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I have fallen victim to not listening to my own advice. Those of you that have been around for a while know that I advocate reading the ingredient list on EVERYTHING you consume because to never know what they can and will stick in something. Well I failed to follow my own advice and paid for it.
I am not a big advocate of anything made from soy… especially for men.Briefly, it can lower testosterone and cause other problems. If you want more information, check out Scott’s posts on Soy over at Modern Forager. I generally only have a little soy in the form of soy sauce in my homemade jerky (which I eat daily). As we know from the Japanese, a little soy won’t kill you so I never really worried too much about this little that I consumed.
Recently a good friend gifted me some “Bragg’s Aminos” which is supposed to be similar to soy sauce.Curious as to what the actual difference was, I sat down with the bottle of Bragg’s and my bottle of Kikkoman’s and began to investigate. I read the ingredients list on the Kikkomans and almost choked. The second ingredient in my Kikkoman’s is wheat! Wheat I say! In my Soy Sauce! It is even higher on the ingredient list than soy. Now not only am I consuming soy but also wheat. I am so disappointed in good ol’ Kikkoman and also in myself for not realizing this sooner. I advise people all the time to read read READ all the ingredients and here I failed in that myself.
Many of you may not think this to be a big deal at all BUT I have noticed side effects from this. Lately, I have been bringing jerky to work with me as an afternoon snack to break my fast. Instead of the jerky satiating my hunger, it has actually been making me hungrier! This would totally explain why.
Once again… READ ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF ANYTHING YOU CONSUME!
I for one am done with Kikkoman’s for good. lol
February 4th, 2009 - 9:15 am
I’ve learned recently that the difference between soy sauce and tamari soy sauce is supposed to be that soy contains wheat and the tamari is the properly ferment (only) soy. I haven’t checked the labels yet, since I’m going to finish what I have first and then see if I can find some low sodium (the wife, not me) tamari.
Joe
February 4th, 2009 - 9:27 am
After reading this I went and checked out a sauce more carefully that I’ve been using lately. Worcestershire- and turns out it doesn’t contain wheat, but something equally as dangerous, high fructose corn syrup! How did I miss this the first time around?
There’s an all natural Worcestershire made by Annie’s that just has a little bit of soy in it, I’m switching immediately!
Thanks for the reminder- I guess it’s easy to get complacent and go off what you think is in things, instead of listening to your own advice and making sure!
-BEE
February 4th, 2009 - 9:37 am
Since this is a fermented product I’m guessing that the bacteria gobble up a lot of the wheat sugar. I have read that FDA rules require yogurt to be labeled with the carb count before the active cultures start eating up the sugars, and that there is usually much less sugar than is labeled on the containers. Maybe something similar would apply here.
This post on low carb friends -https://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/archive/index.php/t-330622.html – seems to back up that point, though there is no source.
This article reiterates Joe’s point, that tamari is wheat free. It’s also lower in salt.
February 4th, 2009 - 9:37 am
whoops, here is the second article I mentioned above.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tamari-shoyutamari-shoyu-soy-sauce.html
February 4th, 2009 - 9:45 am
Joe,
Thank you for the info. So the wheat must be a shortcut to easy fermentation for them on the soy.
BEE,
In my experience most worschtershire sauces contain sugar or HFCS. Very good point on not becoming complacent!
Chase,
Awesome information. I did not know that about yogurt either! That is really good to know (especially since I do partake occasionally in full fat plain cream on top yogurt).
February 4th, 2009 - 10:39 am
The problem with the wheat is the gluten protein, not the sugar, btw.
I use only very small amounts of soy sauce/tamari, but my preferred brand is Ohsawa Organic Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce (the front label also says Deguchi Family). Traditionally brewed in cedar kegs in the Chita Peninsula region of Japan (renowned for tamari brewing). This one’s made with traditional methods, over at least two summer seasons. Organic whole soybeans, water, sea salt, Organic distilled sake (water, rice, aspergillus oryzae), asperillus aryzae. There is a version with wheat, so read labels carefully. Imported and Distributed by Gold Mine Natural Food C., San Diego, CA http://www.goldminenaturalfood.com
This same company also makes/imports or distributes an excellent raw miso, as well as raw sauerkraut. I transfer the contents of the bag of miso paste into a glass jar and it keeps in the fridge for a long time. The Gold mine product prices are higher than their industrial competitors, but I think the quality and traditional production methods are worth it. I buy the sauerkraut now and then to use as an “innoculator” for my homemade sauerkraut – for perfect results every time.
No affiliation with the company other than as a customer, etc.
February 4th, 2009 - 11:07 am
It really isn’t a big deal, even Mark Sisson puts a small teaspoon of white death into his morning coffee.
February 4th, 2009 - 11:11 am
JE,
“White death”…. lol i like that.
February 4th, 2009 - 1:28 pm
SOG,
You’ll like the Braggs. It’s good stuff.
You can also look into Tamari, it’s wheat free.
Marc
February 4th, 2009 - 1:36 pm
‘Soya’ sauce often is the cheap alternative to wheat-free tamari.
Miso also usually has wheat in it.
As a coeliac, kikkoman soy sauce makes me feel like crap the day after.
February 4th, 2009 - 2:11 pm
I also recommend the tamari. I haven’t noticed any difference in taste, and it’s wheat free.
I always wondered about yogurt. It made no sense to me that it would have the same carb count as an equal serving of milk, since the cultures digest the lactose. Thanks for explaining that.
February 4th, 2009 - 3:56 pm
Wow, this a tough one for me, because I consider my soy sauce one of my “allowences” in an otherwise strict eaching scheme. I use it on my carne asada and veggies. I honestly will probably keep using it since I do so well elsewhere in my eating, but I have honeslty never even looked at the label – and like yu SoG, I tell people all day long, “Read the freaking labels….!” Humbled.
February 4th, 2009 - 4:15 pm
Leniza,
I keep hearing about thi tamari. i am going to hve to check it out.
emergefit,
It is sounding like some people have found good soys without this bad stuff so you may be able to pull off your “allowance” AND a better option at the same time!
February 4th, 2009 - 5:31 pm
I went on a label reading jihad at the store today because I wanted to make deviled eggs. Ok, even dijon mustard was a chore.
I stopped buying stir fry sauce because of all the crap in it. I thought I saw Kikkoman’s tamari back in the “health food” section. Alas, looks like it too has some wheat in it.
http://www.kikkomanusa.com/_pages/consumer/prod_indiv.asp?loc=101&pfid=8&pfiid=53
TrailGrrl
February 4th, 2009 - 5:38 pm
So annoying when that stuff happens
I use tamari as well. Really good stuff. And it amazing how sensitive one gets to certain things when you stop consuming them regularly, eh? I had some Heinz ketchup this weekend and it was sickeningly sweet. I don’t remember ketchup being like candy!
February 4th, 2009 - 9:19 pm
Not all tamari is wheat-free — read the ingredients!
February 4th, 2009 - 10:24 pm
Seconded that not all tamari is wheat-free. And I was heartbroken to learn that about Kikkoman’s because it’s a good brand as compared to, say, the little packets in Chinese restaurants that taste like colored water. But I found a brand of tamari that has a wheat-free variety and that’s all I will use now.
February 5th, 2009 - 9:08 am
I have nephews who are really stunted physically because of the parent’s low-fat yuppie diet with soy substitutes from infanthood. I remember reading that soy can also cause mental retardation in kids and went to find that research article….but found this one which should scare the begebers out of all of us young and old.
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/soyandbrain.html
Each paragraph is chock full of scary stats. I want to post it in the soy aisle of the store!
February 14th, 2009 - 1:31 pm
ooh my, i had no idea. damn!
March 15th, 2009 - 6:06 pm
Wouldn’t Braggs be bad because the soybeans aren’t fermented – therefore they’re teeming with natural toxins?
March 16th, 2009 - 8:24 am
Primal Pebbles,
I tend to do my best to avoid soy consumption in any form as much as possible these days. Especially being a male, I think I can just do without it.