Soy sauce every day becomes more and more popular in our territory. The composition of the product includes only 4 ingredients: salt, water, soy and wheat. Soy sauce is a dark brown liquid with a pungent flavor. It appeared many years ago, but the technology has remained unchanged. First, soybeans are steamed or boiled in water, and then combined with flour, salted and sent to long time for fermentation. The whole process can take from 40 days to 3 years. At the end of time, the sauce becomes mature and soft. After that soy sauce sent for filtration and then distributed to banks. Real soy sauce contains no preservatives or flavorings. Today, thanks to the technology of accelerated protein breakdown, the time for making soy sauce has been significantly reduced.
To date, there are 2 main types of soy sauce:
- The dark version has a thick consistency that occurs due to long exposure. It is most often used for marinating meat, fish and poultry.
- The light version is more fluid. It is used to add flavor to side dishes and other dishes. In addition, other dressings and marinades are prepared on the basis of soy sauce.
How to choose and store?
Due to the great popularity of soy sauce, more and more manufacturers began to fake it. Pay attention to the composition, there should not be any preservatives and flavorings. Opt for glass bottle options as you can see the contents. Natural soy sauce has a delicate, delicate taste and a bright aftertaste. A quality product has a transparent red-brown color (see photo). If the consistency is thick and similar to syrup, it is a fake. Quality soy sauce should not have sediment. Since the product is a source of protein, this must certainly be indicated on the label. A quality sauce should have about 7 g per 100 g.
If you have opened a bottle of soy sauce, store it in the refrigerator, away from heat and direct sunlight. A quality product can keep its freshness for 2 years.
Beneficial features
The benefit of soy sauce is the presence of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The product is actively fighting premature aging and also reduces the risk of cancer. At regular use soy sauce improves microcirculation in tissues, and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. The product improves performance nervous system and resists the development of pathologies such as Parkinson's disease. With regular use, you can get rid of insomnia and headaches.
Soy sauce contains protein, which is beneficial for those who suffer from allergies to animal proteins. The product is useful for people who have problems with the cardiovascular system, for example, ischemic disease, atherosclerosis, etc. It is allowed and will be useful to use soy sauce for people who are obese and diabetics. In addition, soy sauce has a positive effect on the general condition of the body, helps to cope with muscle pain and swelling. It helps women reduce pain during menstruation, and also improves the condition with menopause.
Use in cooking
Soy sauce is very popular in cooking, as it gives various dishes original spicy taste. On its basis, various sauces are prepared, for example, mushroom or shrimp. Soy sauce is an excellent marinade that is suitable for fish, meat, seafood and vegetables.
How to make soy sauce at home?
Homemade sauce will be different from the original, but you will also get a delicious and useful product.
For this you need to take 150 g soybeans, 100 ml chicken broth, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flour and sea salt. The beans should be boiled until cooked and then crushed into gruel. Then the resulting puree should be mixed with flour, broth and salt, put on fire and bring to a boil.
Harm of soy sauce and contraindications
Soy sauce can cause harm when consumed in in large numbers, as it can cause the development of kidney stones and hypertension. Sauce can bring irreparable harm if you use fakes and low-quality options. When using the sauce large quantities you can notice a negative effect on the endocrine system. It is worth refusing to use if there is an individual intolerance to the product. Pregnant women are not allowed to consume soy sauce.
Soy sauce is a product familiar to many. Nutritionists recommend using it during many diets as a seasoning and in place of salt. , cooked with this seasoning, are distinguished by an exquisite aroma and taste. But how useful is the sauce and why does its cost vary in such a wide range.
The benefits of soy sauce
Soy sauce came to our country from Asia, where soybeans have been produced for more than one hundred years. The production of natural sauce is quite complex technological process. The most useful is the one that has passed the stage natural fermentation. To do this, boiled beans are diluted with water, put salt and left for about a year. Then the composition is filtered and poured into containers. The price of such a product can reach 500 rubles per bottle.
