Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
Bragg Liquid Aminos is an umami-packed, gluten-free liquid seasoning with 2 items on the ingredients only; non-GMO soybeans and water. According to the manufacturer it doesn’t contain any chemicals, preservatives, alcohol, food coloring, sugar, wheat, emulsifiers, additives, nothing.
Unlike tamari and soy sauce, Bragg is not fermented. The recipe formula was developed by health food pioneer Paul Bragg, thereby the name, and although Mr. Bragg is no longer alive, the family business lives on and continues to harbor the recipe as a cherished company secret.
VOLUME
moderate
FLAVOR PAIRINGS
Almonds, amaranth, anise, apple cider vinegar, asparagus, aubergine, basil, beans, bok choy, brazil nuts, broccoli, buckwheat, carrots, cayenne, chili, chives, cilantro, citrus, cloves, coconut, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, corn, cucumber, fennel, flax seeds, garlic, ginger, greens, green beans, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, honey, hijiki, kaffir lime, kimchi, kombu, lemon, lemongrass, lime, macadamias, millet, mirin, mushrooms, mustard, noodles, nori, olive oil, oregano, onions, parsley, peanuts, pecans, pili nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, rice, rosemary, sage, sesame oil, sesame seeds, smoke, spirulina, star anise, sunflower seeds, tamarind, tarragon, tempeh, Thai basil, thyme, tofu, tomatoes, turmeric, vinegar, wakame, walnuts, young coconut, zucchini noodles,
SELECTING
You can find Bragg Liquid Aminos in many well stocked grocery stores and health food stores. You can also find it online. One potential downside is the cost, as it’s a bit pricier than most other soy condiments.
HOW TO USE
Use liquid aminos as a seasoning for salads, soups, dressings, dips, sauces, marinades stir-fries, tofu, tempeh, grains and so on. You can substitute Bragg Liquid Aminos with a ratio of 1:1 in any recipe that calls for soy sauce or tamari.
Liquid aminos can be added at any time during the cooking process as the flavor is maintained during heat. It can also be added to food as a seasoning after cooking in place of surface salt.
STORING
Stored in a cool, dry and dark pantry, Bragg Liquid Aminos has a shelf life of a few years (!). To maintain the shelf life, store in the refrigerator after opening.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Tamari can be used instead of Bragg, usually it’s a 1:1 ratio of substitution, however the concentration and saltiness of tamari varies a lot, so start with a smaller amount and taste before adding more.
If you are looking for a soy-free alternative, coconut aminos is a great substitute. The taste is a bit sweeter and less salty, but that also means it has less sodium.
HEALTH BENEFITS VERSUS CONCERNS
Bragg’s brand is associated with health and longevity, and their liquid aminos are promoted as a healthy substitute for soy sauce, with 16 amino acids, certified non-GMO soy, gluten free and preservative free. But is Bragg liquid aminos really a healthy product?
Soy sauce and Tamari are traditionally produced through fermentation. The recipe of Bragg is a company secret, but we do know that fermentation is not used. When soy beans are fermented it helps neutralize the phytic acid and phytoestrogen in the beans. Unfermented phytic acid can inhibit our assimilation of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine and zinc. And, if phytoestrogens are not neutralized by fermentation, soy can mimic the effect of female hormones which may disrupt endocrine functions and could potentially cause thyroid issues, infertility and a range of other issues.
Instead of fermenting, Bragg is produced through hydrolyzation. This means the soybeans are immersed into hydrochloric acid which breaks down the protein into its constituent amino acids. Sodium bicarbonate is added which creates sodium chloride, and that is what gives Bragg Aminos its salty taste. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is a glutamic acid produced by hydrolization. If you are aware of the long list of aliases given to MSG you know that hydrolyzed protein is one of them. Does this mean Bragg Liquid Aminos contains MSG? The company has come under some scrutiny and people have started to question if MSG is present in their product. Yet when contacting the company’s customer service, they maintain that their product only contains natural MSG and go on to say:
“MSG is found naturally occurring in many foods, such as soybeans, mushrooms, tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Since Bragg liquid Aminos is made from soybeans there are small amounts of naturally occurring MSG, however there is no added MSG in our product.”
The head of the company, Patricia Bragg, claims to be very sensitive to MSG and personally opposed to adding MSG to food. She goes on to say that many of the customers who are very sensitive to MSG have never had any adverse reactions to Bragg Liquid Aminos. To protect the recipe of Bragg Liquid Aminos, the production method is a company secret and they don’t answer any further specific questions on how Bragg is made.
However, some do say they experience adverse reactions when consuming Bragg Liquid Aminos and question if the no-MSG claims are really true. In the past the product had a “No MSG” sign on the label. That has since been removed. What prompted the company to remove the No-MSG sign?
Griselda Blazey teaches cell physiology and nutrition at Life Chiropractic College and and is the author of the book Food Matters. She has used her experience as a chemist and biologist to hypothesize how Bragg is produced.
“Soybeans are treated with hydrochloric acid to create free amino acids. Any remaining acid is neutralized with sodium bicarbonate This creates sodium chloride. Which produces a salty taste. This modern bio-reactor method produces a product by rapid hydrolysis. Rather than complete fermentation. This process takes just 2 days. It uses an enzyme called glutamase as a reactor. This means that the final product contains large amounts of a kind of un-natural glutamic acid found in monosodium glutamate (MSG).“
For those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, Bragg might be a better option than soy sauce, but If you are looking for an MSG and soy-free alternative, coconut aminos would be a safe bet
