Maruchan vs Top Ramen Chicken: 1,520 vs 1,590 mg Sodium a Pack

TL;DR: A whole 3 oz pack carries about 1,520 mg of sodium for Maruchan Chicken (computed from two 760 mg servings) and 1,590 mg for Top Ramen Chicken (printed); Maruchan lists MSG, Top Ramen does not, and both list TBHQ and palm oil.

Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Chicken Flavor and Nissin Top Ramen Chicken Flavor both come in 3 oz (85 g) packs with about 380 calories per whole pack, but their labels divide the pack differently and list different additives. Per whole pack, sodium is 1,590 mg printed for Top Ramen and about 1,520 mg computed for Maruchan. This page sets the printed facts side by side in matching columns so you can weigh the differences against your own needs.

Key takeaways

• Compare the same column: Maruchan lists two servings per pack, while Top Ramen prints a half-package column and a full-package column.
• Whole-pack sodium is about 1,520 mg for Maruchan (computed from two servings of 760 mg) versus 1,590 mg for Top Ramen (printed).
• Maruchan's soup base lists monosodium glutamate. Top Ramen's ingredient list does not, and its brand page states 'No added MSG'.
• Both labels list TBHQ, and neither discloses how much is used.

At a glance: printed label facts side by side

The table compares matching columns for both packs. Values marked computed are calculated from the printed serving figures.

Factor	Maruchan (chicken flavor)	Top Ramen (chicken flavor)
Net weight	3 oz (85 g)	3 oz (85 g)
Panel layout	Two servings per pack	Half-package and full-package columns
Sodium per serving	760 mg (33% DV)	790 mg per half package (34% DV)
Sodium per whole pack	About 1,520 mg (computed)	1,590 mg (printed)
Calories	190 per serving, about 380 per pack (computed)	190 per half package, 380 per full package
Saturated fat	3.5 g per serving (18% DV)	3 g per half package, 7 g per full package (33% DV)
Protein	4 g per serving	5 g per half package, 9 g per full package
Cholesterol	0 mg per serving	0 mg per full package
TBHQ	Listed (noodle oil)	Listed (preservative)
Monosodium glutamate	Listed in soup base	Not in ingredient statement
Palm oil	Listed in soup base	Listed (second ingredient)
Egg	Not listed	Listed as egg white

Why do Maruchan and Nissin chicken ramen read differently on the label?

Maruchan's brand page defines one serving as half a noodle block with half the flavoring packet, or 43 g, which makes the 85 g pack two servings. Top Ramen's panel is dual-column, with one column for half the package and one for the full package, and a listed serving size of 85 g. Both packs show 190 calories per half or per serving, so the difference lies in how each panel is organized.

The layout matters for every number below. Compare matching columns only. For example, Maruchan's 760 mg per serving and Top Ramen's 790 mg per half package form the matching pair. Setting Maruchan's 760 mg against Top Ramen's 1,590 mg full-package figure would inflate a 30 mg gap to 830 mg. Maruchan does not print a whole-pack column, so its whole-pack values are computed by doubling the serving values.

How do the sodium numbers compare per serving and per whole 3 oz pack?

Which ramen has less sodium, Maruchan or Top Ramen?

Top Ramen lists 1,590 mg per whole pack (printed) versus about 1,520 mg for Maruchan (computed from two servings), with per-serving figures of 790 mg per half package for Top Ramen and 760 mg per serving for Maruchan. The whole-pack difference is about 70 mg, with Maruchan lower.

How much sodium is in a whole pack of ramen?

A whole 3 oz pack contains about 1,520 mg of sodium for Maruchan (computed) and 1,590 mg for Top Ramen (printed). Against the 2,300 mg daily reference value (DV) used by the FDA, that is about 66 percent for Maruchan (computed) and 69 percent for Top Ramen (printed). The FDA's Sodium in Your Diet guidance uses 2,300 mg per day as the reference and treats 20 percent DV or more per serving as high.

Per serving, Maruchan lists 760 mg (33% DV) and Top Ramen lists 790 mg per half package (34% DV). Both are above the FDA's 20 percent DV cutoff for a high-sodium serving. The FDA page also reminds readers to count how many servings they actually eat.

Sodium for partial use of the flavor packet is not disclosed on either label, so a shopper who uses only part of the seasoning will not find a printed figure for that scenario. People tracking sodium for medical reasons may want to review their targets with a clinician, because a package label cannot say how much sodium is appropriate for any one person.

How do calories, fat, and saturated fat compare across the two chicken packs?

Both brands list 190 calories per half pack or serving and about 380 calories per whole pack. Maruchan lists 7 g of total fat per serving, which is about 14 g across the pack by doubling. Top Ramen lists 7 g per half package and 14 g per full package.

Maruchan lists 3.5 g of saturated fat per serving (18 percent DV), about 7 g for the pack by doubling. Top Ramen lists 3 g per half package and 7 g per full package (33 percent DV). Both brands list 0 g trans fat. For cholesterol, Top Ramen lists 0 mg per full package, and Maruchan lists 0 mg per serving.