But not every manufacturer strives to go through all the stages of manufacturing a product; most entrepreneurs use an easier and cheaper way. For example, to speed up the fermentation process, they add certain bacteria to the composition, which reduce the fermentation time to 1.5 months. The cost of such a product is about 350 rubles. But this method of making the sauce is harmless enough and will not harm your health.
However, the imagination of manufacturers knows no bounds, they open up more and more new methods for the production of soy sauce. For example, some contrive to boil the beans in hydrochloric acid and then quench the mixture with alkali. Even people working in this industry are already causing damage to their health, to say nothing of those who eat it. Such a product costs in stores within 100 rubles.
Choosing real sauce, please note not the container. The bottle must be glass. Then study the composition. The natural product contains only soy, salt, sugar, wheat, vinegar and water. By appearance the sauce should be clear and have a brown tint.
Attention! The dark color of the product may indicate that you have a fake.
However natural product, prepared by natural fermentation, has certain benefits for our body. Basically, these are the amino acids that make up the product. In this sauce, the content of vitamin C is 150 times more than in citrus fruits. Therefore, the seasoning acts as an excellent antioxidant, helping to remove free radicals and defeat numerous infections.
The sauce has a positive effect on blood circulation and acts as a prophylactic for heart disease.
The positive qualities of a natural product are seen in the treatment of insomnia, muscle spasms, and edema.
Celebrate low calorie product, therefore, they recommend it to those who decide to part with their extra pounds.
Harm of soy sauce
Don't get too carried away with soy sauce. This can lead to salt deposits.
Basically, harm to the body is caused by a product prepared by unscrupulous manufacturers. In some cheap products, experts find an off-scale amount of carcinogens that adversely affect human health and lead to the formation of cancer cells.
In addition, the sauce is quite allergenic, so it is not recommended to add it to food for children and people prone to allergies. Phytoestrogens present in the product adversely affect the health of a pregnant woman and can lead to miscarriage.
And yet, when choosing a product, give preference only to natural soy sauce and a trusted manufacturer.
What seasoning after ginger root is considered traditional for eastern - Japanese or Chinese food? Of course, soy sauce. It's hard to imagine Chinese-style pork or sushi without this spicy-sweet liquid. It has become indispensable for cooking European cuisine: without clogging the taste of meat, vegetables, cereals and fish, soy sauce gives any dish a certain piquancy and unique aroma.
China is considered the birthplace of this seasoning. Two thousand years have passed since the Celestial Empire came up with a recipe for a sauce made from fermented "sacred grain" - soy, mixed with wheat, rice or barley flour. Thorough Chinese masters watched the fermentation process for at least 40 days, and sometimes fermentation took whole years. The result was a dark brown, almost black, thick liquid with spicy taste and spicy aroma.
Today, the recipe for soy sauce has undergone some changes. On sale you can see a liquid prepared both by a chemical reaction - the rapid breakdown of protein with hydrogen chloride, and using natural fermentation. Of course, the second cooking method allows you to get a healthy and high-quality product, while the first one is just a surrogate for soy sauce.
Soy sauce made from hydrolysed soy protein
Desire to accelerate natural processes fermentation led to the emergence of high-speed technology for making soy sauce. At the same time, the taste and aroma of the seasoning were seriously affected. With the help of corn, salt and caramel coloring, unscrupulous manufacturers try to pass off the chemical concentrate as a traditional sauce. Too salty and bitter, it completely clogs the taste of the dish, causes thirst and doubts about the skill of oriental culinary specialists. From the natural sauce, its artificially created counterpart is distinguished by the absolutely black color of an opaque liquid. The price for such a sauce is ridiculous - 10-15 rubles per bottle.
