I have been using Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for awhile now thinking it was a better, healthier alternative to soy sauce. Knowing soy is not healthy for your body (especially since it is in practically every packaged product on the market), but still loving my stir fry, I wanted a healthy alternative. It is easy to think Bragg’s would be a good alternative because of the wonderful claims on the bottle that describe the significant collection of amino acids, the “all natural” label, and the fact that it is available in all health food stores. Amino acids are good but not in combination with MSG. A few readers directed me to an interesting discussion on this product from We Like It Raw. This is how I understand it: The liquid aminos product is heat processed and made with hydrochloric acid. Salt apparently forms in its processing, plus
glutamic acid which is the same substance that is in MSG. Thus it is processed with heat and chemicals and the final result is a dead food and not a living one as Bragg claims. In the case of Braggs, MSG occurs from processing.
I was startled to hear that Bragg’s formally had a “NO-MSG” label on it and had to remove the label because it was not true. Apparently, mono sodium glutamate (MSG) can result when processing soybeans. I checked with the Weston A Price foundation to verify this information, and it was confirmed that Bragg’s was forced to remove the “NO-MSG” label because it was false advertising.
What is MSG you may ask?
MSG is an excitotoxin: an ingredient known to cause nerve damage by overexciting nerves. This is exactly how MSG enhances the taste of foods: by overexciting the taste buds on the tongue.
According to Sally Fallon in her post Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry,
“MSG is a food ingredient the Japanese had invented in 1908 to enhance food flavors, including meat-like flavors. Humans actually have receptors on the tongue for glutamate—it is the protein in food that the human body recognizes as meat. Unfortunately, the free glutamic acid in MSG has a very different effect in the body than the natural glutamic acid in food, one that is harmful, especially to the nervous system…
“MSG is a neurotoxic substance that causes a wide range of reactions, from temporary headaches to permanent brain damage…Most surprisingly, MSG causes obesity! In laboratory experiments on obese rats, scientists induce obesity by feeding the animals MSG!”
Is there any soy sauce we can use that does not have MSG in it?
Yes! You want to find soy sauce or soy products that have been naturally fermented, no MSG. Fermentation is a good thing! Weston A Price provided me with a few recommendations:
Ohsawa Organic Nama Shoyu (raw, unpasteurized)
South River Miso
Eden Organics shoyu sauce
San J Tamari & Shoyu Sauce
Trader Joe’s Soy Sauce
All of these products are naturally fermented, raw and unpasteurized, making them “living food”. They contain natural digestive enzymes, Lactobacillus, and other microorganisms which aid in the digestion of all foods.
I will no longer be recommending the use of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Another reason why you cannot trust the “all natural” claim!
If you want to read more on the dangers of soy, please check out Weston A Price Foundation’s Soy Alert or check out The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniels.
For a complete list of all the different ingredients that contain MSG or turn to MSG when processed, visit: PureZing’s Guide to Toxins.
I was wondering; how should the fermented liquid aminos be taken. I assume they should be taken raw. I think that if they are used in cooking it would change the structure and maybe produe MSG through the cooking process. Just wondering if you know.
Regarding soy sauces that are supposedly free from MSG, I would suggest that unless the company making the soy sauce expressly states that their product does not contain MSG, assume that it does. For example San-J state on their website that they do not add MSG to their products. They do not state their products are MSG free. This is a misleading practice that has been identified by truthinlabelling.org. I have not checked on all the soy sauces identified by Lindsey.
I hope this helps.
Are there any soy sauce substitutes out there that do not contain soy and are available to purchase ?
I too thought Braggs Aminos would be a good soy sauce substitute. I bought a bottle and about half way through it( after several months) I was having heart palpitations and high blood pressure. I’ve never had a problem with either. I ended up in the E.R one night with extreme rapid pulse and elevated blood pressre. I figured out that night it was the aminos.We had homemade chinese for dinner that night. I threw the bottle away and I’ve never had it happen again.
Sadly,It is not a safe product for me.
I used Bragg’s ALOT for many years. About 5 years ago I started having heart problems. Irregular heartbeat-high blood pressure etc. Apparently the node that regulates the heart beat was getting taken over by another node that really isn’t meant for the job. Had episodes where my heartbeat became irregular.I was put on beta blockers. Didn’t like the way they made me feel and had episodes anyway when on them so I stopped using them. Went on like this for years. Couldn’t really pin point what triggered the episodes. Got suspicious about the Bragg’s. Stopped using it completely 6 weeks ago. Haven’t had an episode since. I miss it like crazy but won’t ever use it again.
