They say that soy sauce first appeared as a seasoning or salt substitute in Ancient China in one of the monasteries, where a group of monks decided to take a strict fast and give up all flour, dairy and salty foods. Gradually, the thin, dark-colored liquid reached Japanese chefs, where it is still considered the “queen” of many dishes.

How soy sauce is prepared: from simple fermentation mechanisms to mass production

In 1965, in one of the provinces of Japan, the book “Yoshufushi” appeared, which for the first time describes in detail the recipe for making soy sauce. Carefully selected soybeans are evaporated. Wheat grains are added to them. The mixture is poured with salt water and placed in an airtight container with the addition of mold fungi. It is they who process the resulting wort, carrying out aminoglycoside reactions, as a result of which the sauce acquires a dark color. The liquid is infused in closed containers for about 2-3 years, then pressed to separate waste from the sauce and poured into sterilized jars. Cooks often added garlic, dill and many other seasonings to the tincture to enhance the piquant taste.

Today, soy sauce consumption is too high and traditional recipes are being modernized. Wort and sourdough are practically not prepared even in China and Japan - the countries that are the “authors” of this seasoning. Instead, the sauce is made by processing soy protein using the hydrolysis method: the beans are boiled with the addition of acids and then quenched with alkali. In this way, the product can be prepared in a few hours, which allows manufacturers to constantly replenish the sauce on supermarket shelves.

Harm and benefits of soy sauce

The modern method of preparing soy “drink” is dangerous because during hydrolysis, chloropropanols can be released - substances that cause the growth and appearance of cancer cells. The story of the discovery of a strong concentration of these substances in the sauce occurred in the USA and Australia in 2003. Manufacturers were then called to responsibility.

But such cases are rare. The danger of excessive consumption of soy sauce lies in something completely different...

Addiction to this product can lead to the development of hypertension (high blood pressure), disturbances in heart rhythm, and the appearance of thyroid pathologies. It is not recommended for pregnant women to frequently consume the sauce, as the isoflavones it contains have a negative effect on the development of the fetal brain.

The sauce is recommended for everyone else. It contains a lot of amino acids and vitamins; its nutritional value is not inferior to the proteins found in meat. The sauce easily replaces both seasoning and salt, so in case of diabetes and obesity, it is the only product that enhances the taste of the finished dish.

How not to make a mistake with your choice?

To ensure that the purchased soy sauce gives only a pleasant dining experience, and the body receives only benefits, choose the product in a glass container. Pay attention to the composition: it should not contain emulsifiers, yeast, sugar, or other components that enhance and accelerate the fermentation process and extend the shelf life. Ideally, there should be only soybeans, salt, and wheat grains.

Look at the color. High-quality and natural soy sauce has a brownish or gently light tint. It doesn't flow down the sides of the bottle very quickly, nor is it overly viscous or "liquid." And, of course, trust only trusted brands and stores...

Remember: diluted or improperly prepared soy sauce will only harm your body.

Soy sauce is one of the best types of seasoning for dishes. It has very few calories, yet it is many times healthier than mayonnaise. However, this applies only to a high-quality product, and on store shelves there are a huge number of counterfeits that are not only not useful, but even harmful to the body. How to figure out which soy sauce is the best?

Origin of the product

It is believed that it was first made by the ancient Chinese. The monks, following religious requirements, looked for ways to replace dairy products with soy. This is how vegetarian cheese was invented - it replaced milk with tofu (soybean curd). The product was seasoned with soy sauce.

Soon after its invention, it became known in Japan. In the 17th-19th centuries, Japanese cuisine was at the peak of its development, and such a novelty came in handy. It was there that it acquired its modern form. A little later, the sauce began to be sold in Europe, and in the 1990s in Russia.

Types of soy sauce

The product is divided into several main categories, each of which has its own characteristics:

1. Koi-kuti. The most famous option in its homeland, Asia. It has the darkest shade and is commonly used to create thick meat-based gravies. It also goes great with any other meat dishes. Its taste is very rich, pronounced, and quite salty.
2. Tamarin. An option for those who do not like excessive salt content or have a tendency to edema, but at the same time love the exquisite taste of soy sauce. This variety contains the most soybeans, so it does not need additional salt.
3. Usu-kuti. The lightest of all types of soy sauce, so it practically does not change the aesthetic qualities of the dish, if this is important to you. But it also has the weakest taste of all those listed. This is a plus if you need to highlight delicious dishes made from delicate fish or seafood - for example, sushi and rolls that are popular today.

