Why is Instant Udon Noodle classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The NOVA‑4 classification stems from the presence of refined wheat flour, modified starches, added sugars, and a suite of food‑additive codes such as E100 (turmeric colour), E160c (paprika colour), E322 (lecithin), E330 (citric acid), E412 (guar gum), E415 (xanthan gum), E500 (sodium bicarbonate) and E951 (aspartame), all of which are typical of highly industrially processed foods.

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

With only 2 g of sugars per 100 g, the noodle itself is low in sugar and therefore less likely to spike blood glucose, but the product also contains added salt and sodium from ingredients like salt and sodium bicarbonate, which can contribute to higher sodium intake and should be monitored by individuals with hypertension.

Based on the ingredient list, is Instant Udon Noodle suitable for vegan, gluten‑free, or other strict diets?

The noodle contains wheat flour and wheat gluten, so it is not gluten‑free and is unsuitable for gluten‑intolerant diets. While most listed additives are plant‑based, the presence of margarine (which may be derived from dairy fat) and the potential for animal‑derived processing agents mean the product cannot be confidently labeled as vegan.

Youmi • 227g

Instant Udon Noodle

Cereals And Potatoes

Product Insights

Instant Udon Noodle is a 227 g pack of dried, quick‑cook udon‑style noodles marketed by Youmi. Classified in the PNNS groups “Cereals and potatoes” and “Cereals”, it provides 159 kcal, 28 g carbohydrates, 4.4 g protein, 3.1 g fat (0.8 g saturated) and 2 g sugars per 100 g; the product carries a NOVA‑4 ultra‑processed label and does not display a Nutri‑Score, reflecting limited scoring data. While the low saturated fat and modest sugar content are relatively positive, the formulation relies on multiple food additives (e.g., E100, E160c, E322, E330, E412, E415, E500, E951) and includes added sugars and sodium, making it less suitable for strict clean‑eating diets.

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal159 kcal

Fat3.1 g

Saturated Fat0.8 g

Carbohydrates28 g

Sugars2 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average instant‑noodle profile, this product contains markedly less sugar, fat, saturated fat and calories, but also provides roughly half the protein.

Ingredients

NUDELN: WEREMEHL 63% MANOKSTÄRKE WASSER MODIFIZIERTE STARKE E1420, WENENGLUTEN, SALZ, BACKTRIEBMITTEL E500, STABILISATOR E412, SOBE (MIT ZUCKER UND SÜBUNGSMITTEL: WASSER, SOL, CHILISOBE (MALTOSESIRUP, WENEMEHL CHILPULVER SALZ GESCHMACKSVERSTÄRKER E621, KNOBLAUCH ZWIEBEL SQUASAUCE (SOUMBOHNEN, WIEREN, SALZ GESCHMACKSVERSTÄRKER E621, MARGARINE (PALMOL, SALZ, EMULGATOR E322 (SOA), ANTIOXIDATIONSMITTEL E320 FRUKTOSESIRUP, TOMATENSAUCE SALZ, ZWIEBELN, PFEFFER AROMA PULVER KNOBLAUCH, MASSTARNE, SAUREREGULATOR E330, STABILISATOR E415, CHILHOLEORESIN, FARBSTOFF E100 E160C, ASPARTAM (ENTHALT EINE PHENYLALANINQUELLA KONSERV INSTANT UDON NOEDELS, ZOET-PITTIG / INGREDIENTEN: NOEDELS: TARWEBLOEM 63%, CASSAVEZETMEEL, WATER, GEMODIFICEERD ZETMEEL 51420 SOLE CHILISAIS MALTOSESTROOP. TASWERY OFM POEDER ZOUT SMAAKVERSIONED

84%

35%

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