Ching's Secret Manchow Soup
Published
Ching's Secret Manchow Soup is an instant soup powder built on corn flour, salt and sweeteners, with a fifth of it dehydrated vegetables. It scores EB5: nutrition is lowest because the powder gives almost no protein, ingredients hold up better with a few additives, and risk is highest because of the large amount of sodium. Best as a rare bowl with fresh vegetables.
Ingredients, decoded
16 listed- Corn Flour
- Dehydrated Vegetables (21%)
- Carrot
- Cabbage
- Mushroom
- Iodised Salt
- Dried Glucose Syrup
- Sugar
- Soy Sauce Powder
- Soybean
- Wheat
- Salt
- Dehydrated Garlic
- Flavour Enhancer (INS 635)
- Pepper Powder
- Onion Powder
- Natural Colour (INS 150d)
- Acidity Regulator (INS 260)
- Thickener (INS 415)
- Sunflower Oil
- Anticaking Agent (INS 551)
- Chilli Powder
5½ teaspoons of sugar in every 100 g · 28.4 g total sugar, 5 g a teaspoon
| Energy | 284 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 63.2 g |
| Total sugars | 28.4 g |
| Added sugars | 9 g |
| Total fat | 1.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 6895 mg |
Think this score is wrong?
What to know about Ching's Secret Manchow Soup
A 39 kcal cup carrying half a day's sodium
Ching's Secret Manchow Soup is a 55 g sachet of instant soup powder: corn flour first, then dehydrated vegetables (21%: carrot, cabbage, mushroom), iodised salt, dried glucose syrup, sugar and soy sauce powder, with garlic, pepper, onion, chilli and a few additives. You stir it into 600 ml of water, simmer for 3 minutes, and the pack says it serves four.
One 13.75 g serve of powder has 39 kcal, 0.6 g protein and 948 mg sodium. Per 100 g the powder has 284 kcal, 4.3 g protein, 28 g free sugar and 6,895 mg sodium. The pack prints 47.4% of the daily value for sodium in a single serve.
The front promises real vegetables and no added preservatives, and both agree with the list: vegetables are 21% and no preservative class is named. What the pack does not stress is the salt and the sweet base of corn flour, glucose syrup and sugar. CleanPlate scores it EB5.
Why Ching's Secret Manchow Soup scores EB5
Nutrition is an E: 4.3 g protein per 100 g, mostly from refined corn flour. Ingredients are a B with a short additive list. Risk is a 5, led by 6,895 mg sodium per 100 g.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 4.3 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 284 kcal
01 Nutrition density: why E
Protein is 4.3 g per 100 g, and the largest share comes from corn flour, a refined flour, so it earns little credit. Carbohydrate is 63.2 g per 100 g, with 28.4 g total sugar.
No fibre, vitamins or minerals are declared, so nothing else lifts the grade. One 13.75 g serve gives 39 kcal and 0.6 g protein.
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal. Protein also has to supply at least 12.5% of the calories to count, and 25% for full credit.
Good, few concerning additives
- Base
- Corn Flour
- Main fat
- Sunflower Oil
- Sweeteners
- Dried Glucose Syr..., Sugar
- Additives
- 3
- Flagged
- Caramel Colour (Class IV)
02 Ingredient integrity: why B
The list is short and mostly recognisable: corn flour, dehydrated vegetables at 21%, salt, glucose syrup, sugar, soy sauce powder and spices. No hydrogenated fat is listed, and trans fat is declared as 0 g.
Four additives cost ingredient points: caramel colour 150d, thickener 415 (xanthan gum), anticaking agent 551 and the flavour enhancer 635. Acidity regulator 260 (acetic acid) costs none. There are no label-promise problems.
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
Very high risk
- Added sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 6895 mg
- Saturated fat
- 0.7 g
- Trans fat
- 0 g
03 Load risk: why 5
Sodium is the main driver: 6,895 mg per 100 g, and 948 mg in one serve. It makes up most of the risk number, which lands on the top grade of 5.
Free sugar adds to it. Glucose syrup and sugar are listed, so 28 g per 100 g is counted, even though the pack declares only 9 g added sugar. Energy is 284 kcal per 100 g, and saturated fat is low at 0.7 g, so it plays almost no part.
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
Red flags
- −Red flag: High sugar (28.4g per 100g)
- −Red flag: High sodium (6895mg per 100g)
- −Red flag: Contains Caramel Colour (Class IV)
Green flags
Nothing stands out in its favour.
Does Ching's Secret Manchow Soup live up to its claims?
Real vegetables holds at 21% of the powder, and no preservative is listed. The preparation time differs between the pack front, the directions and the retailer page.
- On the packHolds
“Real Vegetables”
Carrot, cabbage and mushroom are listed together at 21% of the powder, second only to corn flour.
- On the packHolds
“No Added Preservatives”
No preservative is named in the list. The additives present are a colour, a thickener, an anticaking agent, a flavour enhancer and acidity regulator 260.
- On the packBe careful
“Shitake and Black Wood Ear mushrooms”
The back text names these mushrooms, but the ingredient list says only mushroom, within the 21% vegetables.
- On the packBe careful
“Ready in 5 minutes”
The retailer page shows ready in 3 minutes, the pack front shows 5 minutes, and the pack directions say simmer for 3 minutes.
- On the packHolds
“4 Serves”
A 55 g sachet at 13.75 g a serve makes four cups, with 948 mg sodium in each.