The product packaging always indicates its type, so you can choose exactly the soy sauce you need.

Best Brands of Soy Sauce

Kikkoman

This Japanese company has been producing sauce for more than three hundred years, impeccably following the technologies developed in ancient Japan. Therefore, if you are interested in the taste of a classic product, pay attention to this brand. It has a natural color, and does not contain any preservatives, dyes or flavors - after all, a high-quality sauce does not need them, it will give everything itself.

There are two main varieties of Kikkoman soy sauce - classic and sweet. Both are cooked exclusively using natural methods, but differ in taste, as a result of which they can be suitable for different categories of dishes. For example, sweet goes perfectly with salads and meat (especially as a marinade), and classic can be classified as a universal seasoning.

There is also another type of Kikkoman sauce, which is divided into heavily and lightly salted. Its main purpose is to complement sushi, and this product is produced in a specially designed dispenser bottle. Also, in some shopping centers where there are sushi departments, they are packaged in small jars.

The price for a small jar of up to 150 ml is approximately 1,500 rubles. The cost of a full container exceeds 17,000 rubles, which is not affordable for every sushi lover. This is why the packaged product is much more popular among ordinary people.

Heinz

The name of this company is well known to many, and it is not surprising - it produces a lot of different products, from ketchup to soy sauce. According to the manufacturers, the latter is made according to the original recipe. There really is nothing artificial in the composition - no preservatives, no flavorings, and only natural caramel from the dyes. Caramel has another advantage - it gives soy sauce an incredibly delicate flavor.

There is only one type of Heinz soy sauce and it comes in a 200ml glass bottle. The price for the product is 9-10 thousand rubles, which is a very average figure, so many can afford it. At least the balance between price and quality is quite appropriate here.

Blue Dragon

In Russia, only a few large hypermarkets sell this brand. Its composition is completely natural, the only exception from the original recipe is lactic acid. The brand produces light and dark soy sauce to please all lovers of this product.

UMI

Adherents of a healthy lifestyle note this sauce as one of the most natural and delicious, because it is based on natural fermentation. It goes well with sushi and also serves as a substitute for salt in many dishes, both hot and cold.

It contains no genetically modified components, and soybeans are collected from the largest plantations in Japan. The composition contains wheat, which makes the taste more intense. In addition to the classic one, there is also a mushroom variety of the product. This sauce also contains no harmful additives, only mushroom extract.

Sen Soi

One of the most popular brands in Russia, located in the low price segment. Available in four types - Classic, Sushi, Spicy and Light. According to reviews, its taste most closely resembles the taste of the original product, but it contains sugar and a preservative.

This is not a very common product among us, but nevertheless, it deserves attention. The soy sauces of this company have a fairly natural composition and are produced in conveniently shaped glass bottles.

Which sauce is better not to buy?

According to the results of test purchases, Vietnamese brand was recognized as the worst known brand of soy sauce. Maxchup.

The company's specialization is the production of various types of sauces - oyster, soy, tomato. Each of them is based on Thai recipes. Soy sauce has a spicy taste that goes quite well with many dishes. The positives end there. But the number of extraneous additives confuses connoisseurs. The composition contains flavor enhancers, stabilizers, preservatives and even modified starch. Many of these substances can cause severe allergies. Therefore, the answer to the question - which soy sauce is the best? – definitely not Maxchup.

Much the same can be said about Mivimex sauce, although at least it does not contain GMOs.

How to choose a quality sauce for your family?

By following a few simple rules, you can buy good soy sauce, even if its price is significantly less than several thousand rubles. So, what you should pay attention to:

1. Packaging material. A quality product is never bottled in plastic containers. The bottle or jar should be glass and transparent, and the liquid in it should be a natural dark color. Although there is light soy sauce, it is not very widespread.
2. Price. It is worth understanding that a real product prepared using the correct technology cannot cost 50 or 100 rubles. After all, not only good products were spent on it, but also a lot of work in collecting beans and processing them.
3. You should not buy bottled soy sauce at the market., even if the price seems very attractive to you. It is impossible to know what quality the ingredients are in such a product. This is a reason to buy products from trusted brands, as well as from trusted suppliers.
4. The nutritional value. Here you need to pay attention, first of all, to the amount of protein - there should be at least 7 g of protein per 100 g of product, otherwise it is a fake, in which there are much less soybeans than needed.
5. Compound. The first thing that catches your eye is the presence or absence of components with the prefix E. It is better to leave a product containing one or more of these ingredients in the store. Natural soy sauce does not require preservatives and can be stored for several years. Ideally, the composition includes only soy, salt and wheat. Sugar and vinegar are also not necessary.

