Beetroot borscht is a vibrant, deep-red vegetable soup that is a staple throughout Eastern Europe. It is a hearty, comforting dish often served during lunch or dinner, especially throughout the colder months of the year.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Good
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 tbsp Vegetable oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 2 medium Carrot (120 g)
- 4 medium Beetroot (600 g)
- 2 l Vegetable broth (2.04 kg)
- 3 medium Potato (600 g)
- 0.5 medium Cabbage (450 g)
- 2 cloves Garlic (10 g)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste (16 g)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice (15 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 handful Dill (15 g)
- Ingredients in total: 4.04 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 1.64 kg (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 2.4 kg · 6 servings of about 400 g
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the diced onion, cooking until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the grated carrots and grated beetroot to the pot, stir well, and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then add the diced potatoes.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the pot and continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the lemon juice and season the soup with salt and black pepper to your preference.
- Remove from the heat, sprinkle with fresh chopped dill, and serve warm.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 kcal | 55.1 kcal |
| Protein | 6.03 g | 1.51 g |
| Water | 344 mL | 86.1 mL |
| Sodium | 1,306 mg | 326 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 40.5 g | 10.1 g |
| Total Fat | 5.37 g | 1.34 g |
| Sugar | 14.1 g | 3.52 g |
63 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.06 mg | 0.76 mg |
| Calcium | 108 mg | 27 mg |
| Magnesium | 84.6 mg | 21.1 mg |
| Potassium | 1,319 mg | 330 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 191 mg | 47.8 mg |
| Zinc | 1.23 mg | 0.31 mg |
| Chloride | 1,638 mg | 409 mg |
| Selenium | 2.36 mcg | 0.59 mcg |
| Copper | 0.31 mg | 0.078 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.13 mg | 0.034 mg |
| Manganese | 0.97 mg | 0.24 mg |
| Molybdenum | 1.7 mcg | 0.43 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.71 mcg | 0.18 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.71 g | 0.18 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.77 g | 0.44 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.14 g | 0.035 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.64 g | 0.66 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 2.5 g | 0.63 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.085 g | 0.021 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 1.28 g | 0.32 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 8.75 g | 2.19 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.52 g | 0.63 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 6.48 g | 1.62 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 61.4 mg | 15.3 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 185 mcg | 46.3 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.24 mg | 0.56 mg |
| Vitamin A | 203 mcg RAE | 50.9 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.22 mg | 0.056 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.65 mg | 0.16 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.17 mg | 0.042 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.9 mg | 0.23 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.25 mg | 0.31 mg |
| Vitamin K | 72.9 mcg | 18.2 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 2.02 mcg | 0.5 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 2,261 mcg | 565 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 38.9 mg | 9.73 mg |
| Leucine | 444 mg | 111 mg |
| Lysine | 376 mg | 94.1 mg |
| Polyphenols | 302 mg | 75.5 mg |
| Methionine | 83.3 mg | 20.8 mg |
| Oxalates | 772 mg | 193 mg |
| Threonine | 281 mg | 70.3 mg |
| Tryptophan | 83.8 mg | 20.9 mg |
| Valine | 370 mg | 92.6 mg |
| Flavonoids | 120 mg | 30.1 mg |
| Histidine | 399 mg | 99.9 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.61 mg | 0.15 mg |
| Lycopene | 1.39 mg | 0.35 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 315 mg | 78.7 mg |
| Purines | 69.4 mg | 17.3 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 318 mg | 79.6 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Nitrite / Nitrate | 110 mg | 27.5 mg |
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 37.5 mg | 9.38 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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