Acarajé is a traditional street food from the Bahia region of Brazil, consisting of a deep-fried ball made from a spiced black-eyed pea dough. Traditionally served split in half, these fritters are often filled with flavorful vegetable-based spreads, salads, or spicy pastes for a hearty snack or meal.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Low
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 2 cups Black eyed peas (uncooked) (379 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 cups Palm oil (426 g)
- Ingredients in total: 954 g
- Weight lost in cooking: 154 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 800 g · 4 servings of about 200 g
Method
- Soak the black-eyed peas in plenty of water for at least 8 hours, then drain and rub them between your hands to remove the skins, discarding the loose skins as they float to the surface.
- Place the peeled peas into a food processor and pulse until you achieve a thick, smooth, and slightly airy paste; avoid over-processing into a watery liquid.
- Grate the onion finely and mix it thoroughly into the pea paste along with a pinch of salt to taste.
- Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes; this step is crucial for incorporating air, ensuring the fritters become light and fluffy rather than dense.
- Heat the dende oil in a deep, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking.
- Using two large spoons, shape a portion of the dough into an oval shape and carefully drop it into the hot oil.
- Fry in batches, turning occasionally until the acarajé is golden brown and crisp on the outside, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes per batch.
- Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving immediately while hot.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,274 kcal | 637 kcal |
| Protein | 22.7 g | 11.3 g |
| Water | 5.56 mL | 2.78 mL |
| Sodium | 26.1 mg | 13.1 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 60.6 g | 30.3 g |
| Total Fat | 108 g | 53.9 g |
| Sugar | 8.1 g | 4.05 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 7.93 mg | 3.97 mg |
| Calcium | 113 mg | 56.4 mg |
| Magnesium | 170 mg | 85.2 mg |
| Potassium | 1,096 mg | 548 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 418 mg | 209 mg |
| Zinc | 3.25 mg | 1.63 mg |
| Chloride | 23.7 mg | 11.8 mg |
| Selenium | 7.95 mcg | 3.97 mcg |
| Copper | 0.91 mg | 0.46 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.095 mg | 0.047 mg |
| Manganese | 1.66 mg | 0.83 mg |
| Molybdenum | 175 mcg | 87.5 mcg |
| Chromium | 14.2 mcg | 7.1 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 52.8 g | 26.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 39.7 g | 19.9 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.38 g | 0.19 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 10.6 g | 5.3 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 10.2 g | 5.12 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.59 g | 0.29 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 39.7 g | 19.9 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 10.7 g | 5.33 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.19 g | 1.1 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 14.2 g | 7.12 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 2.78 mg | 1.39 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 606 mcg | 303 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.31 mg | 1.16 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0.38 mcg RAE | 0.19 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.82 mg | 0.41 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.55 mg | 0.27 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.22 mg | 0.11 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.42 mg | 0.71 mg |
| Vitamin E | 18.5 mg | 9.27 mg |
| Vitamin K | 10.2 mcg | 5.09 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 19.3 mcg | 9.63 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 31,954 mcg | 15,977 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 87.5 mg | 43.7 mg |
| Leucine | 1,776 mg | 888 mg |
| Lysine | 1,515 mg | 757 mg |
| Polyphenols | 198 mg | 99.2 mg |
| Methionine | 242 mg | 121 mg |
| Oxalates | 46.3 mg | 23.2 mg |
| Threonine | 868 mg | 434 mg |
| Tryptophan | 270 mg | 135 mg |
| Valine | 1,204 mg | 602 mg |
| Flavonoids | 82.2 mg | 41.1 mg |
| Histidine | 742 mg | 371 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.65 mg | 0.33 mg |
| Lycopene | 0.11 mg | 0.053 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 1,248 mg | 624 mg |
| Purines | 117 mg | 58.7 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 1,105 mg | 553 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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