Health-conscious folks often decide to cut soy from their diets, just like us! I love stir-fries and Asian-inspired dishes, so I used to miss soy sauce quite a bit. Luckily, coconut aminos serve as a delicious and healthier alternative to soy sauce.
If you’re already sold, you can scroll down to discover their benefits and how to incorporate them into your family meals. If you’re still curious, keep reading!
I’ve mentioned before that if you’re going to eat soy, you should go for fermented versions. Fermentation helps with digestion and can reduce some of the negative effects of soy. Despite soy sauce being made from fermented beans, I still suggest an alternative for several reasons:
Firstly, many people have adverse reactions to soy, whether it’s fermented or not. Plus, soy sauce typically contains wheat (gluten), another common allergen. Coconut aminos, however, are always gluten-free.
Soy sauce is quite salty, with just a few teaspoons covering more than half your daily sodium limit. Although reduced sodium versions exist, coconut aminos naturally have 75% less salt than soy sauce.
Soy sauce manufacturers often add coloring and chemical additives like MSG for flavor enhancement. MSG consumption has been linked to migraines, cell damage in the brain, and developmental issues in young children. Traditional soy sauce undergoes lengthy fermentation to retain its healthy enzymes, but many commercial brands use “rapid hydrolysis,” a faster process that mimics the effects of MSG. Research and choose brands that follow traditional methods.
Now, let’s introduce coconut aminos! About a decade ago, coconut products weren’t very popular, but now they are celebrated for their health benefits.
Coconut aminos look similar to soy sauce and have a comparable but more complex taste profile. They are made by aging the sap from coconut trees with salt, creating a flavorful blend.
Coconut sap, the main ingredient in coconut aminos, offers numerous health benefits. Although naturally sweet, it holds a low 35 on the glycemic index, so it won’t cause spikes in blood sugar. It supports healthy insulin levels and glucose metabolism, and research suggests it benefits kidney health. Additionally, it includes inositol, a B vitamin complex that may help prevent prostate cancer.
Coconut sap is rich in minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, such as potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Its neutral pH helps maintain an alkaline balance in the body.
Proteins in our bodies are composed of 20 different amino acids, essential for muscle growth and brain health. Our body can create some, but 9 essential amino acids must come from food. Developing children need all essential amino acids plus a few others. Those who struggle to synthesize certain amino acids due to genetics or age may need conditionally essential amino acids.
Coconut sap and aminos provide all 9 essential amino acids and 5 out of 7 conditionally essential amino acids. They also include the amino acid glutamine, which doesn’t convert to MSG because coconut aminos aren’t fermented with bacteria or yeast.
There’s even more good news! Coconut trees don’t produce coconuts when their sap is tapped, as it is collected from the blossoms before maturing. Some debate the sustainability of this practice; however, experts like those from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Davao Research Center endorse it as a sustainable method.
Now that you’re familiar with coconut aminos, why not try them in your cooking today? You can typically find them in your local grocery or health food store, but if they’re not available, ordering online is an option.
Use coconut aminos in any recipe that requires soy sauce. Just be sure not to heat them, as heat can destroy the beneficial glutamine content. Add them at the end of cooking if possible.
Here are some recipes to try with coconut aminos:
– Healthy Vegetable Fried “Rice”
– Meatball Shish Kabobs
– Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
– Sweet and Sour Chicken
– Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
– Grilled Thai Shrimp
– Healthy Mandarin Chicken
Have you tried coconut aminos yet? If not, do you think you’ll give them a shot?
