When you are in the supermarket looking for sauce, you may ask yourself: which soy sauce is the healthiest?” The answer is not one single bottle. The choice of the “healthiest” depends on your health priorities. However, we as professional brewers can demonstrate specific quantitative values of quality. We will analyze three main characteristics of an exceptional health-promoting soy sauce. These are its salt percentage, its ingredients, and its production method. In the end, you will become an expert on deciding what the best bottle for your pantry is.
The most pressing health concern people have about soy sauce is its salt levels. This is a legitimate worry. But the first thing is to have a good grasp of what salt really is.
Why is Soy Sauce High in Salt?
In traditional brewing, salt is different from a mere flavoring agent. That is salt’s primary function. Salt does a few things: it creates an environment that is favorable for the good bacteria to thrive while also stopping the bad ones from growing. This delicate balance allows the characteristic deep, complex umami flavor of true soy sauce to develop over a long period. Without enough salt, the process could not work smoothly.
Beyond salt, the ingredient label is the main data point for establishing the soy sauce quality. The technique of reading these lists is, probably, your most powerful tool. It will help you decide what type of soy sauce is the healthiest for you.
What to Look for on the Nutrition Facts Panel
After checking the ingredients, look at the nutrition facts panel. Check under “Sugars.” If the soy sauce has been correctly fermented, it should contain 0g or at most 1g of sugar per serving. More than that is an absolute no-no. This usually indicates the addition of sweeteners such as corn syrup to mask a pungent taste. Of course, this is not applicable to sweet soy sauces as they are intended to be sweet.
As brewers who are passionate about authenticity, we know that high-quality soy sauce is made from time and quality materials alone. It doesn’t need a list of additives.
While many people are concerned only about the salt, the brewing method is a critical aspect that has a great effect on whether the soy sauce is healthy. There are two major ways of making soy sauce: the traditional way and a quick, chemical shortcut.
The Gold Standard: Traditional, Natural Fermentation
The best soy sauces will always be the ones which are “naturally brewed” or “traditionally fermented.” This process involves mixing soybeans with roasted wheat, then adding a culture and allowing it to ferment in a salt brine for several months or more.
This age-old method means that the enzymes can act autonomously to break down the starches and proteins. The end product is a deep, rich, natural soy sauce with complex umami flavors. The flavor’s level is so high that fewer additives are required. This results in a much cleaner and nicer tasting option.