You can be addicted to MSG, which is in the product. You probably don’t even know it, but you crave it. You start eating more and more foods that have it in there. Did you know they feed MSG to rats to fatten them for studies? Look at truthinlabeling.org and you will see where it hides. Hard cheeses, meaty type products, junk food (crackers, chips). It’s insidious. I had migraines from MSG and I have always avoided this crap. I’m able to tolerate some glutamic acid and even a LITTLE pure MSG but never could before. It was horrible.
The difference between NATURAL glutamic acid and MANUFACTURED glutamic acid (MSG):
http://www.truthinlabeling.org/III.What%20is%20MSG.html
Now I’m really confused. I read at truthinlabeling.org that if a product says it’s “fermented” than it probably contains msg. Now you are saying that, “naturally fermented” does not. So does the “naturally” really make a difference?
Glutamic acid and free MSG are different.
So annoyed. I bought it for the same reason!! Ugh!! Thank you for this article.
This is just so disappointing! I loved using my Liquid Aminios, thinking it was a healthy choice, but I guess I won’t be doing that anymore.
Whew, my head is spinning from all the research I’m doing.. all in all, I think it can all just be avoided.. If we simply stick to “real food,” we won’t have a problem..
To set the record straight, any product that contains proteins, which has been fermented, whether from soy, wheat, coconut or any other form will contain naturally formed MSG. That’s because MSG is formed from Glutamic acid, a very common amino acid in ALL proteins. No fermented sauce, whether soy, shoyu, tamari, Braggs or coconut amines will be free from MSG. It is a naturally occurring substance that is not necessarily toxic, but shouldn’t be consumed in large amounts.
Well maybe you should start with Patricia Bragg. She’s not Paul Bragg’s daughter at all. She was married to Paul Bragg’s son but divorced years ago.
She keeps this fact very hidden that she is not a Bragg family member at all.
http://newhope360.com/patricia-bragg-born-do-her-fathers-work
Wow. I am reading “The Whole Soy Story” right now. I had been considering switching to Bragg’s and decided to double check before I bought any. Thanks for the heads up.
Oh my god. This is what happens when someone completely not educated in chemistry or biochemistry or nutrition assumes they know what they’re talking about. I’m sorry, but I’m completely appalled that you would write an article like this when you have no understanding of what you are actually talking about. I mean no offense by that, but it is obvious you do not know basic biochemistry. Hydrochloric acid is the exact same thing as our natural stomach acid, also known as betain hydrocloride (found in capsule form). It is not a chemical for crying out loud.
Second, glutamic acid is not msg. It is not even related to msg. It is what you get when you break down the two amino acids l-ornithine and l-arginine. Glutamic acid is also naturally produced by the body on its own. In addition, glutamic acid is found in folic acid, and folic acid is found in many foods.. so I guess by your assumptions folic acid must contain MSG too, oh no!
Please do your homework before making wild unfounded claims.
How is the hydrochloric acid obtained?
Correct, MSG is a salt that is added to foods. Glutamic acid is an amino acid the body uses. some people are sensitive to both though.
This is all extremist stuff. Have used Braggs for years like thousands of people and have had no problems.
Oh gosh, I didn’t know that the soy sauce I’ve been using is actually chemical soy sauce! Thanks for the excellent article and those enlightening comments. Now I’m more discerning when it comes to buying soy sauce.
Seems to me, Lots of folks, are like politicians always trying to sell something. Well who is saying that this is bad and what are they trying to sell you?? In other words where is the money comiing from??? Maybe somebody that wants to sell somehing to you.
I have eating liquid aminos for years, should of been DEAD at the first sip according to some of these folk.
I
“Knowing soy is not healthy for your body (especially since it is in practically every packaged product on the market)…”
1) If you are going to assert that a major food source is not healthy, then please cite references from reliable sources.
2) The fact that something is “in practically every packaged product on the market” does not mean that it is unhealthy. Water appears in many packaged foods but water, on its own, is not unhealthy.
Read more about the harmfulness of soy here.
Where does one buy trader Joes & whats it cost?
