What Are Coconut Aminos?

What Are Coconut Aminos?

Coconut aminos are a soy-free and gluten-free delicious alternative to soy sauce or tamari. Made from just two ingredients, coconut tree sap, and salt. Coconut aminos are great for anyone that is that is avoiding soy or gluten for health reasons. 

Coconut aminos are still dark in color and have a good balance of rich, sweet-savory flavor but not as salty as soy sauce or tamari.  I use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce in stir-fries, salad dressings, marinates or for dipping foods like sushi.

You can find coconut aminos in most grocery stores.  Even Costco is carrying the Big Tree Farms brand.

What is Soy Sauce?

Traditionally soy sauce was made from the drippings of miso.  Miso is a fermented soybean paste.  The natural fermentation process neutralized the unhealthy compounds of the soybean.  Today, soy sauce manufacturers utilize a chemical process known as acid hydrolysis that doesn’t include fermentation so the harmful effects of the soybean are not inactivated. 

Coconut Aminos vs. Soy Sauce

Sodium

Soy Sauce is high in sodium.  Traditional soy sauce and tamari contain an average 940 – 1000 mg per tablespoon.  Low sodium versions contain around 700 mg per tablespoon.

Coconut Aminos contain around 270 mg of sodium per tablespoon

Goitrogens

Soy Sauce is high in goitrogens.  They are anti-thyroid compounds that inhibit the thyroid’s ability to utilize iodine correctly.  If your thyroid is under performing your metabolism slows down.  This can prevent you from keeping a healthy weight, cause low energy, or weaken your immune system.

Coconut Aminos contain no goitrogens.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Soy contains enzyme inhibitors in the form of high levels of phytic acid.  They inhibit the body’s ability to absorb important minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Soy also contains protease inhibitors that can block the enzymes necessary for the proper digestion of proteins.

Coconut aminos are made from pure coconut sap and contains no enzyme inhibitors.  

Phytoestrogens

Soy mimics estrogen making it a phytoestrogen.  Phytoestrogens are powerful endocrine disrupters that minic the body’s natural estrogen hormones.  For women, this can cause estrogen dominance linked to menstrual issues, infertility, and cancer.  For men, it can lead to testosterone imbalance, low sperm count and libido and infertility. 

Coconut aminos contain no phytoestrogens.

GMO's

Soybeans are one of the top GMO and pesticide-laden crops in the US. Today 94% of soybeans are from  GMO crops. So if you stick with soy sauce or tamari, it’s worth spending the extra money on organic non-GMO soy sauce that is prepared by traditional methods of fermentation.  The traditional process will inactivate most of the harmful components. 

If you have soy allergies, thyroid, gluten, or any autoimmune issue, you need to consider avoiding using soy sauce or tamari.  

#NutritionSavvy #healthyeating #soyalternative #CoconutAminos #BroomfieldNutritionist  #cleaneating

Free Consult