Why is Pot Noodle Beef & Tomato flavour classified as ultra-processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

It is listed in NOVA group 4 because the noodle base is refined wheat flour combined with added flavorings, texture agents and several food-industry additives such as citric acid (E330), potassium carbonate (E501i), sodium carbonates (E500), monosodium glutamate (E621), disodium guanylate (E627) and disodium inosinate (E631), all of which give it a highly processed profile.

How does the sugar and salt content in this Pot Noodle affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With only 1.6 g of sugar per 100 g the product adds minimal glucose load, yet the 0.6 g of salt contributes about 10 percent of the WHO daily limit, so it can fit a controlled-carbohydrate plan but may require caution for people monitoring blood pressure.

Based on its ingredient list, is this product suitable for vegan, gluten-free or other strict diets?

Although labelled vegan and vegetarian, it contains wheat flour and soy, making it unsuitable for gluten-free or soy-allergic diets; the presence of palm oil also raises sustainability concerns for some vegans.

Pot Noodle • 90 g

Pot Noodle Beef & Tomato flavour

Cereals And Potatoes

Product Insights

Pot Noodle Beef & Tomato flavour is an instant noodle belonging to the cereals and potatoes group, marketed as a plant-based, vegetarian and vegan convenience meal. It carries a Nutri-Score of C and is classified in NOVA group 4, reflecting its ultra-processed nature with added flavor enhancers, emulsifiers and palm-derived fats. The 100 g serving provides modest energy (141 kcal) and low sugar (1.6 g) and salt (0.6 g), but protein (3.5 g) and fiber (1.2 g) are below average and it contains gluten and soy allergens.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

moderate

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal10468 kcal

Fat5.4 g

Saturated Fat2.6 g

Carbohydrates19 g

Sugars1.6 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with typical instant-noodle averages, this Pot Noodle contains markedly less sugar (1.6 g vs 9 g), fat (5.4 g vs 6.9 g), saturated fat (2.6 g vs 165.8 g), salt (0.6 g vs 2.96 g), calories (141 kcal vs 353 kcal) and carbohydrates (19 g vs 64 g), while also delivering lower protein (3.5 g vs 9.8 g) and fiber (1.2 g vs 5.0 g).

Ingredients

Noodle mix (95%): Dried noodles (70%) [WHEAT flour (contains calcium carbonate iron, niacin, thiamin), palm oil, salt, firming agents (potassium carbonate, sodium carbonates), maltodextrin, WHEAT flour, yeast extract, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), tomatoest (1.2%), sugar, peast, tomato powder (08%), salt, flavourings, palm fat, hydrolysed vegetable protein (SOY), onion powdert potato starch, acid (citric acid), garlic, soy sauce (SOYBEANS, WHEAT), sunflower oil. Sauce sachet (5%): Tomato sauce [water, spirit vinegar, tomato paste' (18%), sugar, e Qurose syrup,salt, modified corn starch].

84%

35%

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