Coconut Aminos
For several years now I’ve wondered about substituting Bragg Liquid Aminos for soy sauce. About seven years ago, when my husband first went on a low sodium diet, I bought the product because so many people on cooking forums claimed it was lower in sodium than soy sauce. It tasted OK, but the math behind the claims puzzled me.
Granted, regular soy sauce is horribly high in sodium. The same can be said of the lower sodium versions you can purchase at most grocery stores. However, for the last several years I've been able to purchase online House of Tsang Less Sodium Soy Sauce with only 320 MGS SODIUM PER TABLESPOON.
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A few months ago I read a couple of blog posts and forum entries about Bragg’s, and I bought a small spray bottle the Aminos just to give it one more try. It tastes pretty much like the Tsang soy sauce I use. However, it's got 160 mgs sodium per 1/2 Teaspoon. That works out to 960 MGS PER TABLESPOON – quite a bit more than the low sodium soy sauce I presently use – three times more sodium!
So I wondered, “What’s the advantage of using the Aminos? Is it because the flavor is so concentrated that I can use so much less? I did a taste test, comparing equal amounts (1/2 tsp. each) of the Aminos vs. the soy sauce, and my opinion was that I'd have to use the same amount of product.) So I was left wondering why Bragg's is often touted as lower in sodium than soy sauce. Even low sodium Kikkoman has just 575 mgs per Tablespoon – still much lower in sodium content than a Tablespoon of Bragg Aminos.
A while ago, one of the Cooking Forum members posted a link to a coconut amino product that looked really interesting. Its sodium content is lower than Bragg's, just 113 mgs for 1 Teaspoon. That works out to 339 MGS PER TABLESPOON, just a little higher than the soy sauce I purchase online. When I found the coconut product at three different stores in my area, I decided to give it a shot.
Once I got it home, I did a taste test, comparing it to what I had on hand. The Coconut Aminos has a very similar taste to Bragg’s and low sodium sauce. It does, however, have a stronger fermented undertone. The extreme saltiness of the Bragg’s was immediately apparent in comparison to Coconut Aminos. I ended up dumping the Bragg’s and pouring the coconut product into the spray bottle. I figure a light spray on top of vegetables or rice might brighten things up a bit.
Although I will continue to use "House of Tsang" Less Sodium Soy Sauce, Coconut Aminos is a great option for those who dearly love amino products and also need to reduce their sodium intake. It’s got a flavor that’s similar to both Bragg’s and low sodium sauce. It’s also a great product for those trying to avoid soy products, due to sensitivity or allergy.