What's in Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
Corn flour, vegetables, salt, glucose syrup and sugar lead the list. The salt and the sweet base are what to watch, along with caramel colour.
The ingredient list, read for you
Corn flour leads, so the powder is mostly starch, followed by dehydrated carrot, cabbage and mushroom at 21%. Iodised salt, dried glucose syrup and sugar come next, then soy sauce powder (soybean, wheat, salt) for the savoury flavour.
Garlic, pepper, onion and chilli give the Manchow heat. Caramel colour 150d gives the brown colour, thickener 415 the body, anticaking agent 551 keeps the powder loose, and flavour enhancer 635 boosts taste. Sunflower oil is the only added fat. It contains wheat and soy.
Ingredients to watch
- SodiumConcern
6,895 mg per 100 g of powder. One 13.75 g serve has 948 mg, which the pack prints as 47.4% of the daily value.
- Free sugarWorth watching
28 g per 100 g counted, from glucose syrup and sugar, about 3.8 g per serve. The pack declares 9 g added sugar.
- Caramel colour 150d and other additivesWorth watching
Caramel colour (150d), thickener 415, anticaking agent 551 and flavour enhancer 635 each cost ingredient points.
- Dehydrated vegetablesFine
Carrot, cabbage and mushroom are 21% of the powder, a real share for an instant soup.
- Low in fatFine
1.5 g total fat and 0.7 g saturated fat per 100 g, with 0 g trans fat.
What it doesn’t have
- No fibre, vitamins or minerals are declared on the panel.
- No protein source beyond corn flour and soy sauce powder, so a cup gives under 1 g protein.
Who should eat Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
A rare bowl for most adults, and best avoided by children and anyone watching blood pressure, since one serve has 948 mg sodium.
- Most adultsRarely
One serve has 948 mg sodium, close to half the day's limit.
- ChildrenAvoid
948 mg sodium in a small cup, plus caramel colour and added sweeteners.
- High blood pressureAvoid
A single cup holds 47.4% of the daily sodium value.
- Weight managementRarely
39 kcal a cup is light, but the sodium is very high and it gives under 1 g protein.
Recipes with Ching's Secret Manchow Soup
Use less powder in the same water and add fresh vegetables, egg or tofu. That lowers the sodium per cup and adds the protein the powder lacks.
Manchow with extra vegetables
Add sliced cabbage, carrot and mushrooms to the water, so vegetables count for more than the 21% in the powder.
Half-powder bowl
Use about half the powder per cup, with pepper and a squeeze of lime. Sodium per cup falls well below the 948 mg a full serve gives.
Egg or tofu Manchow
Stir in a beaten egg or cubed tofu for protein, in a cup that has just 0.6 g.
Ching's Secret Manchow Soup: common questions
What is the CleanPlate score of Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
Ching's Secret Manchow Soup is an instant soup powder built on corn flour, salt and sweeteners, with a fifth of it dehydrated vegetables. It scores EB5: nutrition is lowest because the powder gives almost no protein, ingredients hold up better with a few additives, and risk is highest because of the large amount of sodium. Best as a rare bowl with fresh vegetables. Nutrition E, ingredients B, load risk 5; nutrition and ingredients run A to E, risk runs 1 to 5, and A and 1 are best.
How many calories and how much protein are in Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
Per 100 g, Ching's Secret Manchow Soup has 284 kcal, 4.3 g protein, 63.2 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fat and 0.7 g saturated fat. One serve (13.75 g powder, one cup) has 39 kcal and 0.6 g protein.
What are the ingredients in Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
16 ingredients, in label order: Corn Flour, Dehydrated Vegetables (21%) (Carrot, Cabbage, Mushroom), Iodised Salt, Dried Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Soy Sauce Powder (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Dehydrated Garlic, Flavour Enhancer (INS 635), Pepper Powder, Onion Powder, Natural Colour (INS 150d), Acidity Regulator (INS 260), Thickener (INS 415), Sunflower Oil, Anticaking Agent (INS 551), Chilli Powder. Flagged: Caramel Colour (Class IV) (low concern).
Does Ching's Secret Manchow Soup live up to its claims?
5 claims checked: 3 hold, 2 need care. "Shitake and Black Wood Ear mushrooms" needs care: The back text names these mushrooms, but the ingredient list says only mushroom, within the 21% vegetables. "Ready in 5 minutes" needs care: The retailer page shows ready in 3 minutes, the pack front shows 5 minutes, and the pack directions say simmer for 3 minutes.
Who should limit Ching's Secret Manchow Soup?
Most adults: rarely. One serve has 948 mg sodium, close to half the day's limit. Children: avoid. 948 mg sodium in a small cup, plus caramel colour and added sweeteners. High blood pressure: avoid. A single cup holds 47.4% of the daily sodium value.
How much sugar, salt and saturated fat does Ching's Secret Manchow Soup have?
Per 100 g, Ching's Secret Manchow Soup has 9 g added sugar, 6895 mg sodium (about 17.2 g salt) and 0.7 g saturated fat. The FSSAI and UK FSA "high" lines are 10 g added sugar, 600 mg sodium and 5 g saturated fat per 100 g. It is high in sugar and salt.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label. Spotted a mistake? .
Label read on 29 October 2026, from photos of the pack. If the pack has changed since, tell us.
Score history (1)
| Date | Score | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October 2026 | EB5 | v5.0 | History starts here |
Every change to this score is logged. See corrections and the method changelog.
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