How healthy is tteokbokki?
Is tteokbokki healthy? Best kept occasional. Tteokbokki scores 26/100 on the HowHealthyIs Score: 100 g provides 137 kcal, 5.8 g protein and 22 mg magnesium. Tteokbokki is chewy rice cakes simmered with fish cakes in a sweet and spicy chili sauce: a popular Korean street snack that is mostly refined starch, with some protein from the fish cakes and eggs. 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). Tteokbokki ranks higher than 26% of them.
Counts in favor (% daily value per 100 kcal)
- Protein8%
- Magnesium4%
- Fiber3%
- Vitamin C3%
- Vitamin A3%
- Potassium2%
- Vitamin E2%
- Iron2%
- Calcium1%
Counts against
- Saturated fat2%
- Added sugars4%
- Sodium8%
Raw NRF9.3: 28 minus 14 = 15. 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 tteokbokki?
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per portion | %DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Calories | 137 kcal | 411 kcal | |
| Protein | 5.8 g | 17 g | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g | 73 g | 27% |
| Fiber | 1.1 g | 3.2 g | 12% |
| Sugars | 3.3 g | 9.8 g | |
| Added sugars | 2.8 g | 8.3 g | 17% |
| Fat | 1.8 g | 5.4 g | 7% |
| Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 1.5 g | 7% |
| Omega-3 fats | 0.1 g | 0.4 g | |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin A | 32 µg | 97 µg | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 3.4 mg | 10 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 µg | 0.5 µg | 2% |
| Vitamin E | 0.5 mg | 1.4 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin K | 13 µg | 39 µg | 32% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.5 µg | 1.6 µg | 68% |
| Folate | 16 µg | 47 µg | 12% |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 21 mg | 64 mg | 5% |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 1.4 mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 152 mg | 457 mg | 10% |
| Magnesium | 22 mg | 66 mg | 16% |
| Zinc | 0.5 mg | 1.4 mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 247 mg | 740 mg | 32% |
Estimated from the standard recipe below, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Values rounded.
What is in a standard tteokbokki?
We estimate tteokbokki from this standard recipe (serves 4, about 1260 g cooked), using USDA values for each ingredient. Home and restaurant versions vary. SR Legacy has no tteok, gochujang or Korean fish cake: rice cakes are modeled as rice flour and water, gochujang as miso, sugar and chili, and fish cake as surimi.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rice cakes (tteok): rice flour part | 300 g |
| Rice cakes (tteok): water part | 200 g |
| Fish cakes (modeled as surimi) | 150 g |
| Anchovy stock (modeled as fish stock) | 500 g |
| Gochujang: fermented soybean part (modeled as miso) | 30 g |
| Sugar and the sweetness of gochujang | 35 g |
| Gochujang and chili flakes | 8 g |
| Soy sauce | 15 g |
| Cabbage | 100 g |
| Scallions | 50 g |
| 2 boiled eggs | 100 g |
Why is tteokbokki good for you?
- 1.6 µg vitamin B12 in 1 serving, 68% of the daily value. Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells.
- 17 g protein in 1 serving, 35% of the daily value. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
- 39 µg vitamin K in 1 serving, 32% of the daily value. Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting.
Good ways to use it
- A shared snack rather than a full meal
- Adding more cabbage and eggs to make it more balanced
What should you watch out for?
- The sauce is high in added sugar and salt.
- Rice cakes are dense, so portions go down quickly.
What can you eat instead of tteokbokki?
Foods you can use the same way with a higher HowHealthyIs Score.