Pho chay is a comforting Vietnamese noodle soup featuring a fragrant, clear vegetable broth infused with toasted spices. It is commonly enjoyed as a light yet satisfying meal at any time of day, particularly when seeking a nourishing plant-based dish.
Nutrient score: 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 Onion (300 g)
- 3 inches Ginger (45 g)
- 4 pieces Star anise (2 g)
- 1 piece Cinnamon Stick (5 g)
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds (6.7 g)
- 2 l Vegetable stock (2 kg)
- 1 medium Carrot (60 g)
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce (34 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 400 g Rice noodles (uncooked) (400 g)
- 200 g Tofu (200 g)
- 2 cups Mung bean sprouts (189 g)
- 1 handful Thai basil leaves (28 g)
- 1 piece Lime (65 g)
- 2 pieces Birds eye chilli (4 g)
- Ingredients in total: 3.34 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 939 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 2.4 kg · 4 servings of about 600 g
Method
- Place the halved onions and the ginger on a baking tray under a hot grill until the skins are blackened and fragrant, then set aside.
- In a dry, heavy-based pot over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, and coriander seeds for 2 minutes until they become aromatic.
- Add the charred onions, ginger, and the vegetable stock to the pot, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.
- Slice the carrot into rounds and add to the broth along with the soy sauce and salt, simmering for another 10 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- While the broth simmers, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions, drain, and divide among four serving bowls.
- Slice the tofu into small cubes and gently add them to the hot broth for 2 minutes to warm through.
- Strain the broth or remove the large spice pieces and aromatics, then ladle the hot liquid, tofu, and carrots over the noodles.
- Serve immediately with a topping of fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced chillies on the side.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 507 kcal | 84.6 kcal |
| Protein | 15.1 g | 2.51 g |
| Water | 473 mL | 78.8 mL |
| Sodium | 2,266 mg | 378 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 104 g | 17.3 g |
| Total Fat | 4.21 g | 0.7 g |
| Sugar | 8.73 g | 1.46 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 6.61 mg | 1.1 mg |
| Calcium | 298 mg | 49.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 121 mg | 20.2 mg |
| Potassium | 901 mg | 150 mg |
| Iodine | 3 mcg | 0.5 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 290 mg | 48.3 mg |
| Zinc | 3.08 mg | 0.51 mg |
| Chloride | 1,233 mg | 206 mg |
| Selenium | 28.4 mcg | 4.73 mcg |
| Copper | 0.7 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.19 mg | 0.031 mg |
| Manganese | 2.05 mg | 0.34 mg |
| Molybdenum | 28.5 mcg | 4.75 mcg |
| Chromium | 11.5 mcg | 1.92 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.54 g | 0.09 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.79 g | 0.13 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.25 g | 0.042 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.46 g | 0.24 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 1.17 g | 0.2 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.28 g | 0.046 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 0.72 g | 0.12 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 7.01 g | 1.17 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 1.78 g | 0.3 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 5.56 g | 0.93 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 23.7 mg | 3.95 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 76.9 mcg | 12.8 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.13 mg | 0.52 mg |
| Vitamin A | 158 mcg RAE | 26.4 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.22 mg | 0.037 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.51 mg | 0.085 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.26 mg | 0.043 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.19 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.75 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Vitamin K | 50.1 mcg | 8.34 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 1.86 mcg | 0.31 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 1,940 mcg | 323 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 69.6 mg | 11.6 mg |
| Leucine | 1,200 mg | 200 mg |
| Lysine | 711 mg | 118 mg |
| Polyphenols | 585 mg | 97.5 mg |
| Methionine | 273 mg | 45.6 mg |
| Oxalates | 50.7 mg | 8.44 mg |
| Threonine | 602 mg | 100 mg |
| Tryptophan | 185 mg | 30.9 mg |
| Valine | 843 mg | 140 mg |
| Flavonoids | 200 mg | 33.4 mg |
| Histidine | 564 mg | 94 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.74 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Lycopene | 0.25 mg | 0.042 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 799 mg | 133 mg |
| Purines | 105 mg | 17.5 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 711 mg | 119 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 93.5 mg | 15.6 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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