All content in this article is based on official and reliable sources, and the specific information is detailed at the end of the article
Since ancient times, everyone seems to be inseparable from these things, including the condiment for stir-frying: soy sauce.
Nowadays, there are a wide variety of soy sauce on the market, from cheap to expensive, but one thing to note is that soy sauce is not the more expensive the better, when buying, we must pay attention to whether there are five words on the bottle.
So, what are these five words?
【▶> a dazzling array of soy sauce <◀】
When did soy sauce appear?
Sauces have been around since the Zhou Dynasty, and they have brought an unprecedented taste boost to food.
In the Qin and Han dynasties, the production process of soy sauce gradually matured, forming a seasoning similar to modern soy sauce.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, soy sauce was more widely used and became an indispensable condiment in cooking.
After thousands of years of evolution, modern soy sauce has developed a variety of types, such as light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and extremely fresh flavor, to meet the needs of different occasions.
Light soy sauce is suitable for a variety of cooking methods such as cold salad and stir-fry, while dark soy sauce plays an important role in dishes that need to be colored, such as teriyaki.
Mijixian soy sauce is made with MSG added to the light soy sauce to make the taste more delicious, and there is also a low-salt, low-sodium version of the soy sauce designed for children, although the price is higher, but the quality is more guaranteed.
When I think back to my childhood soy sauce moments, it was a simple but beautiful time.
At that time, people took the bottle to the commissary to buy soy sauce, and watched the thick soy sauce poured into the bottle, and the enticing color and aroma were unforgettable.
The scene of a soy sauce seller pushing a bicycle through the streets and pouring soy sauce into a customer's bottle using the siphon principle is still vivid in my mind.
At that time, the soy sauce was dark in color and salty in taste, but it was full of strong human touch and nostalgia.
Nowadays, the naturally brewed soy sauce of that era is favored by more and more consumers due to its health advantages and unique flavor characteristics.
This soy sauce is made from salt, soybeans, and wheat through microbial fermentation, which belongs to natural fermentation, and is relatively natural in nutrition and fragrant in taste.
So, when faced with the dazzling array of soy sauce in the supermarket, how do we choose?
[▶> optimistic about five words<◀]
When we stand in front of the dazzling shelves of soy sauce, we are often confused by the difference in the number of brands and prices.
Sometimes, even though we've narrowed down our options, it's still hard to make a decision.
A simple and effective way to do this is to pay attention to the "amino acid nitrogen" label on the soy sauce bottle.
These words are like a key that can help us understand the umami degree and quality of soy sauce so that we can make an informed choice.
In simple terms, this is an important indicator of the quality of soy sauce and is often used to indicate the amino acid content in soy sauce.
The higher this value, the more amino acid content in the soy sauce and the better the quality of the soy sauce.
So, what is "amino acid nitrogen"?
During the fermentation process of soy sauce, the protein is gradually broken down into amino acids, and the nitrogen element in it forms amino acid nitrogen.
So, how should we choose a good soy sauce? The key is the value of amino acid nitrogen.
If the value is below the standard range, then the soy sauce is not worth buying, and if the value is above or equal to the standard range, then the soy sauce is on our list of considerations.
According to the Chinese soy sauce hygiene standard GB 2717-2003, the content of amino acid nitrogen should not be less than 0.40g/100ml.
If it falls below this standard, then this soy sauce is considered a non-conforming product.
When actually purchasing, we can determine the amount of amino acid nitrogen in the soy sauce bottle by looking at the label on it.
Specifically, soy sauce with an amino acid nitrogen content greater than 0.8 grams can be considered top-notch, and soy sauce with a content greater than 0.7 grams meets the excellent standard.
The soy sauce with a content of between 0.4 and 0.7 grams is qualified, but it is not excellent, if the content is less than 0.4 grams, then the quality of this soy sauce is relatively low, and consumers are advised to buy it with caution.
It is important to note that although amino acid nitrogen is an important indicator of the quality of soy sauce, it is not the only factor.
The umami taste of soy sauce is also affected by other ingredients such as umami enhancers such as monosodium glutamate and flavor nucleotides, which may have a numbing effect on our sense of taste, reduce our sensitivity to umami, and may even have an impact on our health.
Therefore, when choosing soy sauce, we should also pay attention to its ingredient list, and try to choose products with no or less additives.
In addition, not all soy sauces with high amino acid nitrogen content are high-quality products, and some manufacturers may add some unnatural flavor enhancers in order to increase the content of amino acid nitrogen.