How is a quality sauce made?

The product creation technology includes the following stages:

• evaporation of beans and roasting of wheat grains;
• pouring these ingredients into a large container;
• long-term infusion (up to a year).

This is traditional technology. Unfortunately, manufacturers of numerous fakes are not going to wait for years and speed up the fermentation process with all kinds of chemical means. Thus, the sauce reaches the shelves within a week, but there can be no question of any quality.

And that's not so bad. The cheapest soy sauces are prepared by boiling the beans in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, and the resulting broth is then quenched with alkali. The use of such a product causes great harm to health.

It's safe to say that choosing the right soy sauce is a very important point for sushi lovers or those who want to reduce the amount of salt in their diet. After all, we want not only to reduce the calorie content of food, but also to increase its benefits.

Video

It is difficult to imagine Japanese cuisine without classic soy sauce. For residents of our country, this is a regular gas station only for certain products. In Japan, the sauce is used instead of salt. Fried and boiled food, meat, soups, vegetables - everything is brought to the ideal taste with just such a dressing. Test Purchase conducted its research and compiled a rating of gas stations. But first, it’s worth understanding how soy sauce is prepared and what types of this product there are.

What it is

To understand what the best soy sauce is, you need to understand how it is made. To prepare this dressing you do not need many ingredients. The sauce is made from wheat and soybeans. These components are filled with water, and then salt, brine, and a specific koji fungus are added. The last ingredient is the starter. All components are thoroughly mixed. The resulting moromi wort is left in this form until fermentation. The finished mass must be filtered and then boiled. This is necessary in order to kill all bacteria in the product.

Types of soy sauce

What is soy sauce? The best manufacturers of this gas station are trying to constantly increase their range. However, there are only three main types of soy sauce:

1. Tamarin. The dressing contains a high concentration of soybeans and a minimal amount of salt.
2. Koi-kuti. This is the darkest soy sauce, with a high level of salinity and a bright, expressive taste. This type of dressing is very popular in Japan.
3. Usu-kuti. This sauce is much lighter than the previous one and not as salty. It is usually not used for coloring dishes.

Soy sauce is used to prepare many dishes in our country. There is plenty of this gas station on store shelves from various manufacturers. You can easily find classic soy sauce, spicy and even mushroom. The popularity of the gas station is increasing every day. But what is the best soy sauce you can buy at an affordable price?

Kikkoman from the Netherlands

This sauce occupies a leading position in the market of our country. This dressing is made according to a recipe created about 300 years ago. It contains only natural ingredients. Kikkoman soy sauce is made in compliance with all proportions. To prepare the dressing, water, wheat, salt and soybeans are used. At the same time, the product does not contain any food additives.

The manufacturer indicated the entire list of components on the label. Only natural ingredients are listed here. In addition, the color of soy sauce is also natural. Now you know what the best soy sauce is. At the moment, the Kikkoman product is available in two types: sweet and classic. The choice of dressing depends on the dish. for example, sweet is perfect for vegetable salads, as well as for preparing marinades for meat. As for classic soy sauce, it is universal. In other words, the product can be used to prepare any dishes.

American Heinz product

So how to choose the right soy sauce? Which one is the best? Reviews show that the American Heinz gas station has good taste. This company is a fairly reliable and at the same time universal manufacturer. The range of its products is quite large. The Heinz company produces various mayonnaises and sauces. Among them there is soybean. According to the manufacturer, this product is prepared in accordance with all technologies and only according to the original recipe. Soy contains only natural ingredients. The confirmation is the label. The only food additive listed here is coloring. Its role is played by natural caramel. It is this that gives Heinz soy sauce such a rich color, as well as an enveloping and unusually delicate aftertaste.

Soy sauce from England

So what is the best soy sauce? Of course, one that does not contain any synthetic components and Blue Dragon soy sauce fits this category. In this case, the dressing does not contain questionable components, and the only additive is lactic acid, which is an excellent acidity regulator.

At the moment, several varieties of Blue Dragon soy sauce are produced: light and dark. This, in turn, is more like the manufacturer’s desire to meet Japanese taste standards.

Thailand soy sauce Maxchup

Since choosing a good soy sauce is not so easy, you should carefully study the label on the package. After all, many manufacturers make their own changes to the recipe and add some synthetic components that can improve the taste of the product, but reduce its benefits. Maxchup mainly produces sauces and ketchups. The recipes for many products were developed by local chefs and differ significantly from the classic ones. The products of this company are ideal for those who want to try something spicy and unusual. But if you are concerned about your health, then you should refuse such experiments.

