 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 0.69 | (0.34) | 0.89 | (0.49) | 0.70 | (0.35) | 0.309 | 0.397 | 0.869 | 1.000 |
per serving | 0.60 | (0.27) | 0.64 | (0.36) | 0.81 | (0.63) | 0.332 | 1.000 | 0.888 | 0.418 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 156 | (59) | 201 | (70) | 128 | (40) | 0.029 | 0.110 | 0.033 | 0.681 |
per serving | 145 | (60) | 149 | (49) | 139 | (57) | 0.930 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 3.3 | (2.3) | 3.1 | (1.7) | 3.9 | (2.1) | 0.687 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Total (soup and topping) | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 433 | (72) | 366 | (62) | 443 | (75) | 0.021 | 0.027 | 0.069 | 1.000 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 1.53 | (0.31) | 1.56 | (0.24) | 1.72 | (0.34) | 0.320 | 1.000 | 0.803 | 0.402 |
per serving | 6.55 | (1.29) | 5.74 | (1.41) | 7.57 | (1.83) | 0.026 | 0.309 | 0.022 | 0.216 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 103 | (37) | 127 | (36) | 108 | (26) | 0.165 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
per serving | 439 | (154) | 459 | (126) | 471 | (106) | 0.826 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 11.1 | (4.2) | 9.0 | (3.5) | 11.6 | (5.1) | 0.293 | 0.461 | 0.553 | 1.000 |
Chicken (a) | Pork Bone (b) | Fish (c) | p * | p ** | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(n = 24) | (n = 18) | (n = 10) | a vs. b | b vs. c | a vs. c | |||||
Mean | (SD) | Mean | (SD) | Mean | (SD) | |||||
Soup | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 322 | (55) | 335 | (52) | 298 | (42) | 0.108 | 1.000 | 0.240 | 0.706 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 1.76 | (0.42) | 2.04 | (0.36) | 1.6 | (0.56) | 0.026 | 0.087 | 0.148 | 1.000 |
per serving | 5.57 | (1.26) | 6.80 | (1.36) | 5.09 | (1.01) | 0.006 | 0.011 | 0.004 | 0.944 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 93 | (40) | 86 | (32) | 144 | (79) | 0.001 | 1.000 | 0.042 | 0.109 |
per serving | 290 | (111) | 284 | (110) | 411 | (192) | 0.027 | 1.000 | 0.212 | 0.225 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 14.9 | (7.3) | 19.8 | (13.9) | 9.6 | (5.2) | 0.028 | 0.329 | 0.056 | 0.711 |
Topping | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 85 | (41) | 125 | (61) | 85 | (23) | 0.018 | 0.025 | 0.101 | 1.000 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 0.71 | (0.38) | 0.74 | (0.39) | 0.77 | (0.40) | 0.926 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
per serving | 0.55 | (0.29) | 0.79 | (0.46) | 0.59 | (0.22) | 0.090 | 0.100 | 0.008 | 1.000 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 184.2 | (59.4) | 117.3 | (37.3) | 185.5 | (67.9) | < 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.008 | 1.000 |
per serving | 149.1 | (58.2) | 135.1 | (56.9) | 152.2 | (53.5) | 0.663 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 2.7 | (1.4) | 4.2 | (2.2) | 3.3 | (3.0) | 0.067 | 0.063 | 0.725 | 1.000 |
Total (soup and topping) | ||||||||||
Amount per serving (g) | 407 | (57) | 460 | (91) | 383 | (51) | 0.013 | 0.055 | 0.023 | 1.000 |
NaCl (g) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 1.51 | (0.25) | 1.68 | (0.4) | 1.49 | (0.29) | 0.051 | 0.213 | 0.339 | 1.000 |
per serving | 6.12 | (1.28) | 7.56 | (1.4) | 5.68 | (1.06) | < 0.001 | 0.003 | 0.002 | 1.000 |
K (mg) | ||||||||||
per 100 g | 109.8 | (35.0) | 92.9 | (26.2) | 136.3 | (39.5) | 0.041 | 0.328 | 0.005 | 0.116 |
per serving | 438.8 | (132.3) | 419.6 | (121.0) | 522.3 | (177.9) | 0.164 | 1.000 | 0.197 | 0.344 |
Na/K ratio (mmol/mmol) | 10.0 | (3.1) | 13.2 | (4.8) | 8.2 | (3.8) | 0.004 | 0.036 | 0.006 | 0.661 |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Okuda, N.; Kojima, H.; Nagahata, T.; Okayama, A. Na and K Content and Na/K Ratio of Ramen Dishes Served in Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto City, Japan. Dietetics 2025, 4, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4020021
Okuda N, Kojima H, Nagahata T, Okayama A. Na and K Content and Na/K Ratio of Ramen Dishes Served in Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto City, Japan. Dietetics. 2025; 4(2):21. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4020021
Chicago/Turabian StyleOkuda, Nagako, Hiroko Kojima, Tomomi Nagahata, and Akira Okayama. 2025. "Na and K Content and Na/K Ratio of Ramen Dishes Served in Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto City, Japan" Dietetics 4, no. 2: 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4020021
APA StyleOkuda, N., Kojima, H., Nagahata, T., & Okayama, A. (2025). Na and K Content and Na/K Ratio of Ramen Dishes Served in Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto City, Japan. Dietetics, 4(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4020021