AN ALTERNATIVE TO SOY SAUCE
LAURA SHAMMAH MS, RDN
ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE SOME HEALTHY CHANGING IN YOUR PANTRY BUT NOT SURE WHERE TO START? ONE QUICK SMALL CHANGE YOU CAN MAKE IS SWAPPING SOY SAUCE FOR COCONUT AMINOS. COCONUT AMINOS ARE A LIQUID MADE FROM THE AGED SAP OF COCONUT BLOSSOMS AND SALT. IT IS A LOW-GLYCEMIC, VEGAN, AND GLUTEN-FREE ALTERNATIVE TO SOY SAUCE, WITH 17 AMINO ACIDS.
REASONS TO SWITCH COCONUT AMINOS
• Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
• Soy sauce is made from GM soy.
• Some people are allergic to soy.
• Most soy sauces contain gluten. Coconut aminos offers a gluten- free option
• Coconut aminos have 65% less sodium than regular soy sauce.
• Coconut aminos add a savory, salty flavor to meals and are naturally vegan.
Now I know everyone’s next question is going to be: Are Bragg Liquid Aminos healthy?
Compared to liquid aminos, the coconut version is a decidedly better choice. Although Bragg’s Liquid Aminos contains less sodium than soy sauce, aminos from coconut are a much more desirable choice.
MSG IN SOY SAUCE, LIQUID AMINOS AND COCONUT AMINOS
Both soy sauce and liquid aminos contain MSG or glutamate. Coconut aminos do too—if fermented. The difference is that traditional soy sauce and coconut aminos (from Coconut Secret) contain glutamate via a natural fermentation process. It appears that Bragg coconut aminos does not contain glutamate as it is not fermented and there are no added MSG or MSG containing ingredients.
In comparison, liquid aminos contain MSG derived from the highly industrialized process of hydrolyzing soy protein. Hence, the glutamate in fermented coconut aminos is safer and likely better tolerated than the manufactured MSG in liquid aminos. For those susceptible even to the small amounts of glutamate or histamines in fermented foods, the unfermented Bragg coconut liquid aminos is a better choice than Coconut Secret.
Laura Shammah MS, RDN has a masters degree in health and nutrition and is a registered dietitian. She has been operating her own private practice in both New York and NJ for over 20 years. She is happily married and has four children.
