The Consumer Council on Thursday said instant noodles may be convenient and filling, but they're also packed with sodium and fat.

The watchdog said it tested 19 types of pre-packaged fried and non-fried instant noodles and they all had more sodium than an adult should get from a single meal.

It also found that the average total amount of fat in fried noodles was 13 times higher than non-fried noodles – but that both types can be unhealthy.

"For 9 samples, the saturated fat content of 1 whole serving exceeded the adult intake limit per meal, and the sample with the highest total fat and saturated fat contents was in fact a non-fried noodle sample, with fats mainly from seasonings and toppings," the council said.

The body's chief executive, Gilly Wong, advised people to avoid the soup that comes with noodles.

“When you cook it, get rid of the cooking water, [and consume] it with clean water. Reduce or even avoid the consumption of seasonings… and mix it with fresh vegetables and also fresh meat, that will make yourself healthier,” she said.

Wong also said people should pay attention to the fat content of the seasoning for stir noodles, as it is generally higher than that for soup noodles.