Samyang Instant Noodles#66 of 100 in categoryRating 2/5

Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen

Red flags

Red flag: High sodium (914.3mg per 100g)
Red flag: Palm oil listed

Green flags

Green flag: Source of protein (10g)

Ingredients, decoded

2 listed

Noodles (76.7%) (Refined Wheat Flour (67%), Thickener Starch Acetate (E1420), Refined Palm Oil, Wheat Gluten, Edible Common Salt (Iodized), Soy Lecithin (E322), Acidity Regulators (Potassium Carbonate (E501)), Sodium Carbonate (E500), Sodium Phosphate Dibasic (E339), Citric Acid (E330), Thickener (Guar Gum (E412)), Green Tea Flavour (Nature Identical), Riboflavin (E101))
Sauce (22.7%) (Water, Artificial Chicken Flavor, Soy Sauce (Soy Bean, Water, Garlic and Edible Common Salt), Sugar, Chilli Pepper Powder (4.5%), Soybean Oil, Onion, Garlic, Thickener Starch Acetate (E1420), Paprika Oleoresin (E160c(ii)), Black Pepper Powder, Disodium 5'-Ribonucleotide (E635))

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

High saltNutrition per 100 g

ENutritionCIngredients4Risk

Energy400 kcal

Protein10 g

Carbohydrates61.4 g

Total sugars5 g

Added sugars4.3 g

Dietary fibre1.4 g

Total fat12.9 g

Saturated fat5 g

Trans fat0 g

Cholesterol0 mg

Sodium914.3 mg

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

Our take

CleanPlate review

Buldak ramen: 914 mg sodium per 100 g

Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen is a 140 g packet of fried noodles (76.7%) with a chilli chicken-flavour sauce (22.7%). The pack prints a per-serve panel (140 g), converted here to per 100 g.

CleanPlate scores it EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g; its 10 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, soy sauce and sugar), with additives that cost points: sodium phosphates, flavouring, riboflavin and acetylated starch. The 4 for risk comes mainly from sodium (914 mg per 100 g) and saturated fat (5 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

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

On the pack
“HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen”
Holds
The list shows artificial chicken flavour and no chicken; the name says flavour.
On the pack
“Made in Korea”
Holds
The back states country of origin Korea.

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: 10 g
Fibre: 1.4 g
Vitamins and minerals: None declared
Energy: 400 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, Thickener Starch Ace...
Main fat: Noodles, Thickener Star...
Sweeteners: Sauce, Sugar, Chi...
Additives: 7
Flagged: Palm oil
Artificial flavour or colour: Yes

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: 4.3 g
Sodium: 914.3 mg
Saturated fat: 5 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 (76.7%): refined wheat flour (67%), thickener starch acetate (E1420), refined palm oil, wheat gluten, salt, soy lecithin, acidity regulators, thickener (E412), green tea flavour (nature identical) and riboflavin (E101). Sauce (22.7%): water, artificial chicken flavor, soy sauce, sugar, chilli pepper powder (4.5%), soybean oil, onion, garlic, starch, paprika oleoresin, black pepper and flavour enhancer (E635).

Per 100 g: 400 kcal, 12.9 g fat of which 5 g saturated, 5 g sugar of which 4.29 g added, 1.43 g fibre, 10 g protein, 914 mg sodium. The pack prints only a per-serve panel (140 g), so every value is the declared value divided by 1.4. Declared per pack: 560 kcal, 14 g protein, 7 g sugar (6 g added), 18 g fat (7 g saturated), 1,280 mg sodium. The sauce sub-percentages were not fully verified.

Ingredients to watch

SodiumConcern
914 mg per 100 g, about 1,280 mg a pack, which is most of a day's 2,000 mg.
AdditivesWorth watching
Sodium phosphate, flavouring, riboflavin, acetylated starch and a flavour enhancer cost points.
Saturated fatWorth watching
5 g per 100 g from palm oil.
ProteinWorth watching
10 g per 100 g, but it earns no credit at this energy.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "A single pack is one serving"

The pack counts it as one serving: 560 kcal and 1,280 mg sodium.

Myth: "Hot chicken means chicken"

No chicken is listed, only artificial chicken flavour.

How often, and how

Healthy adultsOccasionally
ChildrenRarely
Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Share the pack

Half a packet with vegetables halves the salt.

Use only part of the sauce

The sauce carries most of the sodium.

Common questions

Is Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen healthy?

Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen 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 (914.3mg per 100g); Palm oil listed. On the plus side: Source of protein (10g).

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 Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen should I watch?

Noodles (76.7%) (Refined Wheat Flour (67%), Thickener Starch Acetate (E1420), Refined Palm Oil, Wheat Gluten, Edible Common Salt (Iodized), Soy Lecithin (E322), Acidity Regulators (Potassium Carbonate (E501)), Sodium Carbonate (E500), Sodium Phosphate Dibasic (E339), Citric Acid (E330), Thickener (Guar Gum (E412)), Green Tea Flavour (Nature Identical), Riboflavin (E101)) (Palm oil).

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

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