Instant noodles
Nongshim Bowl noodle soup, savory chicken
3.03 oz/86 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Contains artificial flavors
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 9
Nongshim Bowl noodle soup, savory chicken scores 9 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better instant noodles and ramen
-
Savory Miso Ramen Soup Mike's Mighty Good · 2.1 oz/61 g Less saturated fat · No added sugars Score 59 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Ramen Noodle Soup Tapatio · 105 g No added sugars · No seed oils Score 68 out of 100 , 59 points higher -
Ramen soup Koyo · 2 oz/57 g Not ultra-processed · Less saturated fat Score 63 out of 100 , 54 points higher -
Mikes mighty good vegetarian miso ramen soup Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen · 1.6 oz/48 g Not ultra-processed · Less saturated fat Score 65 out of 100 , 56 points higher -
Thai Kitchen, Instant Rice Noodle Soup, Garlic & Vegetable Thai Kitchen · 1.6 oz/45 g Less saturated fat · No added sugars Score 62 out of 100 , 53 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Bowl noodle soup, savory chicken
Ingredients
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Palm oil minus 2.5 points
- Modified starch minus 1.5 points
- Artificial flavors minus 1.5 points
- Disodium guanylate minus 1.5 points
- Disodium inosinate minus 0.5 points
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein minus 0.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 0.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Rice bran oil minus 0.5 points
- Sodium phosphate minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 7 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 4.9 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 419 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Protein 9.3 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 91.5 = 8.5 → 9
Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [16]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 419 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated fat | 7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65.1 g |
| Sugars | 2.3 g |
| Added sugars | 1.5 g |
| Fiber | 2.3 g |
| Protein | 9.3 g |
| Salt | 4.9 g |
Serving: 0.5 BOWL (43 g)
Ingredients
- ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- PALM OIL
- POTATO STARCH
- MODIFIED POTATO STARCH
- SALT
- ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR
- BEEF FAT
- BLACK PEPPER
- CELERY SEED
- CHICKEN BROTH
- CORN STARCH
- DEHYDRATED VEGETABLES (GREEN ONION, PEAS, CORN)
- DEXTROSE (high concern)
- DISODIUM GUANYLATE
- DISODIUM INOSINATE
- DISODIUM SUCCINATE (not recognized)
- GARLIC
- GINGER
- HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN
- MALIC ACID
- MALTODEXTRIN
- MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH
- MUSHROOM
- NATURAL FLAVORS
- ONION
- POTASSIUM CARBONATE
- RADISH EXTRACT
- RED CHILI PEPPER
- RIBOFLAVIN (COLOR)
- RICE BRAN OIL
- SODIUM CARBONATE
- SODIUM PHOSPHATES
- SOYBEANS
- SPICES
- SUGAR (high concern)
- TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN (SOY FLOUR, SOY OIL, SALT, YEAST EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE)
- TOCOPHEROLS (ANTIOXIDANT)
- YEAST EXTRACT
Label text, as published
ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), PALM OIL, POTATO STARCH, MODIFIED POTATO STARCH, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BEEF FAT*, BLACK PEPPER*, CELERY SEED*, CHICKEN BROTH*, CORN STARCH, DEHYDRATED VEGETABLES (GREEN ONION, PEAS, CORN), DEXTROSE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM SUCCINATE, GARLIC*, GINGER*, HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN, MALIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, MUSHROOM*, NATURAL FLAVORS, ONION*, POTASSIUM CARBONATE, RADISH EXTRACT*, RED CHILI PEPPER*, RIBOFLAVIN (COLOR), RICE BRAN OIL, SODIUM CARBONATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SOYBEANS*, SPICES, SUGAR, TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN (SOY FLOUR, SOY OIL, SALT, YEAST EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE), TOCOPHEROLS (ANTIOXIDANT), YEAST EXTRACT.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Celery
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More instant noodles on GoodSwap
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Ramen Noodle Soup Chicken Flavor Maruchan · 85 g Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 15 out of 100 Bad - Instant Lunch, Ramen Noodles With Vegetables, Chicken Maruchan · 2.25 oz/64 g High in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 28 out of 100 Poor
-
Ramen Noodle Soup Maruchan · 3 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 9 out of 100 Bad -
Pancit Canton Lucky Me · 60 g Dye with an EU warning labelContains synthetic dyesUltra-processedHigh in salt Score 12 out of 100 Bad -
Chicken flavor ramen noodle soup Nissin · 3 × 2.25 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 12 out of 100 Bad -
Nissin chicken cup noodles Nissin Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 39 out of 100 Poor
More from Nongshim
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
-
EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org