How healthy is tonkotsu ramen?
Is tonkotsu ramen healthy? Best kept occasional. Tonkotsu ramen scores 12/100 on the HowHealthyIs Score: 100 g provides 126 kcal and 4.6 g protein. Tonkotsu ramen is wheat noodles in a rich, cloudy pork broth with chashu pork belly and egg: filling and high in protein, but heavy on fat and very high in salt for a single bowl. Source: standard recipe, USDA FoodData Central ingredients.
Score explained
The score compares nutrient density per 100 kcal across every food we cover (NRF9.3 method). Tonkotsu ramen ranks higher than 12% of them.
Counts in favor (% daily value per 100 kcal)
- Protein7%
- Iron3%
- Magnesium2%
- Potassium2%
- Fiber1%
- Vitamin A1%
- Vitamin E1%
- Calcium1%
- Vitamin C1%
Counts against
- Saturated fat10%
- Added sugars0%
- Sodium11%
Raw NRF9.3: 19 minus 21 = -2. The score is not a verdict on whether to eat a food; portion, the whole meal and your own health matter more. Full methodology
How many calories are in tonkotsu ramen?
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per portion | %DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Calories | 126 kcal | 1046 kcal | |
| Protein | 4.6 g | 38 g | 76% |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g | 86 g | 31% |
| Fiber | 0.5 g | 3.8 g | 14% |
| Sugars | 1.3 g | 11 g | |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g | 0% |
| Fat | 7.2 g | 60 g | 77% |
| Saturated fat | 2.4 g | 20 g | 101% |
| Omega-3 fats | <0.1 g | 0.5 g | |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin A | 12 µg | 103 µg | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 0.7 mg | 5.4 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 µg | 1.5 µg | 7% |
| Vitamin E | 0.2 mg | 1.3 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin K | 3.9 µg | 33 µg | 27% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.1 µg | 1 µg | 42% |
| Folate | 50 µg | 416 µg | 104% |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 11 mg | 89 mg | 7% |
| Iron | 0.7 mg | 5.8 mg | 32% |
| Potassium | 123 mg | 1022 mg | 22% |
| Magnesium | 11 mg | 94 mg | 22% |
| Zinc | 0.4 mg | 3.7 mg | 33% |
| Sodium | 316 mg | 2625 mg | 114% |
Estimated from the standard recipe below, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Values rounded.
What is in a standard tonkotsu ramen?
We estimate tonkotsu ramen from this standard recipe (one serving, about 830 g cooked), using USDA values for each ingredient. Home and restaurant versions vary. SR Legacy has no pork bone broth or fresh ramen noodles: the broth is modeled as chicken stock plus pork fat, and the noodles as dry wheat pasta with the water they absorb. Restaurant broths vary a lot in fat and salt.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Broth (modeled as chicken stock) | 450 g |
| Pork fat emulsified into the broth | 15 g |
| Soy sauce tare | 20 g |
| Salt | 2 g |
| Ramen noodles (modeled as dry wheat pasta) | 90 g |
| Water absorbed by the noodles | 120 g |
| Chashu pork belly | 60 g |
| 1 soft-boiled egg | 50 g |
| Bamboo shoots (menma) | 25 g |
| Scallions | 15 g |
| Nori sheet (modeled as raw laver) | 3 g |
| Sesame oil | 3 g |
Why is tonkotsu ramen good for you?
- 416 µg folate in 1 bowl, 104% of the daily value. Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
- 38 g protein in 1 bowl, 76% of the daily value. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
- 1 µg vitamin B12 in 1 bowl, 42% of the daily value. Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells.
Good ways to use it
- A cold-day restaurant meal, not an everyday lunch
- Adding extra vegetables or bean sprouts and skipping the extra pork
What should you watch out for?
- A full bowl, broth included, is very high in sodium; leaving part of the broth helps.
- Pork belly and the fatty broth make it rich in saturated fat.
What can you eat instead of tonkotsu ramen?
Foods you can use the same way with a higher HowHealthyIs Score.