Japchae is a classic Korean stir-fry featuring translucent glass noodles made from sweet potato starch. It is a celebratory dish often served during festive gatherings and communal family meals.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free
Nutrient score: Fair
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
- 250 g Glass noodles (uncooked) (250 g)
- 5 pieces Shiitake mushroom (75 g)
- 1 medium Carrot (60 g)
- 2 handfuls Spinach (60 g)
- 1 small Onion (150 g)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (27 g)
- 4 tbsp Soy sauce (68 g)
- 1 tbsp Sugar (13 g)
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil (14 g)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds (3 g)
- Ingredients in total: 719 g
- Weight gained in cooking: 81 g (water soaked up)
- Net weight (cooked): 800 g · 4 servings of about 200 g
Method
- Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 20 minutes until softened, then boil in a pot of water for 5 minutes, drain well, and cut into shorter manageable strands.
- Slice the mushrooms, carrot, and onion into thin, uniform matchsticks.
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain immediately, rinse under cold water, and squeeze out all excess moisture.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and carrot until they are soft and vibrant, then add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they are tender and fragrant.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pan and pour in the soy sauce and sugar, tossing continuously with tongs for 3 minutes until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
- Gently fold in the blanched spinach and remove the pan from the heat.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving warm.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 366 kcal | 183 kcal |
| Protein | 3.01 g | 1.51 g |
| Water | 119 mL | 59.4 mL |
| Sodium | 1,004 mg | 502 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 65.3 g | 32.6 g |
| Total Fat | 11 g | 5.48 g |
| Sugar | 6 g | 3 g |
63 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 3.14 g | 1.57 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 1.34 mg | 0.67 mg |
| Calcium | 42.1 mg | 21.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 33.5 mg | 16.7 mg |
| Potassium | 329 mg | 165 mg |
| Iodine | 0.15 mcg | 0.075 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 85.6 mg | 42.8 mg |
| Zinc | 0.87 mg | 0.44 mg |
| Chloride | 933 mg | 466 mg |
| Selenium | 4.09 mcg | 2.04 mcg |
| Copper | 0.22 mg | 0.11 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.035 mg | 0.018 mg |
| Manganese | 0.46 mg | 0.23 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0.3 mcg | 0.15 mcg |
| Chromium | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.54 g | 0.77 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4.03 g | 2.01 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.12 g | 0.061 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.3 g | 2.65 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 5.17 g | 2.59 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.086 g | 0.043 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 3.4 g | 1.7 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 2.39 g | 1.2 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 0.42 g | 0.21 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 1.89 g | 0.94 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0.075 mcg | 0.038 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 7.88 mg | 3.94 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 46.5 mcg | 23.3 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.83 mg | 0.41 mg |
| Vitamin A | 196 mcg RAE | 98 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.056 mg | 0.028 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 0.093 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 0.052 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.43 mg | 0.21 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.44 mg | 0.72 mg |
| Vitamin K | 76.7 mcg | 38.4 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 1.69 mcg | 0.84 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 2,088 mcg | 1,044 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 14.1 mg | 7.03 mg |
| Leucine | 246 mg | 123 mg |
| Lysine | 176 mg | 88.1 mg |
| Polyphenols | 161 mg | 80.5 mg |
| Methionine | 49.6 mg | 24.8 mg |
| Oxalates | 167 mg | 83.6 mg |
| Threonine | 138 mg | 69.1 mg |
| Tryptophan | 38.3 mg | 19.2 mg |
| Valine | 172 mg | 85.9 mg |
| Flavonoids | 71.4 mg | 35.7 mg |
| Histidine | 135 mg | 67.3 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 1.87 mg | 0.94 mg |
| Lycopene | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 168 mg | 84.1 mg |
| Purines | 49 mg | 24.5 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 149 mg | 74.7 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Nitrite / Nitrate | 3.6 mg | 1.8 mg |
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 637 mg | 319 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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