With the latest slew of instant noodles that are healthier for us (wholegrain, contains antioxidants, baked and not fried, etc.) WhatIF Foods has decided to up the ante by launching an instant noodle that is both healthy for us and the planet.

Their healthy instant noodles are made with Bambara groundnuts, resulting in a product that is lower in saturated fat, high in plant-protein and delivers substantially more fibre content than comparable brands. It is also packed with flavours that do not make use of MSG, preservatives or artificial colours.

Simply being sustainable isn’t enough. It’s increasingly apparent that we need to restore rather than preserve our planet and by proxy, our bodies. That’s why we founded WhatIF Foods on regenerative principles, the notion that wellbeing is interdependent – we need nature in cities, life in food, and purpose in communities. We re-engineered the entire approach as to how we get food on the table.”

– Christoph Langwallner, CEO of WhatIF Foods

What is the Bambara groundnut?

Bambara groundnut is a resilient food crop which requires minimal water and resources to survive. A crop that thrives in tough conditions and fixes nitrogen back into the soil, thereby replenishing it, the Bambara groundnut is a legume that looks a bit like a round peanut. It is native to West Africa, and introduced as a crop by the Dutch into Southeast Asia.

“What we deliver in BamNut noodles not only nourishes our bodies with nutrients, but it is also made with regenerative crops that nourish the soil in which it is grown. We are also empowering farmers by ensuring them a fair share of profits from climate change -resilient crops. At the same time, we are delivering to consumers a delicious product that is healthy for them,” Christoph added.

WhatIF Foods sources this raw material from crops grown in Africa, Thailand and Indonesia. The hardy legume can grow in poor soil conditions and arid climate, and does not need fertilisers or pesticides to grow. Importantly, Bambara groundnuts deliver balanced macro and micro nutrients, including essential amino acids, two types of essential fatty acids, up to seven minerals and a few B-vitamins.

Where to get the BamNut Noodles

FairPrice Finest will carry a colourful array of the noodles (orange, black, yellow and green) which you can sample in the BamNut Noodbox or buy a box of each flavour.

There are two new flavours: BamNut Pumpkin and BamNut Charcoal to complement the original BamNut noodles and BamNut Moringa noodles. The BamNut Pumpkin noodles come with Cheeky Curry Seasoning, a burst of bold flavours, and the BamNut Charcoal noodles are paired with Shroom Pepper Seasoning, a timeless combination of earthy mushrooms and heat from black pepper.

The BamNut noodles are complimented by their Sweet Hot seasoning for a bit of spice, along with a dash of caramel sweetness that comes from traditional Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce). The Moringa noodles come with Sesame & Garlic seasoning that gives a hint of sesame and a vegetal aroma which may remind you of green tea.

The BamNut NoodBox and all flavours of WhatIF Foods Noodles are exclusively sold at FairPrice Finest for the special price of S$7.90 (usual price is S$8.90) during the months of July and August 2021.

To discover recipes, follow WhatIF Foods on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter, or YouTube, or visit their website.

Images: WhatIF Foods (header) and Shutterstock (Bambara Groundnut)
Video: WhatIF Foods (via YouTube)