Chaulai saag is a simple, rustic stir-fry of fresh amaranth greens commonly prepared in Indian households. It is a nutritious seasonal dish usually enjoyed with hot roti or steamed rice for a wholesome daily meal.
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Nutrient score: Excellent
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
- 500 g Amaranth greens (500 g)
- 2 tbsp Mustard oil (27 g)
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds (2.2 g)
- 4 cloves Garlic (20 g)
- 2 pieces Green chili (30 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 0.25 tsp Turmeric powder (0.6 g)
- Ingredients in total: 580 g
- Weight gained in cooking: 20 g (water soaked up)
- Net weight (cooked): 600 g · 4 servings of about 150 g
Method
- Wash the amaranth greens thoroughly in several changes of water to remove any grit, then drain well and chop them roughly.
- Heat the mustard oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat until it begins to smoke slightly and then turns pale.
- Add the cumin seeds to the oil and wait until they crackle and darken slightly.
- Add the chopped garlic and green chillies to the pan, sautéing for about one minute until the garlic turns golden brown and fragrant.
- Add the chopped amaranth greens to the pan and stir well to coat them in the tempered oil.
- Sprinkle the salt and turmeric powder over the greens, cover the pan with a lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the greens are soft and wilted.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium, stirring occasionally for another 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate any excess water released by the greens.
- Once the greens are tender and the moisture has mostly evaporated, turn off the heat and serve hot alongside flatbread.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 102 kcal | 67.9 kcal |
| Protein | 3.7 g | 2.47 g |
| Water | 130 mL | 86.6 mL |
| Sodium | 27.4 mg | 18.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 7.72 g | 5.14 g |
| Total Fat | 7.36 g | 4.91 g |
| Sugar | 0.45 g | 0.3 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.45 mg | 2.3 mg |
| Calcium | 284 mg | 190 mg |
| Magnesium | 74.1 mg | 49.4 mg |
| Potassium | 483 mg | 322 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 72.6 mg | 48.4 mg |
| Zinc | 1.23 mg | 0.82 mg |
| Chloride | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Selenium | 1.92 mcg | 1.28 mcg |
| Copper | 0.23 mg | 0.15 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.001 mg | 0.001 mg |
| Manganese | 1.24 mg | 0.83 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.085 mcg | 0.057 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.94 g | 0.63 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4.06 g | 2.71 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.58 g | 1.06 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 1.29 g | 0.86 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.61 g | 0.41 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 1.72 g | 1.15 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 2.94 g | 1.96 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 0.68 g | 0.46 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 2 g | 1.34 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 66.5 mg | 44.4 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 108 mcg | 72.2 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.95 mg | 0.63 mg |
| Vitamin A | 366 mcg RAE | 244 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.054 mg | 0.036 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.33 mg | 0.22 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.21 mg | 0.14 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.12 mg | 0.083 mg |
| Vitamin E | 3.17 mg | 2.11 mg |
| Vitamin K | 1,426 mcg | 951 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 0.045 mcg | 0.03 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 7,030 mcg | 4,687 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 20 mg | 13.3 mg |
| Leucine | 351 mg | 234 mg |
| Lysine | 263 mg | 176 mg |
| Polyphenols | 609 mg | 406 mg |
| Methionine | 65.5 mg | 43.6 mg |
| Oxalates | 1,252 mg | 835 mg |
| Threonine | 225 mg | 150 mg |
| Tryptophan | 76.3 mg | 50.9 mg |
| Valine | 300 mg | 200 mg |
| Flavonoids | 144 mg | 96.1 mg |
| Histidine | 168 mg | 112 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 14 mg | 9.36 mg |
| Lycopene | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 273 mg | 182 mg |
| Purines | 59 mg | 39.3 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 255 mg | 170 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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