These Caffeinated Ramen Noodles Are Specifically Made for Gamers

First, there was 5-Hour Energy BBQ sauce. Now, there's another caffeinated meal on the block: Caffeinated Noodles.

In late July, Nippon launched Boost Noodles, a ramen created by a young developer who wanted to solve the age-old problem of how you can eat ramen while also simultaneously participating in an online gaming battle all night. 

Each serving of the ramen contains 35mg of caffeine, roughly a third of a cup of coffee, so while it might keep you going, it's not likely to keep you up past bedtime (unless you're having a few packets at once). It will, however, give you a boost, pun intended, to keep playing, working, or whatever you're doing.

And if you're worried about having to hit the pause button to take a bite, have no fear. The soup comes in a 16mm "sprout pouch" that the company says makes it easy to eat with one hand. If you're unfamiliar with a sprout pouch, think of those packaged gels runners eat on the go or an apple sauce packet you might give to a toddler. Yes, they've put soup in a squeeze pouch.

That "Boost" name is also a pun that works two ways for the soup. As the company explained in its release, Boost means "to strengthen," but it will also "give [you] a boost to your mood" as you eat it. Clever, right?

Each pouch contains 120g of soup, which Nippon says "is just the right amount when you're feeling a bit hungry." If you're worried about a soggy noodle situation — who isn't — the noodles in the packets are made with Konnyaku, which prevents them from stretching or becoming waterlogged. The noodles are also short-cut to ensure maximum slurpability, along with roast pork and bamboo shoots intertwined with what the brand describes as "a jelly-like rich seafood and pork bone soup." 

The soups can also be stored at room temperature for up to 90 days, so you can keep them beside your console whenever for hunger strikes. 

While yes this seems like a fun indulgence, it's actually a rather innovative product that came after a ton of soup-related research. In its "pursuit of deliciousness," Nippon says it made and tasted numerous prototypes and tested the number of noodle lengths to ensure it had created the perfect snack.

Nippon, surprisingly, isn't the first company to show off caffeinated ramen. Last year, Nissin launched a "Gaming Cup of Noodle" and "Gaming  Curry Meshi" that incorporated caffeine, arginine, and niacin to boost gamers' energy levels. However, its offering was in a much less gaming-friendly bowl, so Nippon certainly gains an extra life for this one.