Ching's SecretInstant Noodles#36 of 85 in categoryRating 2.7/5

Ching's Secret Spicy Veg Korean Instant Noodles

Red flags

  • Red flag: Contains TBHQ
  • Red flag: High sodium (1457.5mg per 100g)
  • Red flag: High saturated fat (5.6g)
  • Red flag: Refined flour (maida) base

Green flags

  • Green flag: Source of protein (9.1g)
  • Green flag: Source of fibre

Ingredients, decoded

26 listed
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

CC4

Nutrition per 100 g
CNutritionCIngredients4Risk
VerdictFAIR
Energy446.3 kcal
Protein9.1 g
Carbohydrates65.3 g
Total sugars3.8 g
Added sugars3.3 g
Dietary fibre3.4 g
Total fat16.5 g
Saturated fat5.6 g
Trans fat0 g
Sodium1457.5 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Real chilli heat, and 58% of a day's salt in one pack

Ching's Secret Spicy Veg Korean is a palm-fried maida noodle with a seasoning led by sugar, hydrolysed soy protein, salt, garlic and chilli (9% of the mix), plus a sunflower seasoning oil. The noodle oil, seasoning and seasoning oil all carry TBHQ, and the mix has flavour enhancer 635.

CleanPlate scores it CC4. The C for nutrition reflects modest protein and a little fibre from maida. The C for ingredients reflects maida, palm oil, TBHQ and ten additives. The 4 for risk comes from very high sodium and a fair load of saturated fat.

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • Product name

    “Spicy”

    Holds

    Real chilli is 9% of the seasoning.

  • Product name

    “Veg”

    Be careful

    Veg here means vegetarian. The only vegetables are dried garlic, onion and tomato powder.

  • Product name

    “Korean”

    Be careful

    A flavour style; the seasoning is soy protein, soy sauce powder, garlic and chilli, with no gochujang listed.

How CC4 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
C

Adequate nutrient density

Protein
9.1 g
Fibre
3.4 g
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
446 kcal

Scored on eight nutrients (protein, fibre, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, D and zinc), per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
C

Mixed processing and additives

Base
Noodles: Refined Wheat Flour
Main fat
Refined Palm Oil)
Sweeteners
3 types
Additives
10
Flagged
3 ingredients

Scored on six things: base processing, fat quality, sweeteners, additives, colours and flavours.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
4

High risk

Added sugar
3.3 g
Sodium
1457.5 mg
Saturated fat
5.6 g
Trans fat
0 g

Scored on added sugar, sodium and saturated fat, with a penalty for trans fat.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

The noodle is maida, palm oil with TBHQ, thickeners, gluten, salt, a phosphate, acidity regulator and raising agent. The seasoning is sugar, hydrolysed soy protein, salt, garlic, chilli (9%), soy sauce powder with plain caramel, onion, enhancer 635, flavourings, spices, tomato powder, herbs, anticaking agents and citric acid. A separate sunflower seasoning oil carries TBHQ.

Per 100 g: 446 kcal, 16.5 g fat of which 5.6 g saturated, 1458 mg sodium, 3.3 g added sugar, 9.1 g protein and 3.4 g fibre.

Ingredients to watch

  • SodiumConcern

    1458 mg per 100 g; 1166 mg in one 80 g pack, 58% of the daily limit.

  • TBHQ (319)Concern

    In the noodle oil, the seasoning and the seasoning oil.

  • Palm oilWorth watching

    5.6 g saturated fat per 100 g.

  • Real chilliFine

    9% of the seasoning.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Veg noodles are full of vegetables"

Veg means vegetarian; add your own vegetables.

Myth: "MSG is what makes instant noodles unhealthy"

Flavour enhancers are not the main issue at food levels. The salt matters far more.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsRarely; use part of the seasoning
  • ChildrenRarely; very spicy
  • High blood pressureAvoid

Smarter ways to eat it

Use half the seasoning

Half the sachet and half the oil still give the heat, with half the salt.

Make it a meal

Add an egg, paneer, tofu or boiled chana and a handful of vegetables so the bowl brings protein and fibre, not just refined flour.

Common questions

Is Ching's Secret Spicy Veg Korean Instant Noodles healthy?

Ching's Secret Spicy Veg Korean Instant Noodles scores CC4 (Fair) on CleanPlate, which makes it an occasional-use product, where the concerns start to outweigh the positives. The main concerns are: Contains TBHQ; High sodium (1457.5mg per 100g); High saturated fat (5.6g); Refined flour (maida) base. On the plus side: Source of protein (9.1g); Source of fibre.

What does the CC4 score mean?

The first letter (C) grades nutritional value: adequate nutrient density. The second letter (C) grades ingredient and label integrity: mixed processing and additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.

Which ingredients in Ching's Secret Spicy Veg Korean Instant Noodles should I watch?

Noodles: Refined Wheat Flour (Maida) (Maida), Refined Palm Oil (Antioxidant (INS 319)) (TBHQ), Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Powder [Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Maltodextrin, Iodised Salt] (Maltodextrin), Soy Sauce Powder [Soy Sauce, Maltodextrin, Salt, Colour (INS 150a)] (Maltodextrin), Refined Sunflower Oil (Antioxidant (INS 319)) (TBHQ), Seasoning Oil: Refined Sunflower Oil (Antioxidant (INS 319)) (TBHQ).

Last reviewed September 29, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

Better Instant Noodles

All 85 →