When buying soy sauce, we should not only pay attention to the content of amino acid nitrogen, but also consider the overall quality and reputation of the product.
So friends, next time you buy soy sauce, don't forget to look at the "amino acid nitrogen" on the bottle!
And we also need to know that not all expensive soy sauces are good soy sauces.
【▶> Isn't the more expensive the better< ◀
In addition to the above five words that we need to pay attention to, there are many things to pay attention to in soy sauce itself.
We have to look at the brewing method of soy sauce, pure brewing soy sauce usually uses the traditional fermentation process, and it has to go through a long period of fermentation and aging process in the production process, so that the soy sauce has a bright color, a taste of atmosphere, and a pure fragrance.
Some simply formulated soy sauces are often labeled with the word "prepared", which means that the soy sauce may be made by blending, and its quick preparation process does not reach the level of high-quality soy sauce.
We need to understand the difference between soy sauce and soy sauce, which is generally more hygienic and can be eaten directly, such as cold salad.
Cooking soy sauce is mainly used for heating and cooking, and cannot be eaten directly, and is often used in cooking processes such as stir-frying, boiling, and stewing.
When buying soy sauce, we should choose products from regular manufacturers, so as to ensure the quality and safety of the goods.
We should be skeptical of soy sauce products with various promotional methods on the market, and do not be confused by exaggerated advertising effects.
Finally, you must learn to taste and distinguish high-quality soy sauce, and judge which soy sauce suits your taste and needs through your own taste and taste.
Of course, even if you buy the right soy sauce, you must pay attention to the appropriate amount of soy sauce in use......
【▶> Moderate consumption of soy sauce<◀】
Previously, many people were a little resistant to eating soy sauce condiments, and even my mother said that after reading those articles, she would not stick to soy sauce when eating dumplings in the future.
At a time when the speed of Internet transmission was not so fast, soy sauce had not attracted so much criticism.
Soy sauce is a very popular condiment that is commonly used for flavoring, cooking, and dipping sauces, and is made by fermenting ingredients such as soybeans and wheat, depending on the method and fermentation time.
This condiment not only adds flavor to the dish, but is also rich in nutrients, it is rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, etc., which play an important role in maintaining good health.
The amino acid lysine in soy sauce is important for children's growth and development, while glutamic acid can add umami to dishes.
However, some people have some concerns about soy sauce, believing that it can be harmful to health.
Of course, this is not nonsense, you must know that excessive salt can increase blood pressure, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and also increase the burden on the kidneys.
According to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, the daily salt intake of healthy adults should be controlled within 5 grams.
In the common soy sauce on the market, there is about 1 gram of salt per 5 ml, which means that if we do not pay attention to controlling the amount of soy sauce used, even if we control the salt intake, we may exceed the salt intake due to the "invisible salt" in soy sauce.
Some soy sauce products that are advertised as "zero additives", while sounding healthier, may actually hide the risk of excessive sodium.
Since the preservation of soy sauce needs to take into account the issue of preservatives, if the salt content is reduced, preservatives need to be added to ensure the shelf life of the product, and the so-called "additive-free" soy sauce may actually contain a higher sodium salt content.
Another point of controversy about soy sauce is the possible presence of caramel pigment and 4-methylimidazole, which is commonly used in food coloring, and 4-methylimidazole, which is classified by the World Health Organization as a group 2B probable carcinogen.
But don't worry, there is no clear scientific evidence that these ingredients in soy sauce cause cancer.
In fact, a bottle of high-quality soy sauce contains a variety of amino acids and trace elements, and moderate consumption can provide certain nutrients for the human body.
As a common condiment, soy sauce will not pose a threat to health as long as it is used correctly, and we should pay attention to the production date and shelf life of the product when choosing soy sauce to avoid buying spoiled soy sauce.
When using soy sauce, care should be taken to control the amount of soy sauce to avoid health effects caused by excessive salt intake.
With sensible choices and use, we can continue to enjoy the delicious taste of soy sauce while ensuring that our health is not compromised.
Resources
"Eating soy sauce often has such a "fatal hazard", you must pay attention!" - Shangguan News
"Eating too much of this thing, the elderly have a stroke, male hypertension, and women are fat!
"Soy sauce should be "better to eat less"? What should we pay attention to when using soy sauce? Hurry up and take a look for the sake of the family" - Medical Federation Media