Also called: Pasta with meatballs, Polpette con spaghetti, espaguetis con albondigas, espaguete com almondegas, spaghetti aur meatballs, स्पेगेटी और मीटबॉल्स, سپگیٹی اور میٹ بالز, spaghetti o meatballs, স্প্যাগেটি এবং মিটবল, spaghetti matrum meatballs, ஸ்பாகெட்டி மற்றும் மீட்பால்ஸ், spaghetti mariyu meatballs, స్పఘెట్టి మరియు మీట్బాల్స్, spaghetti te meatballs, ਸਪੈਗੇਟੀ ਅਤੇ ਮੀਟਬਾਲ, spaghetti ane meatballs, સ્પાઘેટ્ટી અને મીટબોલ્સ, spaghetti ani meatballs, स्पेगेटी आणि मीटबॉल्स, spaghetti mattu meatballs, ಸ್ಪಾಗೆಟ್ಟಿ ಮತ್ತು ಮೀಟ್ಬಾಲ್ಸ್, spaghettiyum meatballs-um, സ്പാഗെട്ടിയും മീറ്റ്ബോൾസും, yidali mian pei rouwan, 意大利面配肉丸, supageti to nikudango, スパゲッティと肉団子, seupaegeti-wa wanja, 스파게티와 완자, spaghetti kap luk chin, สปาเก็ตตี้กับลูกชิ้น, spaghetti me keftedes, σπαγγέτι με κεφτέδες, spaghetti ma meatballs, سباغيتي مع كرات اللحم, spaghetti ba koofteh, اسپاگتی با کوفته, spaghetti ena kufte, ስፓጌቲ እና ኩፍቴ, spagetti s teftelyami, спагетти с тефтелями, spagetti z teftelyami, спагеті з тефтелями
One serving (350 g) is high in zinc, protein and vitamin B12.
Nutrient score: Good
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a food gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every food gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the food 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 food’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the food’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, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugar and sodium, each with its U.S. FDA daily limit. 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 food 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 food’s 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 food bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar foods. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
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