Naturally Fermented Soy Sauce
If the sauce is prepared using natural fermentation, the manufacturer will definitely write about it on the container label. In addition to soybeans, it will mention wheat, salt and water. The quality of the seasoning will be eloquently reported by the inscription on the content of 6-8% protein in it. Externally, natural soy sauce looks like a clear light brown liquid. But, the main thing is, of course, the taste. Light, rich, but not aggressive, sweetish, but not cloying - it is remembered immediately, and you will not confuse it with anything.
Soy sauce is also produced without the use of wheat - tamari. This sauce can be safely consumed by people suffering from gluten intolerance. Tamari is usually thicker and darker than classic soy sauces.
There are several types of real soy sauce: lightly salted, with a small amount of salt - for those who stick to the basics healthy eating, sweet, with sugar or fructose and vinegar, as well as a special kind of sauce for seafood dishes that enhances their taste. Such an assortment is quite enough for the independent creation of real culinary masterpieces.
Glycemic index of soy sauce
According to the official website of the Montignac Method (in French) glycemic index soy sauce without sugar and sweeteners - 0, and tamari soy sauce - 20. It is strange, of course, that the sauce made without wheat at all has a glycemic index, while the one with wheat does not, perhaps this is due to the fact that during the fermentation of wheat, substances are produced that reduce the glycemic index.
Soy sauce for Montignac eaters
We have already touched on the topic. Now in more detail about the acceptable brands of soy sauce that can be found in Russia.
Soy sauce KIKKOMAN without sugar
The most famous manufacturer of soy sauces, KIKKOMAN produces sugar-free soy sauces. Contains only soy, wheat, water, salt. Price from 200 rubles per bottle.
Proteins: 10.30 g, Fats: 0.00 g, Carbohydrates: 8.10 g
There is in the assortment of this company SOY KIKKOMAN LIGHT SAUCE with a reduced salt content.
Soy Sauce KIKKOMAN Tamari
Soy sauce Tamari without wheat.
Soy sauces “SEMPIO” with fructose
SEMPIO soy sauces are also produced by natural fermentation, but they cost 2-3 times cheaper than KIKKOMAN sauces, from 60-80 rubles per bottle. In the composition of soy sauces "SEMPIO": defatted soybeans, wheat, salt, filtered water, fructose.
Soy sauce “SEMPIO” standard
Soy sauce "SEMPIO" standard
Nutritional value per 100g. Product:
Proteins: 7.0 g, Fats: 0.00 g, Carbohydrates: 13 g
Soy sauce “SEMPIO” slightly salted
Soy sauce "SEMPIO" slightly salted
Soy sauce “SEMPIO” premium
Soy sauce "SEMPIO" premium
I can’t say what the premium of this sauce is (I suspect that this is a sauce of a longer aging). I met reviews on the net that a certain Japanese woman, having tried a lot of sauces sold in Russia, gave preference to this particular sauce 
Soy sauces “SEN SOY”
Russian soy sauces "SEN SOY" from the company "Sostra" - the first Russian industrial manufacturer of natural soy sauce, prepared by natural fermentation, contain some sugar (in the list of ingredients, sugar is listed after salt). Price from 30 rubles per bottle.
If someone is confused by the sugar in the composition, then this sauce can be left for protein-carbohydrate meals.
Soy sauce “SEN SOY” “Classic” glass bottle 250ml
Soy sauce "SEN SOY" "Classic"
Nutritional value per 100g. product:
Proteins - 3.5 g; Fats - 0 g; Carbohydrates - 11 g.
Soy sauce “SEN SOY” “Light”
Soy sauce "SEN SOY" "Light"
In the series of sauces "SEN SOY" there is also a sauce with a reduced salt content.
Soy sauce “SEN SOY” “Premium”
Soy sauce "SEN SOY" "Premium"
Soy sauce “SEN SOY” “Premium” has a longer maturation compared to the classic soy sauce “SEN SOY”.
Ludmila Denisenko | 02/11/2016 | 563Lyudmila Denisenko 11.02.2016 563
Soy sauce is a real find for culinary specialists. It can improve the taste of even the most insipid dish. How to choose this seasoning so that the food seasoned with it turns out not only tasty, but also healthy?
Soy sauce is a condiment that will emphasize the taste of any dish: meat, fish, seafood, etc. In addition, on its basis, you can prepare a lot of other sauces: mushroom, fish, mustard, etc.
What is real soy sauce?
Cooking true soy sauce takes a very long time. Specially harvested soybeans are aged from several months to 2-3 years, which makes it possible to divide soy sauces according to the degree of aging and, of course, according to taste parameters.
A good soy sauce will add a unique flavor to any dish.
Real soy sauce contains many vitamins, amino acids and, while possessing aseptic properties, can be stored without special
conservation for a very long time.
What are the benefits of natural soy sauce?
Eating natural soy sauce improves blood circulation, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, reduces the risk of developing heart disease, and helps to cope with headaches and insomnia.
According to unconfirmed reports, this seasoning slows down the aging process. Maybe this is the secret of the longevity of the Japanese?!
Soy sauce is low in calories, so for those who want to lose weight, nutritionists recommend replacing them with salt, butter, mayonnaise.
However, excessive passion for this seasoning can cause salt deposits. Therefore, no matter how much you love this sauce, know the measure.
How to choose a delicious and healthy soy sauce?
When going to the store, keep in mind: cheap fakes will not only not benefit the body, but can also harm it. Indeed, the composition of budget analogues may include carcinogens that provoke the development of cancer.
It is better not to consider buying soy sauce on tap.
Good soy sauce is sold in glass, translucent bottles.
As part of a quality sauce, there are no artificial colors and flavors.
Before you put a bottle of soy sauce in your basket, carefully study its composition.
Among the ingredients are only natural products: soybeans, corn, wheat, salt, sugar, vinegar and, possibly, natural spices.
When buying soy sauce, pay special attention to the amount of protein in it. A quality product contains up to 6-8% protein.
And don't forget: true soy sauce must be produced by natural fermentation and non-GMO!
If there is no information about this on the label, then the manufacturer has nothing to “boast”, and in front of you, most likely, is a sauce obtained by diluting soy concentrate or by acid hydrolysis from genetically modified soybeans.
Natural soy sauce is clear and not cloudy. Light brown - more salty in taste and goes well with any dishes. dark sauce thicker and tart, it is more suitable for meat dishes.
At the same time, the concentrate sauce is opaque and almost black. The same can be said about the sauce obtained by acid hydrolysis.
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Many housewives have recently become indignant: they buy soy sauce, but it turns out to be so tasteless, salty and smelly that it spoils all their culinary creations. In order not to be among the dissatisfied, learn to distinguish natural and healthy soy sauce from its chemical surrogate in the store, because the latter can not only worsen the taste of your dish, but also bestow dangerous chloropropanol.
It is already impossible to imagine modern Russian cuisine without soy sauce. We use it to dress salads, marinate meat, create a delicious crust on chicken, add it to fish, oriental dishes and eat together with sushi and rolls. Nutritionists also actively support soy sauce, they advise to replace it with harmful table salt and talk about how it not only gives a more piquant and subtle taste to food, but also has a positive effect on our health thanks to high content iron, zinc, B vitamins and amino acids. Not in vain in China, Japan and others Eastern countries, where it is a constant and necessary seasoning for food, diseases of cardio-vascular system are much rarer than in America or Europe. However, legitimate praise applies only to soy sauce, which is made the old fashioned way by natural fermentation, and not to those surrogates that, in last years began to be obtained chemically using accelerated technology.
natural and beneficial
Discovered in China over 2500 years ago, soy sauce is one of the oldest condiments in the world. When Buddhist monks came to Japan in the 6th century, they took the recipe with them. Over the centuries, the Japanese have improved the taste of the original Chinese soy sauce by adding wheat to it and extending the fermentation period. The result was very successful. This is how Japanese soy sauce was created.
