Insights/Nutritional profiles of world cuisines

Data-Driven8 min2 512 recettes

Nutritional profiles of world cuisines

Every cuisine has its strengths and weaknesses. Instead of a single, indefensible ranking, we measured 6 nutritional axes across 3,200+ savory recipes (desserts and snacks excluded). The result: a radar for each cuisine — a neutral footprint that you interpret according to your own goals.

Methodology — Descriptive radar, absolute thresholds

Each axis of the radar is normalized 0–100 descriptively: the higher the score, the more the cuisine contains that dimension (no good/bad judgment). Far from the center = a lot, near the center = a little. The 5 scoring axes: fiber (g/serving), protein (g/serving), protein/calorie ratio, sugar (g/serving), calories (kcal/serving). The 6th axis — total fat — is displayed for informational purposes only (saturated vs. unsaturated fats are not distinguished in our database). Strength/weakness tags use absolute thresholds (e.g., "High in fiber" = 7g+ per serving, not a relative percentile). Sodium excluded: the traceability of salt and fermented condiments (soy sauce, fish sauce, miso) varies too much between recipes. Desserts and snacks excluded. Minimum 15 recipes per cuisine. Sources: WHO (2023), HEI-2020 (USDA), EAT-Lancet.

Radar comparison — 5 iconic cuisines

Each axis shows the relative amount (0–100). Far from the center = a lot.

Total fat shown for informational purposes — saturated vs. unsaturated fats are not distinguished in this version.

Best cuisines by dimension

The top 3 for each nutritional indicator — a cuisine can excel in one area and be low in another

Fiber

1.Mexican

2.Maghrebi

7.8g

3.Indian

7.7g

Protein

1.Portuguese

54.1g

2.Mexican

38.5g

3.Spanish

35.3g

Prot/cal ratio

1.Portuguese

6.9

2.Chinese

5.8

3.Spanish

5.7

Sugar

1.Chinese

5.5g

2.Italian

5.7g

3.Portuguese

5.8g

Calories

1.Chinese

431 kcal

2.Thai

518 kcal

3.Korean

522 kcal

What the data shows

No cuisine is perfect

Every culinary tradition has strengths and weaknesses. Japanese cuisine excels in protein and prot/cal ratio. Mexican cuisine dominates in fiber (beans, corn, vegetables). Greek cuisine has a healthy lipid profile (olive oil) but the calories follow. A single ranking flattens these nuances.

Fiber as a marker of plant diversity

Cuisines rich in legumes (Mexican, Indian) and vegetables (Japanese, Vietnamese) show the best fiber scores. This is a reliable indicator of the role of plants in a culinary tradition — and a recognized protective factor against chronic diseases.

Fat ≠ unhealthy

The fat axis is shown on the radar for info but intentionally excluded from scoring and tags. Olive oil (Greece, Italy), coconut milk (Thailand, Vietnam), and nuts are beneficial fats that the HEI-2020 does not penalize. Only saturated fats count — and our database does not distinguish them yet.

The sample size matters

Profiles reflect our 3,200+ recipes, not a theoretical ideal. A cuisine with 300 recipes has a more reliable profile than one with 20. The number of recipes is indicated for each cuisine.

Profile of each cuisine

Individual radar + strengths and weaknesses

French

371 recettes

High proteinGood protein/calHigh calorie

Cal

611

Prot

34g

Fibres

119 recettes

High fiberHigh proteinHigh calorie

Cal

785

Prot

38.5g

Fibres

Vietnamese

118 recettes

High proteinHigh calorie

Cal

664

Prot

31.4g

Fibres

4.4g

Portuguese

100 recettes

High proteinGood protein/calHigh calorie

Cal

781

Prot

54.1g

Fibres

5.8g

Thai

97 recettes

High proteinGood protein/calLow fiber

Cal

518

Prot

28.9g

Fibres

3.7g

Middle Eastern

94 recettes

High fiberHigh proteinHigh calorie

Cal

610

Prot

27g

Fibres

7.7g

Greek

91 recettes

High proteinHigh calorie

Cal

617

Prot

27.1g

Fibres

6.5g

Cuisine	Recipes	Cal.	Prot.	Fiber	Sugar	Forces / Faiblesses
French	371	611	34g	5g	6.8g	High proteinGood protein/calHigh calorie
Italian	307	659	32.4g	5g	5.7g	High proteinHigh calorie
Indian	185	532	21.7g	7.7g	7.5g	High fiber
Spanish	184	624	35.3g	5.5g	6.3g	High proteinGood protein/calHigh calorie
Chinese	174	431	24.9g	3.3g	5.5g	Good protein/calLow fiber
Japanese	169	554	26.8g	4.1g	8.8g	High protein
American	167	679	32.9g	5.7g	8.8g	High proteinHigh calorie
Korean	123	522	26.3g	4.8g	8.3g	High protein
Mexican	119	785	38.5g	9g	7.8g	High fiberHigh proteinHigh calorie
Vietnamese	118	664	31.4g	4.4g	8.9g	High proteinHigh calorie
Portuguese	100	781	54.1g	5.8g	5.8g	High proteinGood protein/calHigh calorie
Thai	97	518	28.9g	3.7g	9g	High proteinGood protein/calLow fiber
Middle Eastern	94	610	27g	7.7g	6.5g	High fiberHigh proteinHigh calorie
Greek	91	617	27.1g	6.5g	6.5g	High proteinHigh calorie
German	89	642	34.8g	6g	6.1g	High proteinHigh calorie
Maghrebi	63	650	30.8g	7.8g	6.6g	High fiberHigh proteinHigh calorie
British	61	657	32.6g	5.5g	7.1g	High proteinHigh calorie

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there no single ranking of cuisines?

Because nutrition is multidimensional. Mexican cuisine excels in fiber (beans, corn) but is more caloric. Greek cuisine is high in total fat (olive oil) but these fats are beneficial. Japanese cuisine has an excellent protein/calorie ratio. A single score flattens these nuances and produces misleading rankings.

How do I read the radar chart?

The radar works like video game stats: each axis shows the relative amount of that dimension, from 0 (little) to 100 (a lot). Far from the center = a lot of that thing. There is no inversion: a high score in "Sugar" means a lot of sugar, a high score in "Fiber" means a lot of fiber. The reader interprets according to their goals — an athlete values protein and calories, someone losing weight favors fiber and a low calorie score.

Are the recipes representative of traditional cuisine?

Our database of 3,200+ recipes covers a wide spectrum, from traditional dishes to modern adaptations. The threshold of 15 minimum recipes per cuisine ensures statistical significance. Desserts and snacks are excluded to measure only main dishes.

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