Do you look at ingredients label when you buy soy sauce?  I admit I never had, until my mother informed me a couple of years ago that there were soy sauces being sold that actually did not contain any soy.

I couldn’t believe what I found when I started actually reading the labels on some seemingly harmless looking soy sauce packets.

Here is a list of ingredients from one of these so called “soy sauce” packets:

water

salt

hydrolyzed vegetable protein

caramel color

molasses

mono sodium glutamate

citrus acid

and potassium sorbate added as preservative

That sure sounds like a fine concoction of chemicals to zombify and preserve me forever… Very creepy…  Unfortunately, this is what usually comes packaged with a lot of delivery or takeout.

I have also seen some bottled soy sauces at asian groceries with this same ingredient list =(

I am not trying to scare you, but I think it is important to be aware of what you are putting into your body.

So… Be aware.

In contrast let’s look at the ingredients of what actual soy sauce looks like.  There is a wide variety of soy sauce, so ingredients might vary, but in essence, this is what you should see:

water

soy bean

sea salt

spirits

That’s a lot better!  Simpler, identifiable, traditional, and recognizable.

Next time, when you select a soy sauce, remember to check the labels and spend a few more dollars to get real soy sauce.

After all, a bottle of soy sauce will last you a long time. Naturally brewed soy sauce usually has a lightly higher sodium level, so it preserves naturally.  Traditionally, there is no need for added preservatives.  So spend your money wisely, and give your vote to the product that nourishes you, not poisons you.

Here is the soy sauce I usually use in my kitchen.  It’s naturally brewed and wheat-free, which means it’s gluten-free.

Eat Real, Be Real.

Hungry Gopher