Malt drink is a sweet, non-alcoholic malted beverage originating from Nigeria and popular across West Africa. It is brewed at home from malted grain, spiced with fresh ginger, and blended with milk for a rich, roasty flavor. This refreshing beverage is commonly served at family celebrations, weekend gatherings, or as a cool afternoon treat.
Vegetarian Pescetarian Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-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
- 5 cups Water (1.18 kg)
- 1 cup Barley malt flour (130 g)
- 1 inch Ginger (15 g)
- 0.5 cup Dark brown sugar (101 g)
- 0.75 cup Evaporated milk (192 g)
- Ingredients in total: 1.62 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 120 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.5 kg · 4 servings of about 375 g
Method
- In a 2-litre saucepan, combine the water, barley malt flour, crushed fresh ginger, and whole cloves.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly for 5 to 7 minutes until the malt flour is fully dissolved and the liquid begins to simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes so the spices infuse and the drink develops a deep color and a fragrant, roasty malt aroma.
- Stir in the dark brown sugar until completely dissolved, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pour the cooled liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a jug to strain out the ginger and cloves.
- Stir in the evaporated milk until smooth and fully blended, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving chilled over ice.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 280 kcal | 74.7 kcal |
| Protein | 6.69 g | 1.79 g |
| Water | 308 mL | 82.1 mL |
| Sodium | 61.4 mg | 16.4 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 55.4 g | 14.8 g |
| Total Fat | 4.27 g | 1.14 g |
| Sugar | 29.5 g | 7.87 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 24.4 g | 6.5 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.13 mg | 0.57 mg |
| Calcium | 180 mg | 47.9 mg |
| Magnesium | 54.8 mg | 14.6 mg |
| Potassium | 326 mg | 87 mg |
| Iodine | 8.16 mcg | 2.18 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 216 mg | 57.7 mg |
| Zinc | 1.26 mg | 0.33 mg |
| Chloride | 102 mg | 27.2 mg |
| Selenium | 14.7 mcg | 3.93 mcg |
| Copper | 0.13 mg | 0.035 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.014 mg | 0.004 mg |
| Manganese | 0.42 mg | 0.11 mg |
| Molybdenum | 11.9 mcg | 3.17 mcg |
| Chromium | 4.98 mcg | 1.33 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0.14 g | 0.038 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.28 g | 0.61 g |
| Cholesterol | 14.4 mg | 3.83 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.08 g | 0.29 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.052 g | 0.014 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.38 g | 0.1 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 0.32 g | 0.086 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.064 g | 0.017 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0.24 mg | 0.064 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0.096 g | 0.026 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 1.07 g | 0.29 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 2.38 g | 0.64 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 1.25 g | 0.33 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 1.52 g | 0.4 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0.22 mcg | 0.057 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0.096 mcg | 0.026 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 1.2 mg | 0.32 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 19.3 mcg | 5.13 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.99 mg | 0.53 mg |
| Vitamin A | 54.1 mcg RAE | 14.4 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.12 mg | 0.033 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.26 mg | 0.069 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.23 mg | 0.061 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.63 mg | 0.17 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.24 mg | 0.065 mg |
| Vitamin K | 0.5 mcg | 0.13 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 2.66 mcg | 0.71 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 11.1 mcg | 2.96 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 30.7 mg | 8.18 mg |
| Leucine | 570 mg | 152 mg |
| Lysine | 385 mg | 103 mg |
| Polyphenols | 96.2 mg | 25.7 mg |
| Methionine | 149 mg | 39.7 mg |
| Oxalates | 15.9 mg | 4.23 mg |
| Threonine | 248 mg | 66 mg |
| Tryptophan | 94.6 mg | 25.2 mg |
| Valine | 396 mg | 106 mg |
| Flavonoids | 18.2 mg | 4.86 mg |
| Histidine | 192 mg | 51.2 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.055 mg | 0.015 mg |
| Lycopene | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 343 mg | 91.5 mg |
| Purines | 32.9 mg | 8.76 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (375 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 321 mg | 85.5 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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