Coconut Aminos – A Healthy Alternative To Soy Sauce?

First things first.  Let’s address the elephant in the room.  Soy is not a health food. 

Thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility — even cancer and heart disease.  For doubters, the Weston A. Price Foundation has done a terrific job at putting together a collection of evidence against soy in our diets. 

So, if you enjoy a bit of Asian cuisine from time to time, this leaves you with a dilemma.  Considering the fact that many sauces commonly used are teaming with salt or sugar, MSG, nasty preservatives and are usually soy based… it took a little research to figure out what could be a healthy, yet tasty substitute.

There are a handful of alternative sauces you’ll find on the shelf, but because of harmful and unnatural manufacturing processes, only one is the perfect solution to our problem. Coconut Aminos.

What Are Coconut Aminos?

When a coconut tree is tapped, it produces a highly nutrient-rich sap that exudes from the coconut blossoms. This sap is very low glycemic (GI of only 35), and contains a wide range of minerals (high in Potassium), vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, 17 amino acids, and it has a nearly neutral pH.

From the sap, coconut aminos are created using a raw method of aging the sap for up to a year.  Unlike their soy counterpart, coconut aminos are non-GMO, 100% organic, gluten free, phytoestrogen free, contain no enzyme inhibitors, have no goitrogenic compounds, and have over 70% less sodium than soy, tamari or Braggs. In fact, they contain only two ingredients, certified organic coconut tree sap — naturally aged and blended with sun dried, mineral rich sea salt.

Benefits Of Coconut Aminos

According to Dr. Josh Axe, coconut aminos are not only a great substitute for soy sauce, but they’re also a powerful little ingredient on their own.  They pack a multitude of health benefits including:

• Protect Your Heart and Regulate Cholesterol
• Reduce Risk of Diabetes
• Aid in Weight Loss
• Strengthen the Immune System
• Reduce Risk of Colon Cancer
• Promote Mental Health
• Naturally Treat Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

So, the next time you are planning an Asian inspired meal, grab yourself a bottle to try!  In addition to their regular aminos, they make a couple different variations.  One is a garlic sauce and the other is a teriyaki sauce.  If you love stir fry as much as I do, you should consider buying a three-pack that contains one bottle of each flavor to try out.  You won’t be disappointed.

P.S.  If you just refuse to try something new, or have someone in the family who is stubborn… at the very least, buy the real deal –  true fermented & aged soy sauce.

Sources: 

draxe.com

coconutsecret.com

renegadehealth.com