Does it have an expiration date?
Thanks & pls let me know
Trader Joes soy sauce is available at Trader Joes unique grocery stores. Check out their website to see if you have one in your area. Each bottle runs about $1.99. No expiration date as long as you keep refrigerated.
Glutamic acid is an amino acid, a building block of protein; essential for brain function. If you try hard enough, you might eliminate all glutamic acid from your food; then you will be brain dead!
This essential amino acid is n ot MSG. MSG has a checkered history: was extracted from celery in Japan (and China); brought from there by GI's to America as a great taste enhancer for the dull American cooking; it was, and was perfectly safe, tho not a specially health enhancing.
America soon ran out of supply, so clever USA food chemists made a synthetic version of Sodium Glutamate. Problem solved? Not quite; chemists had made a racemic mix of the two possible isomers of the stuff; one a perfect copy of the natural food extract; the other a mirror image of the real thing.
50% of each isomer. So what is the problem? Well, human species evolved unprepared with enzymes to metabilize, and put to use, the mirror image isomer. Result: a perfectly indigestable compound that most chinese food diners just flush out through their bowels, but a Few can't stomach; get allergies, headaches. Dont know whether the wrong isomer passes the blood-brain barrier; if it does, headaches and worse not surprising. Multiple isomers of a natural food are coming out of the food factories all the time chemists never learn; manufactured food is not real food; humans cannot use the wrong isomer.
If you do any kind of research on MSG and glutamic acid, which is naturally-occurring in all living things including humans, and in higher ratios in flavor-enhancing foods such as Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and the like, you will find that it is not harmful when it occurs naturally. See this WebMD article: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-seven-common-food-additives?page=3 or the wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid_(flavor)
What is harmful (to many people but not all) is added MSG in its pure form used to enhance the flavor of foods and used as a food preservative. That’s what you should be concerned about avoiding. There are plenty of studies on MSG and how some people are sensitive and should avoid it. There are no recommendations to avoid MSG if it is naturally-occurring.
I work for Patricia Bragg and she is VERY sensitive to MSG in foods. She just can’t eat it. However, I’ve seen snacking on almonds baked after soaking in Bragg Liquid Aminos and she has no problems like she would if she ate Chinese food at a restaurant (which I understand that she avoids).
You should read up on MSG and glutamic acid from sources that aren’t trying to get you whipped up into a frenzy about the dangers of MSG or Liquid Aminos and saying things like pectin and broth are foods that make you consume MSG. If they are going to say that, then they might as well tell you that MSG is also found in tomatoes.
I would tell someone with an MSG allergy or sensitivity to stay away from Chinese food but if it occurs naturally, then I wouldn’t be concerned. And if someone tells you something that sounds scary, check it out yourself and don’t automatically believe them.
This is all very confusing to me. One employee says one thing (from the link above) and you say something different. The fact still remains that their is MSG in this product and there are alternative fermented soy sauce products that are more nutritious for our bodies (no phytates) and do not have MSG.
Free glutimates are also called excitotoxins because they excite the neurons all over the body, starting in the tongue (“can’t eat just one”) and going thru the entire body. This is an important subject on which to educate yourself. I just did a free report about it on my website with more information, lists of ingredients, and links.
I’ve been using Trader Joe’s soy sauce as a default because it’s cheap and I generally trust their foods (not so much the cosmetics, but that’s another story). It tastes great, better than the soy sauce at any Chinese restaurant I’ve been to, and it’s pretty cheap. Definitely recommend it!
wow, i’ve been using braggs for a few years now…no more for me
thanks for the post!
Wow, I just recently started using Bragg’s and recommending it to friends. It is so sad when a product says that it is one thing but really isn’t. Thanks for the information. It looks like i may have to throw it out.
Soy is in EVERYTHING. Every processed food, from salad dressing to cereal, and also in lotion, shampoo, supplements – anything that lists Vitamin E. It is almost always soy-derived. It’s even in Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals fish oils. The only fish oil I could find that didn’t have it was from Green Pastures, which I found off of an autism board. They also sell butter oil, so if you’re down with Nourishing Traditions you’d know about that. It is super frustrating to try to not consume any soy, both inside and outside your body.
Where did you find the information about soy being in Carlson’s & Nordic Naturals? I have not heard that before. The Green Pastures cod liver oil is nasty…we cannot stomach it. I got extremely sick after trying it.