• Maruchan per serving: 190 calories, 7 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated fat (18% DV), 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol
• Top Ramen per half package: 190 calories, 7 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat
• Top Ramen per full package: 380 calories, 14 g total fat, 7 g saturated fat (33% DV), 0 mg cholesterol

Protein and carbohydrate figures use different bases. Maruchan lists 4 g of protein, 27 g of total carbohydrate, 1 g of fiber, and 1 g of total sugars per serving, including under 1 g of added sugars. Top Ramen lists 9 g of protein, 53 g of total carbohydrate, 2 g of fiber, and 0 g of total sugars per full package, with 3.4 mg of iron and 190 mg of potassium. Because the Maruchan figures are per serving and the Top Ramen figures are per full package, the protein numbers are not a like-for-like comparison.

These calorie and fat figures alone do not show which pack is healthier, and this article does not rank the two on health.

What is TBHQ, and where does each brand list it on its ingredient statement?

TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) is an antioxidant that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits in food under 21 CFR 172.185. Maruchan's ingredient statement says its noodle oil is 'preserved by TBHQ', which ties the additive to the frying oil in the noodle block. Top Ramen lists 'TBHQ (preservative)' near the end of its ingredient statement.

Readers comparing how labels present preservatives can also read DiGiorno vs Red Baron Stuffed Crust: Which Has BHA? Just 1, which looks at a different antioxidant on a different food.

What do regulators permit for TBHQ in instant noodles?

Under 21 CFR 172.185, total antioxidant content may not exceed 0.02 percent of the oil or fat content of the food. Neither label discloses the amount of TBHQ in its product.

Readers who want broader context on additives in packaged foods can read Ultra-Processed Food and 8.8 Million Adults: What the Review Found.

Does either chicken pack list MSG, palm oil, or other added ingredients differently?

Does Maruchan ramen have MSG?

Yes, the Maruchan Chicken Flavor soup base ingredient list includes monosodium glutamate. The FDA explains that added MSG must be declared as 'monosodium glutamate', and free glutamate also occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, and yeast extract.

Does Top Ramen have MSG?

The Top Ramen ingredient statement does not list monosodium glutamate, and the Top Ramen Chicken page on nissinfoods.com states 'No added MSG'. The FDA's MSG questions and answers state that foods with ingredients naturally containing free glutamate, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, cannot claim 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG' on their packaging.

Both ingredient lists contain such components. Top Ramen lists hydrolyzed corn protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, and autolyzed yeast extract. Maruchan lists hydrolyzed corn, wheat, and soy protein, along with yeast extract. Whether the physical Top Ramen package carries the 'no added MSG' statement is not disclosed, and the milligrams of free glutamate in either product are also not disclosed.

Both brands list disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate. Top Ramen also lists disodium succinate.

Is palm oil in both chicken packs?

Palm oil appears in both. Top Ramen names palm oil as its second ingredient. Maruchan's noodle oil is listed as one or more of canola, cottonseed, or palm, and its soup base lists palm oil. Which oil a given batch used is not disclosed, and palm sourcing or certification for either brand is not disclosed.

Other ingredients differ in naming. Top Ramen lists egg white, sodium alginate, silicon dioxide, potassium chloride, and 'natural and artificial flavor'. Maruchan lists celery seed, turmeric, soy sauce, and 'natural flavors'. Both lists include sugar, lactose, and sodium tripolyphosphate.

What allergens and facility notes appear on each brand's chicken pack?

Maruchan's label states that it contains wheat, soy, and milk ingredients, and that it is manufactured in a facility that also processes crustacean shellfish and sesame products. The label also says it contains a bioengineered food ingredient. Top Ramen's label states that it contains wheat, soybean, egg, and milk. Maruchan does not list egg, and Top Ramen lists egg white.

Top Ramen's facility statement is not disclosed. Both ingredient lists include lactose, and both allergen statements list milk.

For people with allergies or sensitivities to any of these ingredients, the printed package controls. Labels can change between production runs, so allergen and cross-contact statements should be read on the pack in hand rather than inferred from another source.

How can a shopper check the current label on each chicken-flavor pack?

A printed label is the most current source for any pack. The following checks make the two panels easier to compare:

• Confirm the net weight on the front of the pack, which should read 3 oz (85 g).
• Find the serving size and servings per container. Maruchan lists two servings, and Top Ramen prints two columns.
• Compare sodium, fat, and calories in the same column, either per serving or per package.
• Search the ingredient list for TBHQ, monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed proteins, yeast extract, palm oil, and egg.
• Read the allergen and facility statements on the current package.
• Note the date or lot code, since formulations and labels can change.
• Use the FDA's sodium guidance to understand the 2,300 mg daily reference value.

These facts cannot show how any individual body responds to sodium, TBHQ, MSG, or any other ingredient, and the available evidence does not study long-term outcomes of eating these specific packs. Nothing here establishes which pack, if either, fits a particular diet. Labels may differ by batch, retailer, or region, so the package in hand is the final reference.

To see how these label facts apply to a pack you are holding, scan the product yourself with the Aurascan app.

Related reading: for a gluten and sodium check on the bottle, see Does Kikkoman Have Gluten? Kikkoman vs La Choy.