Nongshim Instant Noodles#62 of 100 in categoryRating 2/5

Nongshim Chapagetti Black Bean Instant Noodles

Red flags

Red flag: High sodium (740mg per 100g)
Red flag: High saturated fat (6.2g)
Red flag: Palm oil listed
Red flag: Contains Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Green flags

Green flag: Source of protein (8.5g)

Ingredients, decoded

4 listed

Noodles (Refined wheat flour, Potato starch, Palm oil (contains antioxidant INS 307b), Salt, Emulsifier (INS 322 (soy)), Sunflower oil, Acidity regulators (INS 501(i), INS 500(i), INS 339(ii)), Colour (INS 101))
Seasoning powder (Seasoning (soybean paste (soybean, wheat), onion, maltodextrin, corn flour, salt, modified tapioca starch (INS 1404), palm oil, refined wheat flour, shrimp), Sugar, Maltodextrin, Colour (INS 150c), Flavour enhancers (INS 621, INS 627, INS 631), Salt)
Mixed vegetable oil (Vegetable oils (rapeseed, onion, olive, corn, sesame, mustard))
Soy vegetable flakes (Textured vegetable protein (soy, wheat gluten), White cabbage, Carrot, Onion)

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

High saltHigh saturated fatHigh calories (over 400 kcal per 100 g)Nutrition per 100 g

ENutritionCIngredients4Risk

Energy447 kcal

Protein8.5 g

Carbohydrates70 g

Total sugars4.1 g

Added sugars2.3 g

Total fat15 g

Saturated fat6.2 g

Trans fat0 g

Sodium740 mg

Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Black bean noodles: 740 mg sodium, caramel colour

Nongshim Chapagetti is a 140 g pack of Korean black bean noodles: fried noodles with a seasoning powder, a mixed vegetable oil sachet and a soy vegetable flake sachet. The panel is printed per 100 g.

CleanPlate scores it EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g; its 8.5 g of protein earns no credit because it is under 2.75 g per 100 kcal. The C for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by noodles, seasoning and sugar), with additives that cost points: caramel colour, sodium phosphates, riboflavin and oxidised starch. The 4 for risk comes mainly from sodium (740 mg per 100 g) and saturated fat (6.2 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

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

Product name
“Chapagetti”
Holds
A black bean (soybean paste) seasoning is in the list.
On the pack
“Instant noodles with black bean flavour”
Be careful
No percentage is declared for the soybean paste.
On the pack
“This package of Chapagetti noodles contains added monosodium L-glutamate.”
Holds
Flavour enhancer INS 621 is in the seasoning list.

How EC4 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

Very low nutrient density

Protein: 8.5 g
Fibre: Not declared
Vitamins and minerals: None declared
Energy: 447 kcal

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.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E

Mixed processing and additives

Base: Noodles, Salt, Emulsifier), S...
Main fat: Noodles, Salt, Emulsifi...
Sweeteners: Seasoning powder,...
Additives: 7
Flagged: Palm oil, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5

High risk

Added sugar: 2.3 g
Sodium: 740 mg
Saturated fat: 6.2 g
Trans fat: 0 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Noodles: refined wheat flour, potato starch, palm oil (antioxidant 307b), salt, emulsifier (322), sunflower oil, acidity regulators, colour (101). Seasoning powder: seasoning (soybean paste, onion, maltodextrin, corn flour, salt, modified tapioca starch, palm oil, wheat flour, shrimp), sugar, maltodextrin, colour (150c), flavour enhancers (621, 627, 631), salt. Mixed vegetable oil. Soy vegetable flakes.

Per 100 g: 447 kcal, 15 g fat of which 6.2 g saturated, 4.1 g sugar of which 2.3 g added, 8.5 g protein, 740 mg sodium. Atwater energy is within 1% of the declared 447 kcal; the macro sum is 93.5 g. The pack contains shrimp; no veg or non-veg mark was seen. Black bean has no percentage.

Ingredients to watch

Caramel colourConcern
Colour 150c (ammonia caramel) costs 4 points on ingredients.
SodiumConcern
740 mg per 100 g, about 1,030 mg a pack.
AdditivesWorth watching
Sodium phosphate, riboflavin, modified starches and three flavour enhancers cost points.
Contains shrimpWorth watching
A non-veg ingredient with no veg mark on the pack.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Black bean noodles are made of black beans"

The seasoning has soybean paste with no percentage declared.

Myth: "A thick noodle is a whole-grain one"

The noodles are refined wheat flour and potato starch.

How often, and how

Healthy adultsOccasionally
ChildrenRarely
Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Add cucumber and an egg

The Korean way, and it adds fibre and protein.

Use half the powder

Cuts the sodium.

Common questions

Is Nongshim Chapagetti Black Bean Instant Noodles healthy?

Nongshim Chapagetti Black Bean Instant Noodles scores EC4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High sodium (740mg per 100g); High saturated fat (6.2g); Palm oil listed; Contains Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). On the plus side: Source of protein (8.5g).

What does the EC4 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low 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 Nongshim Chapagetti Black Bean Instant Noodles should I watch?

Noodles (Refined wheat flour, Potato starch, Palm oil (contains antioxidant INS 307b), Salt, Emulsifier (INS 322 (soy)), Sunflower oil, Acidity regulators (INS 501(i), INS 500(i), INS 339(ii)), Colour (INS 101)) (Palm oil), Seasoning powder (Seasoning (soybean paste (soybean, wheat), onion, maltodextrin, corn flour, salt, modified tapioca starch (INS 1404), palm oil, refined wheat flour, shrimp), Sugar, Maltodextrin, Colour (INS 150c), Flavour enhancers (INS 621, INS 627, INS 631), Salt) (Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)).

Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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