Instant noodle soups
Nongshim SHIN Spicy Noodle Soup
2.64 oz/75 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 9
Nongshim SHIN Spicy Noodle Soup scores 9 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Dextrose: 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
-
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 -
Spicy Beef Plant Based Ramen Immi · 24 oz No added sugars · No corn syrup Score 48 out of 100 , 39 points higher -
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 -
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
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
SHIN Spicy Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- Corn syrup minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Sugar minus 10 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 6.7 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 4.4 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 440 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Protein 8 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 91.5 = 8.5 → 9
Can’t score above 79. Contains corn syrup, 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). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 440 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 13.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 6.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 70.7 g |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Added sugars | 1.3 g |
| Fiber | 1.3 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Salt | 4.4 g |
Serving: 1 container (75 g)
Ingredients
- ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON. THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- POTATO STARCH
- PALM OIL
- MODIFIED POTATO STARCH
- DRIED FLAKES (CARROT, SHIITAKE MUSHROOM, GREEN ONION, RED CHILI PEPPER) (not recognized)
- SALT
- MALTODEXTRIN
- ANCHOVY EXTRACT
- BEEF BONE EXTRACT
- BEEF EXTRACT
- BEEF FAT
- BLACK PEPPER
- CITRIC ACID
- CORN SYRUP (high concern)
- DEFATTED SOY FLOUR
- DEXTROSE (high concern)
- DISODIUM GUANYLATE
- DISODIUM INOSINATE
- DISODIUM SUCCINATE (not recognized)
- GARLIC
- GINGER
- GUM ARABIC
- HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN
- 7% HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN
- MUSHROOM
- NATURAL FLAVORS
- ONION
- POTASSIUM CARBONATE
- RED CHILI PEPPER
- RIBOFLAVIN COLOR
- SODIUM CARBONATE
- SODIUM PHOSPHATES
- SOYBEAN SPROUT EXTRACT
- SUGAR (high concern)
- TAPIOCA STARCH
- TOCOPHEROLS (ANTIOXIDANT)
- YEAST EXTRACT
- YELLOW CORN FLOUR
Label text, as published
ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON. THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), POTATO STARCH, PALM OIL, MODIFIED POTATO STARCH, DRIED FLAKES (CARROT, SHIITAKE MUSHROOM, GREEN ONION, RED CHILI PEPPER), SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: ANCHOVY EXTRACT*, BEEF BONE EXTRACT*, BEEF EXTRACT*, BEEF FAT*, BLACK PEPPER*, CITRIC ACID, CORN SYRUP, DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, DEXTROSE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM SUCCINATE, GARLIC*, GINGER*, GUM ARABIC, HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN, 7% HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, MUSHROOM*, NATURAL FLAVORS, ONION*, POTASSIUM CARBONATE, RED CHILI PEPPER*, RIBOFLAVIN COLOR, SODIUM CARBONATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SOYBEAN SPROUT EXTRACT*, SUGAR, TAPIOCA STARCH, TOCOPHEROLS (ANTIOXIDANT), YEAST EXTRACT, YELLOW CORN FLOUR.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Fish
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu