Perhaps it is difficult to find another aromatic flavoring additive that would have won such high recognition. Many culinary experts and nutritionists claim that soy sauce is an ideal substitute for traditional mayonnaise, ketchup, salt, and moreover, it is even healthier than the beloved olive oil.

However, there are also opponents of this seasoning, who are confident that a product made on the basis of soybeans, which are not respected by some specialists, can rather do harm. However, the sauce is a natural product, so it can hardly be considered unambiguously harmful or undoubtedly useful - in order to draw certain conclusions, it is enough to study its features, composition and method of preparation.

What is soy sauce

For many, soy sauce is a brown, salty liquid with a characteristic pleasant smell that enhances the taste experience of eating a particular dish. However, not everyone knows that it can take months to prepare a flavorful herb. The homeland of soy sauce is China. It is believed that it was there that he appeared around the 8th century BC.

Soybeans, fermented fish and salt were originally the main ingredients for making the condiment. Today, wheat grains, soybeans and salt are used for this, and production is carried out in two ways: natural fermentation and acid hydrolysis.

In the first case, soy sauce is made in several stages:

• Soaking and boiling soybeans in water;
• Roasting wheat grains followed by grinding;
• Mixing wheat and soybeans;
• Sowing on a mixture of fungi and microorganisms: Aspergillus oryzae (for natural fermentation), fungi of the genus bacilli (for a specific smell), lactobacilli (to increase acidity);
• Wort treatment with salt or brine;
• Fermentation (as a rule, the fermentation period of the mixture is from 1.5 months to 3 years);
• Pressing under heavy containers;
• Pasteurization and filtration of the sauce.

As a result of fermentation, a number of processes take place: beneficial amino acids, milk sugars are released, and, in addition, monosodium glutamate is naturally formed - one of the most popular and effective flavor enhancers.

To reduce the cost and speed up the process of making the sauce, manufacturers often use hydrolysis. In this case, soybeans are boiled in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, after which the resulting broth is neutralized with alkalis. In this case, the sauce can be obtained in as little as three days, and it is inexpensive for manufacturers. However, there is no need to talk about the benefits in this case: as a result of complex multistage reactions, instead of a good product, a liquid containing carcinogenic substances is obtained. That is why soy sauces of various brands are subject to rigorous quality control.

Harm

Is soy sauce harmful?

Most often, the harm of soy sauce is caused by the manufacturer's dishonesty: a product made by cheap hydrolysis, with the addition of genetically modified organisms or preservatives, can contain a huge amount of extremely dangerous substances that can have an extremely adverse effect on health.

In the case when soy sauce is made from quality raw materials, by natural fermentation and does not contain any synthetic additives, it can be considered rather useful. However, there are some contraindications for its use:

• Excessive consumption. Manufacturers who claim that soy sauce is the best seasoning, if only because it does not contain salt, are mercilessly cunning. Fermentation is triggered by table salt, and as a result, the liquid contains a certain amount of its compounds. That is why if you abuse soy sauce, you can face the same problems as in the case of sodium chloride: kidney stones or bladder stones, salt deposits in the joints, high blood pressure.
• Sodium salts and some antioxidants contained in soy sauce are irritating to the mucous membranes. Therefore, the seasoning is prohibited for people with gastritis, peptic ulcer and other gastric ailments.
• Soy sauce contains protein in large quantities, so its potential allergenicity is high, and pediatricians do not allow it to be included in the diet for children under 5 years old.
• It is believed that a certain amount of phytoestrogens in the sauce can trigger a miscarriage. Officially, this has not yet been confirmed, but doctors prescribe a correction of the diet for pregnant lovers of Asian cuisine.

For healthy people, moderate consumption of high-quality soy sauce does not have any negative consequences, on the contrary, it will rather have a beneficial effect on the body.

Benefit

The benefits of soy sauce

Today, nutritionists are challenging the popular belief that soybeans can cause obesity, and even more so that soy phytoestrogens can even lead to infertility. At the moment, the theory has been sharply criticized, but the benefits of products, including sauce, based on this plant have been known to the peoples of Asia for thousands of years.

In fact, scientists have proven that soy protein is very close to human composition in its composition, and therefore serves as a wonderful material for strengthening and maintaining normal muscle function. As for soy sauce itself, in addition to this, it has the following beneficial properties:

• Maintaining optimal hormonal balance in women;
• Protection against free radicals and the occurrence of malignant tumors;
• Improving the work of blood vessels and increasing their elasticity;
• Reducing the risk of nervous diseases;
• Help with headaches, migraines, insomnia;
• Maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system;
• Helps relieve swelling and muscle spasms

And, finally, the most pleasant thing for those who closely monitor their weight is the extremely low calorie content of soy sauce. It is completely free of fats, and the energy value is only 50-70 calories. So for those who tend to be overweight or carefully take care of the beauty of their figure, this way to diversify the taste of food is simply ideal.

Soy sauce composition

The benefits of soy sauce are primarily related to its unique composition. The product contains the following components important for the human body:

• Almost all B vitamins, which ensure the normal functioning of all organs and systems and are actively involved in maintaining blood circulation.
• Nicotinic acid (vitamin PP), which normalizes cholesterol levels and regulates metabolism;
• Valine is an essential amino acid that enhances muscle coordination and helps the body cope with stress and depression;
• The amino acid histidine, which promotes tissue growth and repair and the formation of hemoglobin;
• Leucine is an amino acid vital for the liver and other hematopoietic organs;
• Isoleucine is an amino acid necessary for carbohydrate metabolism;
• Methionine - protects against liver and intestinal diseases;
• Cysteine ​​is an amino acid vital for the formation and maintenance of skin tissue structures;
• Lysine, which aids in calcium absorption, which promotes cardiovascular health;
• Tryptophan, which ensures the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Most of the amino acids present in soy sauce are essential, which means that they are not synthesized in the human body. However, this does not diminish their role in maintaining health and vitality, and therefore the use of foods with their content is simply necessary.

How to choose soy sauce

In order for the soybean-based sauce to delight not only with the pleasant taste of the usual dishes, but also bring exceptional benefits, it is enough to adhere to certain rules when choosing a product. Experienced gourmets pay attention to the following nuances:

• Conscientious manufacturers do not spare money on packaging: good soy sauce is poured into glass bottles, which preserves the taste and unique aroma of the product. Plastic packaging can enter into chemical reactions with the substances of the sauce, especially if it has many different artificial additives (dyes, flavors), so you should refuse to purchase such products;
• On the packaging of a quality product, the manufacturing method is certainly indicated. The inscription "artificial" means that the sauce is obtained by hydrolysis or dilution of soy concentrate with water, and the lack of information is suspicious.
• Soy sauce contains only soybeans, water, wheat and salt - a quality seasoning never contains dyes, flavors or preservatives.
• The protein content in a good product is from 7%. A smaller amount of it indicates poor quality raw materials or dilution of the concentrate.
• Contrary to popular belief, natural soy sauce is transparent and light brown in color. Very dark shades indicate an artificial origin of the product.

Soy sauce is an excellent ingredient in Asian cuisine that has earned its deserved popularity. Its taste and lightness will delight the most capricious gourmets, and the improved well-being with the correct use of the product will pleasantly surprise.

Soy sauces, which came to Ukraine from Southeast Asia, are eagerly bought and added to a variety of dishes. Meanwhile, in many soy sauces, exorbitant doses of the carcinogenic substance chloropropanol have been found. Such studies have been carried out for several years in Europe, but few people in Ukraine know about them.

It is believed that this tasty and healthy seasoning must be included in the diet of a person concerned with the fight against excess weight .... Well, there is no dispute about tastes, but usefulness is a question in this case!

Tops and roots

For a start - flowers. Soy sauce is a great alternative to salt, isn't it? But all is well in moderation, even if the measure of soy sauce is a little "thicker" compared to salt. After all, you can abuse even seemingly innocent products! Acute soy-sauce psychosis can lead to the most common salt deposition, no worse than ordinary sodium chloride.

Further more. Back in school, in biology lessons, they tried to explain to us the principles of the development of defense mechanisms in plants. Simply put, spicy thorns, a disgusting smell and terrible taste, poison, in the end - all this from despair was thought up by representatives of the flora, so that the representatives of the fauna would leave them alone and stop eating with such pleasure. Soy did not fail, and, according to endocrinologists, has developed a birth control mechanism of the type that "grunts" it - a kind of "oral contraceptives". These are the so-called phytoestrogens that interact with mammalian hormones that control reproductive functions and body growth. In other words, they lead to a decrease in the birth rate of greedy eaters of soy and soy products, including sauce. The result is just like that of the great and terrible Stephen King - people are dying out like mammoths, and soy triumphs and single-handedly rules the planet!

Trust but verify!

Well, King's horror stories are, of course, overkill: soy is not as scary as it is painted. But there is another unpleasant touch in this plant landscape. In Japanese cuisine, there is one dish that causes both horror and delight, both among the Japanese themselves and among many fans of exotic cuisine - the famous fugu fish, a dish from which can become deadly poisonous if the technology of cooking fish is violated. Likewise, soy sauce, it turns out, can become "across the throat": in 2002-2003 in Europe, Australia and the United States, soy sauce was already at the center of a large-scale scandal. One of the accusations against him was the unacceptably high content of chloropropanols - the strongest carcinogens that cause cancer. Chloropropanol is a byproduct of acid hydrolysis, a method that has been used to speed up and reduce the cost of making soy sauce.

As a matter of fact, it is the modern production technology that makes one question the usefulness of such a seemingly necessary product. Ideally, soy sauce is prepared in the following way.

Soybeans are evaporated, mixed with roasted wheat grains, then poured with water and salted. The resulting mass is left to ferment in the sun in special containers. And it, this mass, reaches the required "condition" in at least a year.

In high quality soy sauce, in addition to the ingredients mentioned above, natural extracts such as garlic, dill, etc. may be present in various combinations for a variety of flavors.

Undoubtedly, such a combination of products is not only pleasant to the taste, but also very useful. Therefore, it is natural that Europeans, advanced in taking care of their own health, began to consume huge quantities of soy sauce….

The only harmless way to accelerate the preparation of soy sauce is to add special microorganisms to the fermenting mass. This gives the sauce its characteristic sweetish flavor and speeds up its “ripening” by about 12 times.

These two types are considered the safest and even useful. But the prices for such sauces are far from affordable for everyone: from 3 to 9 dollars per bottle.

Much cheaper, 1-2 dollars per bottle, is a sauce prepared in a completely original way: soybeans are boiled with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, and then quenched with alkali. And that's all. The technology is as simple as five kopecks, the time spent is scanty. For a month of work, you can fill up all the markets with very cheap and quickly sold out goods. And they do, because most of the soy sauces in the markets are prepared this way.

It is even easier to dilute soy concentrate with water, pour it into bottles and - on the shelves. It's just as cheap as the previous method, but at least not dangerous. Accordingly, there can be no question of benefit.

What to do? Give up your favorite seasoning? Back to the hateful and harmful, but more familiar salt? Most likely, you should not make an elephant out of a fly - soy sauce is not such a killer maniac. The main thing is to choose the right quality sauce, the label of which indicates that it is produced naturally, and, of course, not to abuse it. And then this salty balance of low calories and good taste won't do you any harm.

Soy sauce for slimness

Soy sauce is the only soy sauce that nutritionists unanimously recommend.

Because it: does not contain cholesterol; replaces salt, seasonings, oil, mayonnaise at the same time; low-calorie: per 100 g - 70 kcal.

And those on a diet should choose low sodium soy sauce. Therefore, you need to learn to distinguish, albeit relatively inexpensive, but good sauce from an explicit and crude fake.

How to choose a quality sauce

By the bottle. Any quality sauce is sold exclusively in glass bottles. In plastic, the taste and aromatic originality of the product is lost.

By composition. It should contain only natural ingredients, no dyes and flavors. In a good sauce, up to about 8% protein.

Usually, respectable manufacturers write on the label: "Naturally fermented" , because this belongs to the category of advantages of the product. Those who dilute soy concentrate with water usually just modestly add the word "artificial". But those who like to poison the people with acids usually do not indicate anything, because it is not in their interests.

By color. Experts recommend looking at the sauce in the light. If it is light brown, then there is no doubt that it is natural. But artificial and produced with acid is usually dark brown right up to black.

Information about soy sauce came to us from the East - the homeland of the product. There it is used in almost every dish. The benefits and dangers of soy sauce are still controversial between supporters and opponents of the product. But hardly anyone will doubt its dietary focus, helping to cope with the problem of excess weight. It is produced by fermentation, filling with a certain composition.

Originally, the sauce was made with soybeans, fermented fish and salt. Now, instead of fish, wheat is taken in the form of grains. The product is obtained by natural fermentation or hydrolysis, going through the stages:

• Soaking and boiling the beans;
• Wheat roasting and grinding followed by combining with soy;
• Sowing microorganisms with fungi in order to obtain fermentation, a specific smell and increase acidity;
• Treating the mixture with salt;
• Fermentation - 1.5 months-3 years;
• Pressing;
• Pasteurization with filtration.

Fermentation helps release amino acids with milk sugars. During the preparation process, a popular flavoring enhancer - monosodium glutamate - is formed, and in a natural way.

The benefits of soy sauce for the body are indicated by its composition, which contains the necessary substances for normal life:

1. Almost the entire group of vitamin B, which normalizes the activity of the whole organism.
2. Nicotinic acid (vitamin PP) is involved in the regulation of metabolic processes.
3. The amino acids histidine with valine help to cope with stressful situations and restore tissue.
4. Soy sauce for the liver is important for the presence of leucine in the composition.
5. Regulates carbohydrate metabolism isoleucine.
6. Forms and maintains cysteine ​​skin tissue.
7. Lysine helps to better absorb calcium.
8. The activity of the central nervous system depends on tryptophan.

Soy sauce is good for the liver with intestinal methionine. Many of the amino acids are irreplaceable, meaning that the body does not produce them on its own. This makes the product even more valuable to humans.

Useful properties of the sauce

Studies have shown a decrease in the risk of developing a malignant breast tumor with regular use of the product. The rich antioxidant composition prevents early aging. Soy sauce has the ability to sedate headaches, insomnia, and excessive muscle tone.

The benefits of the sauce extend to swelling, helping to get rid of them. The phytoestrogen in the composition endows soy sauce with useful properties for women of menopause. Regular use preserves youth and reduces the negative manifestations that accompany this period of life.

The benefits of the product in preventing the appearance of articular and bone diseases are noted. People with CVS problems, including atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, should be more careful about soy sauce, including in the diet. It helps faster recovery from a heart attack.

The presence of a large amount of vegetable protein allows it to be consumed by people whose body does not accept animal protein.

Soy sauce and weight loss

Low calorie content - only 50 Kcal / 100 grams gives soy sauce benefits for weight loss. He is not able to affect the reduction of body fat, but replacing them with salad dressings of mayonnaise, sour cream or vegetable oil, the figure will noticeably improve.

Soy sauce is beneficial for all people on a low-fat diet. After all, there are absolutely no triglycerides and simple carbohydrates in it, but a lot of nutritious plant protein.

