Di San Xian is a classic home-style dish from Northeast China consisting of three fresh vegetables: eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. It is a hearty and savory stir-fry commonly served as a comforting main course alongside steamed white rice.
Nutrient score: Very 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 medium Eggplant (900 g)
- 2 medium Potato (400 g)
- 1 large Green bell pepper (160 g)
- 0.5 cup Vegetable oil (109 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce (51 g)
- 1 tsp Sugar (4.2 g)
- 1 tsp Cornstarch (2.5 g)
- 0.25 cup Water (59 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Ingredients in total: 1.7 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 901 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 800 g · 4 servings of about 200 g
Method
- Heat half of the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cubed potatoes to the pan and fry, stirring occasionally for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are golden brown and tender, then remove from the pan.
- Add the remaining oil to the same pan and fry the eggplant cubes until they are soft and lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Return the cooked potatoes to the pan and add the chopped green pepper, stirring over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the pepper is slightly tender.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water together.
- Make a small well in the center of the vegetables, add the minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables and toss everything together quickly until the sauce thickens and glazes the vegetables evenly.
- Season with a little salt to taste, transfer to a serving plate, and serve hot.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 401 kcal | 200 kcal |
| Protein | 5.87 g | 2.94 g |
| Water | 128 mL | 63.9 mL |
| Sodium | 742 mg | 371 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 36.1 g | 18 g |
| Total Fat | 27.9 g | 14 g |
| Sugar | 10.1 g | 5.05 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 1.05 g | 0.52 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 1.72 mg | 0.86 mg |
| Calcium | 47.1 mg | 23.6 mg |
| Magnesium | 66.6 mg | 33.3 mg |
| Potassium | 1,076 mg | 538 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 145 mg | 72.6 mg |
| Zinc | 0.89 mg | 0.44 mg |
| Chloride | 691 mg | 345 mg |
| Selenium | 2.43 mcg | 1.22 mcg |
| Copper | 0.34 mg | 0.17 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.024 mg | 0.012 mg |
| Manganese | 0.9 mg | 0.45 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.064 mcg | 0.032 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.94 g | 1.97 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10.1 g | 5.06 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.39 g | 0.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 14.8 g | 7.4 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 14.4 g | 7.2 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.24 g | 0.12 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 7.65 g | 3.82 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 9.82 g | 4.91 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.44 g | 1.22 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 8.05 g | 4.03 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 58 mg | 29 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 71.9 mcg | 36 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.86 mg | 1.43 mg |
| Vitamin A | 9.45 mcg RAE | 4.73 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.2 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.64 mg | 0.32 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.13 mg | 0.067 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.01 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Vitamin E | 4.75 mg | 2.38 mg |
| Vitamin K | 19.5 mcg | 9.76 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 0.57 mcg | 0.29 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 125 mcg | 62.4 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 32.1 mg | 16.1 mg |
| Leucine | 434 mg | 217 mg |
| Lysine | 375 mg | 187 mg |
| Polyphenols | 348 mg | 174 mg |
| Methionine | 89.2 mg | 44.6 mg |
| Oxalates | 85.8 mg | 42.9 mg |
| Threonine | 271 mg | 136 mg |
| Tryptophan | 75.7 mg | 37.8 mg |
| Valine | 330 mg | 165 mg |
| Flavonoids | 57.2 mg | 28.6 mg |
| Histidine | 326 mg | 163 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.18 mg | 0.091 mg |
| Lycopene | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 320 mg | 160 mg |
| Purines | 55.9 mg | 28 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 278 mg | 139 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 140 mg | 70.1 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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