Vegan Guides

Is Soy Sauce Vegan – A Simple Guide

Is Soy Sauce Vegan - A Simple Guide

Is Soy Sauce Vegan – A Simple Guide that will answer all your questions on soy sauce. is it vegan, how it’s created, and its uses?
Soy sauce is a very popular condiment used all around the world. No wonder why you are wondering is soy sauce vegan.
Before we go into the deep dive of finding out whether soy sauce is vegan, let’s first break down the soy condiment and find out exactly what it is!

What Is Soy Sauce? What Is Soy Sauce Made Of?

Soy sauce originates from China. It’s made using fermented soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds. Soy sauce has a strong umami flavour.
It is believed that soy sauce was created about 2,200 years ago.

Soy sauce is used in many ways; directly in cooking, for dipping, for saltiness…you name it! it’s a very unique condiment.
There are also different types of soy sauces. Dark, strong, light. low salt, regular, and all that.

Different countries tend to make soy sauce their own way. Ultimately though, it’s made using soybeans.

Soy sauce isn’t gluten-free. However, there is a condiment called Tamari, that is gluten-free and tastes just like soy sauce. Tamari sauce is vegan, but always make sure you check the ingredients list, just to be sure. It’s what I always recommend all vegans to do, it’s great to read and get educated online, but ultimately, it all comes down to your local shops, types/brands you are buying, so always read the ingredients!

Is Soy Sauce Vegan?
Is Soy Sauce Vegan - A Simple Guide

Yes, soy sauce is absolutely vegan! Why? Because it has vegan ingredients! Typically, soy sauce contains the following:

Soybeans, wheat, preservatives, salt,  water. All these are vegan ingredients.

Personally, I use soy sauce a lot. Especially since becoming vegan, I don’t know why, but I started cooking Asian-inspired meals a lot more, which means more use of Asian condiments, such as soy sauce. Stir fry is my go-to quick vegan dinner.

I literally cannot live without soy sauce 😀 It’s one of those condiments I think I use the most. I think it goes up there with toasted sesame oil as well!

Is Kikkoman Soy Sauce Vegan?

Yeah, they are, however, it’s worth noting, that they had some backlash back in the day, where it turned out, that they had actually experimented on animals. Which obviously isn’t vegan at all.
None of the ingredients specify any non-vegan products, however, it’s a little bit unknown whether they still/did experiment on animals.

Kikkoman is actually a Japanese soy sauce brand, and it’s one of the most popular soy sauce brands in the world.  I personally do use Kikkoman soy sauce occasionally. But most of the time, I tend to avoid it for obvious reasons.

Does The High Amount Of Salt In Soy-Sauce Make It Unhealthy?

Soy sauce does contain a lot of sodium, however, just like anything, everything should be consumed in moderation. When I use soy sauce, I just use 1-2 tbsp max, and when I do use soy sauce, I don’t often add additional salt, because, the soy sauce sort out the seasoning, so no need for extra salt.

Personally, I don’t think soy sauce is unhealthy, as long as you use it in moderation and be careful with how much more added salt you are consuming, then it should be all good. Everything excessive is unhealthy.

Fermented soy is known to be quite healthy for your bacteria, so I wouldn’t write soy sauce off completely. I use it and have used it for years, and I haven’t had any health-related issues such as high blood pressure or other issues.
Eat your cake, and consume your soy sauce, just do it in moderation 😉

Summary:

So, is soy sauce Vegan? – Yes
Is Kikkoman Soy Sauce Vegan? – Kind of
Is Soy Sauce Unhealthy Because Of The Salt Content? – Not if consumed in moderation
Is There A Vegan Gluten-Free Version Of Soy Sauce? – Yes, Tamari sauce.

As I mentioned above, soy sauce is a condiment I use regularly. It’s a super flavor enhancer and a must for any Asian dish. For Tofu recipes, stir fry, marinating, dipping, you name it.
Remember, moderation is key, and always read the ingredient list for every product, and check if it’s vegan 😉

I hope you found this guide helpful, if you have any thoughts on this, feel free to drop a comment below or message me directly on my socials:
Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook!

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