# Why does soy sauce have to contain so much salt?



## jes (Nov 25, 2012)

Why does soy sauce have to contain so much salt?


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## Zhizara (Nov 25, 2012)

Walmart carries a* lite* soy sauce.  I don't know why regular has so much salt, but this one is much better.


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## Steve Kroll (Nov 25, 2012)

Just like when making sauerkraut, soy bean mash is submerged in a brine solution while it ferments. The salt acts as a preservative.

And a more basic answer to the question is that in Asian cooking, soy sauce is used _instead of salt._ So it's intended as a seasoning.

Some types have less salt than others. For example, Chinese premium dark soy sauce has a richer flavor and is lower in sodium than other types.

One thing I would suggest is avoiding brands like "La Choy" (or any other brand where "Hydrolyzed Soy Protein" is in the list of ingredients) which doesn't rely on fermentation to make the sauce, but rather takes the quick route by adding concentrated hydrochloric acid to break down the soy beans, and then adds an alkaline ingredient to neutralize the acid. After this, artificial colors and flavors are added. Yuck.


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## jes (Nov 25, 2012)

Does that mean that it doesn't need to be refrigerated?


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## Andy M. (Nov 25, 2012)

jes said:


> Does that mean that it doesn't need to be refrigerated?



As with any food, the label should tell if refrigeration is necessary after opening.


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## powerplantop (Nov 25, 2012)

One of the main ingredients in soy sauce is salt. 

It keeps down the population of bad bacteria


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## jes (Nov 25, 2012)

I see. Thank you all.


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## kimmo (Nov 26, 2012)

Yes, thanks all.  I learned a lot from reading all this.


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## matchbox (Nov 26, 2012)

you can buy low salt soy sauce here in australia, not sure if its the same in the US but worth a look maybe


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## jennyema (Nov 26, 2012)

Kikkoman low sodium soy sauce is excellent.


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## Max Sutton (Nov 26, 2012)

*Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce*



jennyema said:


> Kikkoman low sodium soy sauce is excellent.


 
I agree.
I use Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce all the time in recipes.


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