Many health concerns are often raised regarding soy sauce, including its salt content, presence of cancer-causing compounds and specific reactions to components like amines and monosodiumglutamate. Here Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN, HealthLine.com, reflects on whether soy sauce is a keto-friendly condiment, medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D.:

“Soy sauce, which is typically used in Asian cuisine, is a staple low calorie condiment with a distinct umami flavor.

If you follow a ketogenic, or keto, diet, you may wonder whether this flavorful ingredient is a good choice.

The keto diet drastically restricts carbs, and some soy sauces contain more carbs than others.

This article discusses soy sauce, its carb content, and whether it’s a keto-friendly condiment.

Common types and their carb content

Several types of soy sauce exist, and they vary by production method and content.

There are two main ways soy sauce is produced — traditionally and chemically.

Traditional soy sauce is brewed by fermenting soybeans and wheat in water and salt using mold, yeast, and bacteria. It’s aged over months — sometimes even years (1Trusted Source).

In a much faster method, soy sauce can be chemically produced in as little as 8–12 hours by breaking down soybeans using high heat and a strong acid solution. (2).

Types of soy sauce also vary based on the proportions of soybeans, wheat, salt, and other ingredients used, including sugar. Along with flavor, texture, and aroma, the ingredients used may affect the carb content and whether the soy sauce is keto-friendly.

The soy sauce commonly used in North America, which is considered to be “light soy sauce,” is typically very low in carbs, as it contains little to no added sugar (3Trusted Source).

However, significant amounts of sugar are added to some varieties of soy sauce, such as “sweet soy sauce,” which is not keto-friendly.

While the exact amount depends on the brand, here are the breakdowns of common types of soy sauce and their typical carb contents:

• Light soy sauce. Considered the most familiar type in North America, this variety typically contains around 1 gram of carbs per tablespoon (15mL) or less (3Trusted Source).
• Dark soy sauce. This variety may be slightly sweetened, giving it around 1–5 grams per tablespoon (15mL) (4, 5).
• Tamari. This variety is commonly gluten-free and typically contains 1 gram of carbs per tablespoon (15mL) (6Trusted Source).
• Sweet soy sauce. Also known as “kecap manis,” this variety is typically high in added sugar. Depending on the brand, each tablespoon (15mL) may contain up to 15 grams of carbs (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

Soy sauce and the keto diet

Though there are many variations of the keto diet, they all involve restricting carbs to promote ketosis — a metabolic state in which your body mainly burns fat for fuel instead of carbs (9Trusted Source).

Research suggests ketosis can be achieved by most people by reducing carb intake to 10% or less of your daily carb intake, or roughly 20–50 grams per day (10Trusted Source).

Given that many soy sauces are low carb, it’s possible to enjoy this flavor-enhancing condiment without pulling yourself out of ketosis.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-soy-sauce-keto#soy-sauce-keto