Maxchup soy sauce is ideal for meat, roasts, kebabs, and extravagant Latin American dishes. However, the composition of the product is far from ideal.

Composition of Maxchup soy sauce

Maxchup soy sauce has a vibrant flavor that is not easy to forget. However, after carefully examining the packaging, it becomes clear why. The product contains, in addition to natural components, those that were obtained synthetically. It is the interaction of such ingredients that makes this brand of soy sauce very tasty. First of all, it is worth highlighting additives such as E627 and E631. These are flavor enhancers that can cause intestinal upset. In addition, the product contains E440 and E415 - stabilizers, as well as E211 - a preservative that negatively affects human health, and

This list of components is impressive. If you are concerned about your health, then Maxchup soy sauce is definitely not for you.

Mivimex soy sauce

This product can be found in almost any grocery store. However, many will not like Mivimex. The label says nothing about the type of dressing. However, the manufacturer indicated the exact composition. There are also all kinds of synthetic additives, including: E621 - monosodium glutamate, which has a negative effect on the body, causing depression, nausea and headaches, E201 and E211 - preservatives that cause allergic reactions. This is not the best product. Although its cost attracts many.

Scandalous CHIN-Su

This is not exactly ordinary soy sauce. How to choose the best one of all? It is enough to delve into the history of many brands. Probably, many people know about the bright event that was associated with CHIN-Su soy sauce. A few years ago, this product attracted everyone's attention.

The Belgian Association, which has great authority, conducted research. As a result, the substance 3-MCPD was discovered in the CHIN-Su product. This component is hazardous to health. However, the company got off with only a warning. As for the remaining components of the product, in addition to the classic ingredients, there are synthetic additives. These are E201 and E211, as well as the average flavor.

It is difficult to imagine Japanese cuisine without soy sauce; in Japan it is used as salt, added not only to meat or fish, but also to fried and boiled vegetables, and soups.

Today, soy sauce is used for salad dressing, marinating meat, frying meat and fish products, stewing, baking various dishes, we often eat it with sushi and rolls.

Nutritionists suggest replacing salt with soy sauce, which is more beneficial than harmful table salt; the sauce gives the dish a piquant and subtle aroma and saturates it with healthy elements.

In Japan, soy sauce is divided into three types:

• koi-kuti, has a bright taste, dark in appearance, popular in its homeland;
• usi-kuchi, a lighter product than the previous one, is not used for coloring dishes;
• tamarin – contains a high concentration of soybeans.

What do we have? Looking at store shelves, you may be surprised by the abundance of goods, both in terms of price and quality. The undoubted leader is Kikkoman sauce, produced in the Netherlands, has different degrees of salinity, is available in containers of various sizes, does not contain water or flavoring additives.

Next, you should name the company’s product Heinz, a rather mediocre sauce, contains food coloring - natural caramel, which is responsible for the color of the product. The sauce is quite worthy in terms of taste and pricing.

What can you say about sauce from Great Britain? - Blue Dragon, the product contains an acidity regulator, there are light and dark sauces of this brand on sale, the manufacturers tried to meet the taste standards of analogue products.

Products from a Thai company Maxchup They offer customers a spicy field for experimentation; they can add sauce to kebabs, fry meat, stew vegetables, and also make spicy preserves for the winter.

Where is the sauce packaged? "Dobrada", brand "Afako" It’s hard to say, but it is produced in Vietnam, the product has an incredible taste, with notes of garlic, mushrooms, pepper, and contains E 202 and E 211.

The benefits of the product have been proven for a long time, this particular product contains a huge amount of proteins, soybeans are rich in starch, contain various amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

There is a light and dark sauce, they contain a huge difference; if you choose a product for dressings, it is better to take a light product, and a richer one will be suitable for rolls, meat dishes, fish, etc.

The sauce is prepared using well-known technology:

• soybeans are boiled in water or steamed;
• then mixed with flour from roasted wheat or barley grains;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• then a long fermentation process begins, which lasts from 40 days to several years;
• when the sauce reaches the desired condition, it is filtered and packaged;
• the product is ready for use.

Nowadays, various flavorings and seasonings are often added to the product; unscrupulous manufacturers may neglect the conditions for creating the product by adding the dangerous carcinogen “chloropropanol” to the sauce.

How to distinguish a natural sauce from a chemical one?