Despite the past millennia, the technology of its manufacture has remained almost unchanged. Soybeans are boiled in water or steamed, then mixed with flour from roasted wheat or barley grains, salted, and a long fermentation process begins, which lasts from 40 days to 2-3 years. As soon as the sauce reaches the condition and acquires a balanced mild taste, it is filtered and packaged. No preservatives are added to the natural product, since it itself has powerful aseptic properties and does not deteriorate for a long time.
chemical seasoning
For many centuries, soy sauce was made by natural fermentation, until in the 20th century, chemists came up with an accelerated technology for breaking down proteins using hydrogen chloride. Some manufacturers could not resist such a temptation - they began to arrange a “chemical attack” on the beans and get the finished sauce not in six months, but in just a few weeks. However, they faced another problem: according to this technology, the seasoning does not have time to acquire the desired color, aroma and taste, so they are created artificially with the help of additives - most often corn syrup, salt and caramel coloring. Naturally, in terms of quality and taste characteristics, a chemical substitute will never be compared with natural soy sauce. Moreover, as a result of artificial hydrolysis, a dangerous carcinogen called "chlorpropanol" is formed in the product. Unscrupulous chemical manufacturers do not monitor its concentration, so its amount can go off scale. According to the EU, most of the harmful substance is found in non-natural products from Vietnam. A lot of chloropropanol has also been found in chemical sauces from Tajikistan, China, from Taiwan and the Philippines.
Purchase rules
Is it possible to distinguish a natural sauce from a chemical one in a store? If you take a quick look at the jars of liquid seasoning, you can hardly recognize a tasty and healthy product among them. Therefore, take the bottle in your hands and read the composition of the product. If the list of ingredients consists of four components: water, soybeans, wheat and salt, then you have the right sauce prepared by natural fermentation. You can buy it with complete peace of mind. If the composition contains some other ingredients (dyes, flavor enhancers, preservatives, flavors), do not expect anything good from such a sauce - it is a chemical. By the way, the price tag can also tell something about the product. Since the technology of artificial hydrolysis is cheap and fast, sauces made using it are inexpensive - about 30-50 rubles per 250 ml. The price of natural seasoning, which has been prepared for many months, cannot be less than 150 rubles for the same volume.
Feel the difference!
Even if an unscrupulous manufacturer hid the chemical nature of his product and you bought it, the very first tasting will put everything in its place. The taste of artificial soy sauce will not be very pleasant - sharp, overly salty, bitter and overshadowing the main product. From such a surrogate, then thirst is tormented and a chemical aftertaste will remain in the mouth. Natural sauce is completely different. It is soft, refined, has a special light sweetness and multifaceted taste - rich, but not interrupting. The color of the seasoning also matters. While naturally brewed soy sauce has a slightly translucent reddish brown hue, non-fermented soy sauce is dark, cloudy, and syrupy. While you were looking at and tasting the product, your sense of smell must have picked up its aroma. If it is slightly sweet, spicy and appetizing, then there is no doubt that it is good sauce. Because artificial has a characteristic chemical pungent smell.
Sweet or salty?
After making sure that the product is natural, choose the option that suits you best. For example, lightly salted light soy sauce is very popular in Europe today - its taste is as rich and saturated as that of the classic one, and it contains less salt, so adherents of a healthy diet love it. There are other types of products available for sale. For example, sweet sauce(in addition to the four main ingredients, it contains sugar and vinegar), soy sauce for sushi and sashimi with seasonings that enhance the taste of seafood. In general, there are plenty to choose from to find the perfect product for yourself.
Expert opinion
Olga Tikhonova, Leading Brand Manager, Kikkoman
An open bottle of soy sauce is best stored in the refrigerator, where the product will be protected from light and heat. It can be found both in a regular bottle and in a dispenser, the lid design of which (with two holes) does not allow the sauce to evaporate and the product will not lose its aroma. In addition, it is very convenient to pour the sauce from the dispenser in small portions, it can be washed in the dishwasher and refilled.
