Taking some of the guilt out of the guilty pleasure.

As one of the cheapest ways to fill yourself up, instant ramen has long been a great ally to otherwise-would-be-starving students with little to no income. So it might seem a little surprising that Nissin’s newest addition to its popular Cup Noodle Line is called Cup Noodle Pro.

However, the “Pro” isn’t short for “professional,” but for “protein,” and this new version of the perennial guilty pleasure aims to make a cup of instant ramen a healthier choice.

The marque change is more protein, achieved by using a higher-protein version of Nissin’s beloved “mystery meat” (don’t worry, there’s a perfectly palatable solution to the mystery). That change boosts the protein content to 15 grams, and new noodles with more dietary fiber translate to a 50-percent reduction in carbs too for the Cup Noodle Pro.

Two different flavors will be on offer, with the standard Cup Noodle Pro boasting a new soy-based broth with an extra black pepper kick. Aside from the mystery meat, the toppings are minced pork, shrimp, egg, and green onion.

There’s also the Seafood Cup Noodle Pro with a hybrid pork/fish stock broth, squid, imitation crab, egg, cabbage, and green onion which also provides 15 grams of protein and half the carbs of ordinary Cup Noodles.

Both Cup Noodle Pros go on sale April 5, priced at 206 yen (US$2). And while they may not be the paradigm of lean protein that, say, a steamed chicken salad would be, if you were planning on eating a bunch of instant ramen anyway (as we always are), this is at least a more nutritious way to do it.

Source: Nissin via Entabe
Top image: Nissin
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