You need to take the bottle in your hands, carefully read the composition, the smaller the list of products, the healthier the sauce is for the body. If the composition contains various dyes, preservatives and flavors, then feel free to send the product to the shelf.

You also need to pay attention to the pricing policy of the product; the higher it is, the greater the chances of purchasing a healthy and high-quality sauce. The taste of the product we need is not bitter, soft, refined, slightly reddish-brown in color.

The aroma of a good sauce is sweet, spicy and appetizing; there are no secondary pungent odors. If the bottle has been opened, it should then be stored in the refrigerator, away from sunlight.

How to make soy sauce and the correct methods
choice will be discussed in this article fromHouse of Soviets.

Read also articles on the topic of Seasonings:Benefits of turmeric

How to prepare soybean
sauce?

Which ones exist?
How to make soy sauce?

Real and best
Soy sauce is considered to be one that has been prepared naturally. How
is this process happening? The soybeans are evaporated first, and the wheat
the grains are fried, then everything is mixed, salt is added and poured
water. The resulting mass must undergo a long fermentation process, ideally
time for this is allocated at least a year, fermentation occurs in special
containers. After the allotted time has passed, the fermented, ready-made liquid
Be sure to filter and bottle it.

Unfortunately,
not all soy sauce producers keep up with the growth of its consumer
demand. In order to significantly reduce the time of natural fermentation, they find
new ways of its production. So when making soy sauce into the mixture
wheat and soybeans add Aspergillius bacteria, which makes it possible to speed up the
fermentation process. Thanks to such tricks, it is expected by many buyers
Soy sauce is produced within a month, without waiting the required year for production.
But it cannot be said that producing sauce in this way is harmful to
health, bacteria, on the contrary, contribute to better functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and the entire body in
in general. But the ingenuity and imagination of manufacturers knows no barriers, and the desire
get the desired quick profit. Makes you turn a blind eye to the poison being sold
in bottles. Properly made soy sauce is often expensive,
which not everyone can afford.

Therefore people are mistaken
to the detriment of health, they choose cheaper imitations prepared according to completely
other technology. So, in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, soybeans are boiled, after
then the resulting decoction is quenched with alkali. Just a little time and cheap soy
the sauce is ready. In such industries, workers seriously expose their
health hazard, let alone those who may be using this
chemical invention.

Another simple and
A common way to produce cheap soy sauce is by diluting
soybean concentrate water, but this method is more humane compared to
the above.

How to choose soy sauce?

Getting into
supermarket, it’s simply “eye-opening” from the variety of brands of soy sauce. How
for an ordinary person to recognize the naturalness of this product, wanting to receive
it provides maximum health benefits. If you are faced with the question of how to choose
quality soy sauce, House of Soviets recommends taking notesome
simple rules.

Advicenever buy soy sauce
markets, bottling. In a store, the likelihood of having a certified product is much higher
higher and more choice. in order not to harm your body, choose
soy sauce among reputable and time-tested brands.

pay attention to
a bottle into which the sauce is poured, a quality product goes on sale
exclusively in glass, transparent bottles. Plastic bottles, no
are able to preserve the taste and aroma qualities of soy sauce, and the price
Such a product will tell you that such soy sauce will cost much less.

Information on
the label will also tell you a lot, respectable manufacturers will be happy to
indicate on it that their soy sauce is based on natural
fermentation. Unfair producers will modestly and in small print indicate that the sauce
artificial (and only if they indicate!). There are labels on which, in addition to
The “soy sauce” label no longer contains any clear information at all. This means
Here is a soy product that does not fit this description in any way, other than harmful
it won't bring you anything more acids.

What should be in natural soy sauce?

Comprise
soy sauce should only include: soybeans, wheat, sugar, vinegar and salt. For
lovers of spicy food, soy sauce with the addition of garlic is also found
is the norm. In such a sauce, the protein content should be at least 7-8
%. The presence of flavors and dyes in it is not permissible. Soy sauce produced
using real technology and can be easily stored for several years and does not need
in preservatives. If you read on the label that soy sauce contains
peanuts, then its quality is questioned.

Choosing glass
bottle with sauce, look at it in the light. Soy sauce is a must
be transparent, without sediment and turbidity. Quality soy sauce will have a light
- Brown color. Light-colored soy sauce has a less cloying taste and is more
salty. This sauce goes well with almost any dish.

Darker sauce
the color (dark brown) is a little thicker, it has a tart taste, it is appropriate for
cooking meat dishes. The dark color of the sauce, as opposed to light, may
turn out to be artificial or produced with the help of acid. So be
Be careful and read the label carefully before purchasing.