Harm and contraindications

There are always benefits and harms alongside when it comes to food, including soy sauce. A properly prepared product has no contraindications, except for personal intolerance. But a poor-quality product can do harm.

The cooking process is complicated, going through a fermentation procedure, which means a high cost. Low product price means low quality using genetically modified source material. The harm of this soy sauce is obvious due to the presence of carcinogens.

A large amount of salt endows the sauce with certain contraindications:

• Kidney disease;
• Obesity;
• Personal intolerance;
• Violation of protein metabolism;
• Children up to age 3 years.

Soy sauce is harmful to pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding. It is necessary to observe the measure in use and in healthy people to get the maximum benefit without harm to health.

DIY soy sauce - recipe for home

Soy sauce is a mixture of soybeans with salt, grains, and water. It is prepared by fermentation with the participation of Aspergillus (mushrooms), followed by squeezing out the resulting liquid.

The main component that helps the product to ferment is absent in our region, so the most realistic and adapted option would be the following:

• Soybeans (beans) - 120 grams;
• Butter - 2 tablespoons l .;
• Flour - 1 tbsp. l .;
• Vegetable broth - 50 ml;
• Sea salt tastes good.

Boil the beans and grind until smooth and smooth, adding all the other ingredients one by one - stirring continuously. The resulting mass is put on fire and brought to a boil, after which it is immediately removed. The cooled sauce can be consumed.

Shop counters are filled with all sorts of brands of soy sauce. Real connoisseurs of the product can understand its naturalness and benefits. But there are several signs that help you choose a quality sauce.

First, you cannot buy a product on the market for bottling, only in a store and released by a familiar brand. The bottle must be glass and transparent. Pay attention to labels - the presence of a composition with a description and all the details of the manufacturer.

The composition contains soybeans, wheat, salt, sugar and vinegar - nothing else should be. Protein - 7 to 8 percent without colorings from flavors. High-quality and natural sauce, and without them, is perfectly preserved for up to several years.

When viewing the bottle in the light, transparency with the absence of turbidity is required. The color is light brown. Lighter shades mean sweetness and more salinity. The dark color fills the sauce with increased thickness and astringency. But you should be aware that dark species are often artificial with the addition of acid.

Soy sauce is a familiar product to many. Nutritionists recommend using it in many diets as a condiment and instead of salt. cooked with this seasoning are distinguished by exquisite aroma and taste. But how useful is the sauce and why its cost varies so widely.

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 a rather complicated technological process. The most useful is the one that has passed the stage of natural fermentation. To do this, the evaporated beans are diluted with water, salt is added and left for about a year. Then the composition is filtered and poured into containers. The price for 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 method. For example, to speed up the fermentation process, they add certain bacteria to the composition, which shorten 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 boundaries, they are discovering more and more new methods for the production of soy sauce. For example, some people manage to boil the beans in hydrochloric acid and then extinguish the mixture with lye. Even people working in this production are already damaging their health, what can we say about those who eat it. Such a product costs in stores within 100 rubles.

When choosing a real sauce, pay attention to the container. The bottle must be made of glass. Then study the composition. The natural product contains only soy, salt, sugar, wheat, vinegar and water. In appearance, the sauce should be transparent and have a brown tint.

Attention! The dark color of the product may indicate that this is a fake.

However, a natural product prepared by natural fermentation has certain benefits for our body. These are mainly amino acids that make up the product. This sauce contains 150 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits. Consequently, the seasoning acts as an excellent antioxidant in helping to scavenge free radicals and fight numerous infections.

The sauce has a positive effect on blood circulation and acts as a prophylactic agent for heart disease.

The positive qualities of the natural product are seen in the treatment of insomnia, muscle spasms, and edema.

They note the low calorie content of the product, therefore they recommend it to those who decide to part with their extra pounds.

Soy sauce harm

You shouldn'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 overwhelming amount of carcinogens that negatively 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. The phytoestrogens contained 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.

Salty dark brown liquid with a pungent aroma - soy sauce. Benefit or harm? Why does a person need this specific product, what are the useful properties and contraindications for use does it have? Read more about this product in our material.

Soy sauce: a brief introduction to the product

Antioxidants, which are found in abundance in soy sauce, have a positive effect on the functioning of the whole body and fight aging

Soy sauce has become a part of the diet of the inhabitants of our country relatively recently, largely due to the increased popularity of oriental dishes. For some, this product has become indispensable, for others - a pleasant addition to their usual dishes. Indeed, soy sauce is ideal for preparing various dishes, gives them an original taste and is the best substitute for salt and mayonnaise. In the culinary tradition of Asian countries, soy sauce occupies a special place and is almost cult, because soy has been grown there for more than five centuries.

Today, there are two main types, or varieties, of soy sauce, which is supplied to the world market by Japan and China - light and dark. The first of them has a very wide range of uses: it is added not only to rice, but also to other dishes, and various sauces are made on its basis. Dark soy sauce has a thick consistency due to long aging and is used for marinating fish, poultry and beef. It is also added to dark colored foods.

Soy sauce: composition

Soy sauce contains a large amount of vitamins, macro- and microelements, amino acids we need, which makes it a valuable product for vegetarians. A high-quality soy product contains calcium, zinc, iron, B vitamins, antioxidants (there are 10 times more of them than red wine rich in antioxidants!), 20 nonessential and irreplaceable amino acids.

As for the nutritional value of soy sauce, 100 g of this product contains 6 g. proteins, 6.6 gr. carbohydrates, the same amount of mono- and disaccharides, 5.6 gr. ash. At the same time, soy sauce has an average calorie content and can be safely included in the diet of those who are obese or on a diet. However, this product should not be abused as it can lead to salt deposition.

Soy sauce - benefits

The main benefit of soy sauce is its high content of amino acids and antioxidants, which are 150 times more abundant than citrus fruits rich in vitamin C. How are antioxidants good for health? They are a “shield” that protects cells from free radicals and helps the body fight various infections.

The inclusion of soy sauce in the diet improves blood circulation by 50%, reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, strengthens blood vessels, prevents the development of neurodegenerative diseases and, in general, has a positive effect on the robot of the whole organism.

Soy sauce is extremely useful for those who want to lose weight or are obese: this product does not contain harmful cholesterol and has only 70 kcal per 100 g. product.

The beneficial effects of soy sauce have been noted for insomnia, edema, headaches, muscle cramps and sprains.

Soy sauce - harm and consequences of abuse

Excessive consumption of soy sauce is no better than a craze for regular salt - both can cause salt build-up.

The harm in soy sauce has also been linked to product quality. Therefore, its choice should be approached very carefully and responsibly. In order not to experience the harm of soy sauce, buy only a high-quality, original product and avoid cheap fakes.

How to Pick a Good Soy Sauce

Today, store shelves are simply bursting with abundance, and finding a really high-quality product is quite difficult, but possible. The first thing worth paying attention to is the presence of a certificate: certified products are always a guarantee of the authenticity of the product. The second is the container in which the soy sauce is sold. A quality product is sold in transparent glass containers, since plastic bottles simply cannot preserve and convey the taste and aroma of soy sauce. The next thing is to be able to read the composition. A respectable manufacturer will indicate on his product that it is made by natural fermentation, a sly manufacturer will dilute the sauce with water and write the word “artificial” on the bottle. If you do not find anything on the label, then it is better to refuse to purchase such a product.

The ingredients listed on the soy sauce label should not include anything other than soybeans, wheat, sugar, salt and vinegar. Garlic may be present.

Real soy sauce can be stored for several years without any preservatives. If you notice peanuts in the composition, you should think about the quality of the purchased product.

When choosing soy sauce, take a close look at the bottle. The liquid in it should be transparent, light brown in color. If in doubt, check the product label again.