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Nisin Chow Mein
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Instant noodles

Nisin Chow Mein

4 oz

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains palm oil
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 8

Nisin Chow Mein scores 8 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Brown sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Caramel color: The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. Regulatory
  3. 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

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Chow Mein

START100

Ingredients

  • Brown sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [4][5][6][7]
  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and non-nutritive sweetener. [8]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 5.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 8 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [9]
  • Salt 2.2 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [10]
  • Energy 451 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Protein 8.9 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 8Bad

100 − 92.5 = 7.5 → 8

Can’t score above 79. Contains brown sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 00070662087237 · 2026-09-21

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy451 kcal
Fat21.2 g
Saturated fat8 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates55.8 g
Sugars5.3 g
Added sugars1.8 g
Fiber2.7 g
Protein8.9 g
Salt2.2 g

Serving: 1 package (113 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), VEGETABLE OIL (PALM OIL, CANOLA OIL), WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF BEEF FAT, BETA CAROTENE COLOR, BROWN SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, CITRIC ACID, DEXTROSE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM SUCCINATE, DRIED BOK CHOY, DRIED CABBAGE FLAKE, DRIED CARROT FLAKE, EGG WHITE, GARLIC POWDER, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, LACTOSE, MALTODEXTRIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, ONION POWDER, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, POWDERED CHICKEN, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM TRIPOLYPHOSPHATE, SOY LECITHIN, SOYBEAN, SUCRALOSE, SUGAR, TBHQ (PRESERVATIVE), VINEGAR, WHEAT.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest instant noodles in the US

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  5. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  6. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  8. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  10. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “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

  11. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  12. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  13. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  14. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  15. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  16. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  17. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  18. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu