Soy sauce recently appeared on the tables of Europeans, but is very popular. Today it is used to prepare a variety of dishes, because it gives them an original, unusual taste. Particularly suitable soy sauce for those who prefer to cook without salt and spices.
History of appearance
According to the legend of the origin of soy sauce, it was invented by Buddhist monks. Refusing to eat meat, they found a perfectly suitable substitute - products from soy. The first recipes for the preparation of soy sauce appeared in China, but soon they began to be used by the enterprising Japanese. Having improved the cooking technology, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun began to serve this sauce for most dishes of the national cuisine. In the second half of the 17th century, soy products became known to Europeans, but in our country they appeared only two centuries later.
Today it is difficult to imagine that once a traditional soup of Asian cuisine was served without this original sauce. For the Japanese, it is a universal seasoning, which can be added to any recipe. According to statistics, on average, every resident of this country uses at least 25-30 grams of sauce per day. In Russia, only classic soy sauce is common, but in fact there are many options for its preparation. There is a special sauce for adding to fish dishes, mushroom, mustard ... all and do not list! At the same time for the preparation of the basic sauce always used only one recipe, proven for centuries. The main ingredient is special fungus, which accelerates the fermentation of soybeans. It is because of these fungi that this unique taste and aroma is soothed.
Useful qualities of soy sauce
This sauce is not only delicious, but extremely useful for health. It is recommended to use dieticians to maintain a good shape and health. After the dish is filled with soy sauce, it is no longer necessary to add any seasonings. It perfectly replaces salt, pepper, butter, mayonnaise and ketchup. For those who sit on a rigid diet and consider each calorie, soy sauce is the most suitable seasoning, because in 100 gr. Contains only 50 calories.
The basis of the sauce is vegetable protein, which contains the most important amino acids for the body. Also included in the composition are a small number of fats, carbohydrates and fiber. It is worth noting that in a sauce sufficient B vitamins, including the life-long choline necessary for the body. It is this substance that ensures the normal operation of many systems, including the endocrine and central nervous system.
Included in the composition and minerals, and most of all in sausenatriya. But nutritionists advise nevertheless to choose those kinds of product in which the sodium content is lowest, or add it to dishes in moderate doses. Also soy sauce contains phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, copper and many other minerals.
The sauce, prepared according to ancient recipes, taking into account all the rules, is not only an excellent seasoning. It can also be used as a medicine for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Soy sauce is an excellent antioxidant, helping to prevent the occurrence of too much free radicals in the body. It can be added virtually to any dish instead of the traditional salt, excessive use of which is harmful to the human body. The secret is that the sauce contains glutamic acid, similar in taste to the usual salt, but does not have a harmful effect.
It should be noted that preservatives are not needed for long-term storage of natural soy sauce. It can be stored for 2 years and the amount of useful substances in it does not decrease.
Natural soy sauce, which was prepared by an ancient technology, will be an excellent assistant in the fight against diseases of the skin and joints - arthritis and arthrosis. It also helps for prevention of obstruction, obesity and diabetes. Regular consumption of soy sauce helps reduce the risk of hypertension, heart attacks and strokes. It is suitable for those who can not use natural protein due to congenital allergies.
Is there any harm from soy sauce?
Despite the huge number of positive qualities, uncontrolled use of soy sauce can lead to problems in the body's work. With caution, it is necessary to introduce it into the diet of children up to 3 years, since allergic reactions often occur. Frequent use of sauce can cause a violation of the thyroid gland, especially often this problem occurs in children.
The isoflavones contained in soy are similar in their composition to estrogens, and therefore are very useful for women. But pregnant women are generally recommended in large quantities to consume soy products. They can cause a miscarriage and adversely affect the development of the brain of the future child. Harmful excess use of this sauce can be for men, especially if they already often use foods with a high content of soy.
Today on the shelves of shops there are many kinds of soybean. But still it is worth giving preference to the natural product, although it is not cheap. The high cost is due to the fact that it takes a whole year to prepare. First prepare the base of fermented soybeans and pre-fried wheat grains. Then this mixture is poured with water, adding a small amount of salt and letting it steep. Natural sauce can replace the usual salt, but still use it in moderate quantities.
The rules for choosing a good soy sauce
On the shelves of shops there are many types of sauce, produced by different companies. How among them to find natural, real soya beans?
First of all, it is worth paying attention to the composition of the product, which should be indicated on the label. In a good sauce, there are no fragrances, preservatives and colorants. If the color of the sauce is too dark, almost black - this is a cheap fake, because this product has a light brown color. The label also indicates the mass content of protein, which should not be less than 8-10% in the composition.
The basis of the sauce should be the following products: wheat, soy beans, sugar and salt. You can add spices, but the sauce prepared by all rules contains only the above mentioned ingredients.
It is better to purchase sauce in transparent glass bottles that allow you to evaluate the color of the liquid. It is not worthwhile to save money when choosing soy sauce - scientists have revealed that the product prepared with violation of technology can harm the body. "Wrong" sauce provokes the development of many diseases, including the appearance of cancerous tumors.