Why is Butter Chicken classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

It is NOVA 4 because it is a pre‑cooked, frozen meal that includes processed components such as marinated chicken with soy oil and dextrose, dairy ingredients like butter, cream and yogurt, and a blended spice mix, while the label confirms that no artificial colourings, flavours or flavour enhancers are added.

How does the salt content in Butter Chicken affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With 0.92 g of salt per 100 g (about 2.3 g per 500 g pack), the product provides a moderate sodium load that should be limited by people with hypertension, whereas its low sugar (1.5 g) makes it less of a concern for diabetic patients, though overall calories and saturated‑fat still need to be considered.

Is Butter Chicken suitable for vegan, keto, or gluten‑free diets?

The meal contains chicken, dairy (milk, butter, cream, yogurt) and soy oil, so it is not vegan; its carbohydrate level (14.7 g per 100 g, mainly from rice) exceeds keto limits, but it lists no wheat or gluten‑containing ingredients, making it generally gluten‑free aside from possible cross‑contamination.

Frosta • 500g

Butter Chicken

Composite Foods

Product Insights

Butter Chicken is a 500 g frozen ready‑meal from the Frosta brand, classified as a composite one‑dish meal that combines rice, marinated chicken breast, spinach and a tomato‑butter sauce. It carries a Nutri‑Score of C and is placed in NOVA group 4, indicating an ultra‑processed product that contains added butter, cream, soy oil and several spices but no artificial colourings, flavours or enhancers. Nutritionally it provides 122 kcal, 4.5 g fat (including 2.7 g saturated fat), 5.2 g protein and 0.92 g salt per 100 g, offering moderate protein and low sugar but a relatively high saturated‑fat fraction and the presence of milk and soy allergens.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

moderate

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal122 kcal

Fat4.5 g

Saturated Fat2.7 g

Carbohydrates14.7 g

Sugars1.5 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average frozen meal (sugar 3.57 g, fat 5.94 g, saturated fat 1.94 g, salt 3.55 g per 100 g), this Butter Chicken contains less sugar (1.5 g) and less total fat (4.5 g) and far less salt (0.92 g) but has a higher saturated‑fat content (2.7 g) than typical products.

Ingredients

gegarter Reis 54% (Wasser, Reis, Salz), marinierte gegarte Hähnchenbrust 12% (Hähnchenbrust, Salz, Sojaöl, Dextrose), Wasser, Spinat 8%, _Joghurt_, _Sahne_, Tomatenmark 3%, _Butter_ 3%, Garam Masala (gemahlene Paprika, Kreuzkümmel, Koriander, Kurkuma, Cayennepfeffer, Zimt, Nelken, Kardamom), kandierter Ingwer (Ingwer, Wasser, Zucker), Knoblauch, Sonnenblumenöl, Reisstärke, Salz

84%

35%

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