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Entry № 001 · Instant Noodles
Schezwan Instant Noodles

Schezwan Instant Noodles

Ching's Secret · 240g

Ching's Secret Schezwan Instant Noodles are marketed as a 'desi Chinese' quick meal with spicy Schezwan flavor, but belong to **NOVA group 4** (ultra-processed) due to wheat flour base, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and multiple additives like INS 501(i), 503(ii), 1521. Typical nutrition shows high energy (~450 kcal/100g), **excess sodium ~1800-2200mg/100g** (exceeding WHO <2000mg/day), and palm oil contributing to saturated fats.

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Processing tierFat profileSodiumSugar loadMarketing deceptionRegulatory history
§ A · Six-axis assessment
Fast answer

Why this verdict

Red flags present. Best treated as an avoid-for-regular-use product unless the underlying evidence changes.

3
red flags
3
watch points
0
passes
Verdict driver
Processing tier + Fat profile + Sodium
Watch closely
Processing tier, Fat profile, Sodium, Sugar load, Marketing deception, Regulatory history
Passed checks
No green axes recorded
Frequency guidance
Avoid as a regular habit

The issue is frequency: the red flags make this a poor default, even if rare use carries lower practical concern.

Daily / most days
Avoid as a regular habit
A few times a month
Think twice
Rare treat
Lower concern if genuinely rare
3 red flags3 watch pointsDrivers: Processing tier, Fat profileSodium 2000mg/100g~100% of sodium day

This card is the decision shortcut. The detailed evidence and citations live in the six-axis cards below.

Sugar load
■ Think twice trigger

YELLOW threshold used due to sugar listed in the Schezwan masala ingredients (but no per-100g sugar value provided). The research notes "~2-5g added sugars/100g" and also that "No exact sugar declared" on packs, so evidence is insufficient to score RED or GREEN precisely based on grams.

Processing tier
■ Don't eat trigger

This is NOVA Group 4 (ultra-processed) per the research, with refined flour base and multiple additives (e. g.

, INS 412, INS 421, INS 501(i), INS 500(ii), INS 320, INS 621, colours). Under the v1 rule, Processing tier is RED when NOVA 4 and it fails any other axis; here it also fails Sodium (RED) and Fat profile (RED) based on the provided nutrition/ingredients.

Fat profile
■ Don't eat trigger

RED threshold met because the ingredients explicitly list "Palm Oil (Hydrogenated)", i. e.

, hydrogenated oil. The research also notes saturated fat ~15–20g/100g, which is above the RED saturated-fat threshold (>5g/100g for solids), but the hydrogenated oil alone is sufficient for RED.

Sodium
■ Don't eat trigger

RED threshold met because sodium is given as ~2000mg per 100g, which exceeds the RED cutoff (≥625mg/100g for solids). The summary also describes ~1800–2200mg/100g sodium, consistent with a very high-salt instant noodle seasoning sachet.

Marketing deception
■ Think twice trigger

YELLOW threshold applied based on the research indicating ASCI upheld complaints about unsubstantiated positioning such as "Restaurant style" for Ching’s Secret advertising. This is soft/premium framing that is not supported by the ultra-processed composition (refined flour base and multiple additives), but the provided evidence is about advertising substantiation rather than a direct ingredient contradiction on-pack for this specific SKU.

Regulatory history
■ Think twice trigger

YELLOW because the research states no specific FSSAI notices/recalls for this Schezwan noodles variant, but cites broader public-health guidance that flags instant noodles as ultra-processed and high in salt/trans fats. No direct recall/ban/court order evidence is provided for this specific product, so RED is not triggered.

§ B · Nutrition

Per 100 g

Energy
~450 kcal/100g
⚑ Typical for fried instant noodles; high due to palm oil frying.
Total Fat
~20g/100g
⚑ Includes saturated fats from hydrogenated palm oil.
Sodium
~2000mg/100g
⚑ Exceeds WHO daily limit; from masala and dough.
Carbohydrates
~60g/100g
⚑ Refined wheat flour base.
§ C · Ingredients

As declared on pack

Noodles: Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Palm Oil (Hydrogenated), Tapioca Starch, Wheat Gluten, Thickeners (INS 412, INS 421), Acidity Regulators (INS 501(i), INS 500(ii)), Antioxidant (INS 320). Schezwan Masala: Spices (12%), Sugar, Salt, Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic, Onion), Soy Sauce Powder, Flavour Enhancer (INS 621), Acidity Regulator (INS 330), Colours (INS 150d, INS 160c).

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§ D · Timeline
  1. January 2010
    Ching's Secret brand launch including Schezwan Noodles [Source ↗]
    Ching's Secret · [1]
  2. June 2018
    ASCI ruling against Ching's for misleading Chinese food claims
    ASCI
  3. January 2024
    ICMR Dietary Guidelines flag instant noodles like Ching's [Source ↗]
    ICMR · [2]
§ E · Citations

Sources of truth

  1. [1]
    Ching's Secret Schezwan Noodles product page
    Ching's Secret
    "Ching's Schezwan Noodles are the best noodles for a quick-fix meal or a masaledar snack."
    Open source ↗
  2. [2]
    Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024)
    ICMR-NIN
    "Ultra-processed foods like instant noodles are high in salt, sugar and trans fats and low in fibre, micronutrients."
    Open source ↗