What Are Coconut Aminos and Are They Healthier Than Soy Sauce?

Coconut aminos can substitute for soy sauce but has a subtler flavor. Coconut aminos are not necessarily healthier than soy sauce because it contains more calories and sugar than soy sauce.

Finding healthy ways to add flavor to food can be a challenge. Savory sauces like coconut aminos can help. People use coconut aminos in many ways, including:

• To go with sushi
• As a salad dressing or marinade
• In fried rice or stir-fried dishes
• As a dipping sauce
• On steamed vegetables

Made from fermented coconut sap, coconut aminos can substitute for soy sauce but has a subtler flavor. If you don't like the taste of coconut, you may be reluctant to try this condiment, but it doesn't really taste like coconut. Instead, people often remark on its umami quality.

Umami is sometimes referred to as the fifth taste. In 1908 Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda proposed a fifth taste besides sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. But scientists didn't officially recognize it until 2000 when they discovered taste receptors for it on the human tongue.

Umami is a hard flavor to define. Its name means yummy in Japanese, and that may be the best way to describe it. If you are eating something that tastes really good, but you wouldn't describe it as sweet, salty, bitter, or sour, you may be tasting the umami. Besides adding its own flavor, umami changes the other tastes, making sweet and salty more intense but making bitter and sour a little milder.

How healthy is this umami-filled condiment? You're likely to use coconut aminos in small amounts, so it shouldn't have a large impact on your nutrition. Although it can vary according to the manufacturer, 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos should have approximately 30 calories with 6 grams of added sugar. Some brands supply niacin. Although the word "aminos" may suggest a protein-rich food, coconut aminos has little or no protein. 

Coconut aminos is high in salt, packing about 480 mg of sodium into 1 tablespoon. That's 21% of your daily value (DV). Too much salt in your diet can lead to high blood pressure. When you consume a lot of salt, it draws extra fluid into your bloodstream. The extra volume can cause your blood pressure to go up. High blood pressure can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, brain, and eyes. 

Since its flavor profile is similar to soy sauce, some people use coconut aminos as a substitute. Is one healthier than the other? Soy sauce has fewer calories and less sugar than coconut aminos but much more sodium. A typical brand has 1320 mg of sodium, or about 55% of your DV, in a single tablespoon. You can buy low-sodium soy sauces with around 460 mg of sodium, about the same amount as coconut aminos.

People who can't eat soy or who choose to avoid it may find coconut aminos a good substitute for soy sauce. Other diets that may discourage the use of soy sauce include: 

Paleo: The paleo diet seeks to reproduce the way our ancestors ate when they were hunter-gatherers. The paleo diet doesn't allow legumes, including soybeans, but coconut aminos should be acceptable.

Gluten-free. People with celiac disease must avoid eating wheat and other foods that contain gluten. Others may avoid gluten because they are sensitive to it or believe that a gluten-free diet is healthier. Many processed foods, such as regular soy sauce, are not gluten-free. Coconut aminos shouldn't contain gluten as it is made of salt and a coconut product. 

Vegan or vegetarian. Soy sauce can contain lactic acid and flavor enhancers derived from animal products. To be safe, many vegans and vegetarians use coconut aminos instead. 

If you're looking for a substitute for soy sauce, coconut aminos will work, but it's not the only choice. There are other substitutes, but some might be high in sodium or not suitable for you. Read labels before you buy. 

• Liquid aminos. Like soy sauce, liquid aminos is made from soy, but the soy is not fermented. 
• Tamari. This Japanese sauce is slightly thicker than soy sauce but has a similar taste, and it's gluten-free. 
• Worcestershire sauce. Although it originated in Britain, Worcestershire sauce is umami-heavy and can sub for soy sauce in many dishes. 
• Fish sauce. Much used in Asian dishes, this sauce is made from fermented fish or krill. 
• Miso paste. This paste of fermented soybeans can be thinned and used as a sauce.
• Dried shitake mushrooms. If you put dried mushrooms in boiling water and let them soak, you can use the water as a soy sauce substitute.
• Umeboshi vinegar. This plum vinegar is very flavorful, although it has more tang and less umami.  

Soy sauce, coconut aminos, and most other commercial sauces are processed foods, and most are high in salt. There are simple, healthy ways to add flavor to your meals: 

• Learn to caramelize onions for an umami-filled treat.
• Try all kinds of peppers and pepper sauces, too.
• Use citrus juice or zest to brighten your dishes.
• Oven roast veggies for a smoky flavor.
• Go for the gusto with condiments such as wasabi, mustard, and horseradish.
• Try different salsas, chutneys, and tapenades.

If you don't have any dietary restrictions and don't need to watch your salt, give coconut aminos a try. If it doesn't fit your dietary needs, remember that there are many other ways to add flavor to your food.