In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Are Liquid Aminos?What Are Coconut Aminos?What Is Soy Sauce?How Are Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce Similar?What’s the Difference Between Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce?How Do You Use Liquid Aminos?How Do You Use Soy Sauce?Are Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce Interchangeable?Nutrition of Liquid Aminos vs. Soy Sauce
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Are Liquid Aminos?
What Are Coconut Aminos?
What Is Soy Sauce?
How Are Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce Similar?
What’s the Difference Between Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce?
How Do You Use Liquid Aminos?
How Do You Use Soy Sauce?
Are Liquid Aminos and Soy Sauce Interchangeable?
Nutrition of Liquid Aminos vs. Soy Sauce
In this day and age, it’s hard to find a group of people without at least one dietary preference, allergy or food intolerance. AtEatingWell, we label our recipes accordingly (nut-free, gluten-free, etc.) so you always know what category they fall into. But sometimes there’s just one ingredient that makes a recipe not fit into your diet. That’s where liquid aminos can come into play. Liquid aminos have long been a substitute for soy sauce, even before gluten-free soy sauces, such as tamari, became popular.
While liquid aminos may look and taste similar to soy sauce, find out the key differences between these two soy-based sauces. Plus, read on to discover if liquid aminos are a good substitute for soy sauce.
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Coconut aminos are also amino acids in liquid form, but instead of soybeans, they’re made from coconut blossom sap (aka nectar). The sap is fermented and a little salt is added to make the final product. Coconut aminos are also gluten-free and may be attractive to people who need to avoid soy, as they’re soy-free, too. From a flavor standpoint, coconut aminos are slightly sweet with an umami background.
Soy sauce is made from soybeans that are soaked and cooked, then roasted alongside wheat. This “mash” is then combined withAspergillus,a mold that helps the soybeans ferment into a product called koji. The koji is mixed with a salty brine, then left to ferment for anywhere from a few days to years, depending on the quality of the soy sauce, to develop the deep umami taste associated with soy sauce.
Gluten-free soy sauce, also known as tamari, is made exclusively from soybeans with no added wheat. Tamari generally has a lighter color, is less salty and tastes slightly sweeter than traditional soy sauce.
Tamari vs. Soy Sauce: What’s the Difference?
Liquid aminos and soy sauce are both made from soybeans, and they both impart a salty, slightly sweet and umami taste to whatever food they’re added to. They both have a dark brown color and viscous texture that make them easy to add to marinades or to use as a dipping sauce.
Because liquid aminos are not fermented and don’t have as much salt added, liquid aminos tend to taste less salty, milder and slightly sweeter than soy sauce. Liquid aminos also do not have added wheat, so, like tamari, they’re a good option for those following wheat-free and gluten-free diets.
Liquid aminos are used just as you would use soy sauce, such as invegetable stir-fries,fried rice,marinated tofu,salad dressingand many other Chinese and Japanese dishes. Liquid aminos can also be used as a Worcestershire sauce substitute for vegans, as it does not contain anchovies.
Soy sauce can be used instir-fries,marinadesand more, and is an integral sauce in Southeast Asian cultures, such as China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia. Each region has their own type of soy sauce, and generally they range in terms of saltiness and sweetness. Most people think of light soy sauce when they refer to soy sauce, however, there are other types, such as white soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
Yes, liquid aminos and soy sauce are interchangeable in a recipe in a 1-to-1 ratio. Meaning, for every 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, you would use 1 teaspoon of liquid aminos, and vice versa.
Here’s the nutrition information forliquid aminos, per 1-teaspoon serving:
Here’s the nutrition information forregular soy sauce, per 1-teaspoon serving:
Here’s the nutrition information forlower-sodium soy sauce, per 1-teaspoon serving:
Here’s the nutrition information forcoconut aminos, per 1-teaspoon serving:
The nutrition profiles of liquid aminos and regular soy sauce are very similar when it comes to calories and sodium. Lower-sodium soy sauce and coconut aminos are similar in terms of sodium, but coconut aminos have slightly fewer calories per teaspoon.
Lower-sodium soy sauce is soy sauce that has had the salt removed after fermentation and brewing. It has the same flavor, just not the same perceived saltiness on the tongue. In general, low-sodium soy sauce has almost 50% less sodium than regular soy sauce.
The Bottom Line
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