I’ve called Carlson’s two times, just to be positive, to find out the source of their Vit. E and they told me “soy-derived” both times and I believe that Nordic Naturals lists it on right their label as being soy-derived. I give the GP to our girls every morning and they’re ok with it, but they prefer the orange flavor over the cinnamon. I bought it at our buyer’s club location though, so I don’t know if the company sells a capsule.
I called Carlson’s and asked if their vit. E was soy derived, and they said yes. The Nordic Naturals bottle says, “contains vit. E derived from refined soybean oil”. As far as the GP cod liver oil, we have only had the fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend, and the chocolate cream was beyond horrible, but the cinnamon was actually really good. It tasted like red hots candy. I haven’t tried the regular CLO, but the rep that we purchased from said their new CLO is much stronger than the old stuff.
I can vouch for the Ohsawa Organic Nama Shoyu (raw, unpasteurized) soy sauce. It is a quality product. I ordered a large bottle from amazon that will last me a very long time, but it is pricey. I guess only having to buy a bottle every year or so, greatly reduces the cost though. I’m happy to know the Trader Joe’s brand is safe. I’m sure it’s much less expensive!
Also, South River Miso is awesome! I LOVE that stuff!!!
Lindsay, I came to the same conclusion when I started researching soy sauce more a few months ago, and particularly Bragg’s, which we had been using for years, thinking it was a healthier alternative.
We have been using San-J Tamari sauce for the past 4 months or so, and we just love it. The taste is much richer than Bragg’s, and I buy it in large bottles from Azure. I’m glad we made the switch!
Thank you for the info! I never realized that MSG could naturally occur – I always just figured it was added. How odd that people aren’t required to list it on the ingredients when it is actually IN the product!
On another note – I hardly think that someone could claim MSG causes obesity in humans simply because it is linked to obesity in rats. That’s a stretch.
Perhaps, but there was a recent study released that took a look at 750 Chinese men and women – these folks prepared most of their meals at home without using processed foods. Turns out the more MSG they used in their food the greater their chances for obesity.
I started making my own when I found out my son had a soy allergy. I found a recipe online that uses beef broth. It is very tasty. It is similar to one from an earlier comment.
I’ve been using Trader Joe’s soy sauce as a default because it’s cheap and I generally trust their foods (not so much the cosmetics, but that’s another story). It tastes great, better than the soy sauce at any Chinese restaurant I’ve been to, and it’s pretty cheap. Definitely recommend it!
Thanks so much for covering this!!!
Thank you! I learned this a while ago (and switched back from Bragg’s to the San-J soy sauce), but couldn’t manage to articulate it to others who asked. I’m passing them your link!
Thanks for posting this! I love me some soy sauce, and it’s great to have the info behind it!
What is your opinion on soy milk??
I would recommend reading this article. Quite eye opening to the history and production of soy milk and other soy products.
I guess I am just confused about why, if small amounts of MSG occur NATURALLY, why you would think a product labeled “all-natural” is false. Is there any difference to naturally occurring MSG vs. that added by the manufacturer?
I added a clarifying statement above. The liquid aminos product is heat processed and made with hydrochloric acid. Salt apparently forms in its processing, plus
glutamic acid which is the same substance that is in MSG. Thus it is processed with heat and chemicals and the final result is a dead food and not a living one as Bragg claims. MSG results from the processing! Therefore, this product is definitely a processed food. Fermented soy sauce is not heated or processed. It is raw and alive…and thus nutritious for the body.
Thank you so much for posting this! I was going to pick up a bottle of Bragg’s Liquid Amino, and now I will pass. I go to Trader Joe’s every 2 weeks and will buy their soy sauce from now on.
Thanks again, and God bless you & your beautiful family!
I have always used Braggs, because my daughter and two of my sisters are allergic to wheat… Every soy sauce I’ve ever checked, seems to contain wheat. I just can’t win…
I just noticed the San J has a Organic Wheat Free Tamari soy sauce… but I also notice it states, “We add no MSG or artificial preservatives.” They don’t add it… but as you mentioned, it can be naturally occurring in the processing of the soybeans…. so does it still contain MSG? Ah! This is so confusing!
Don’t worry about it! It is fermented and clearly they are maintaining good practices. They are open and honest that it does not have MSG.
San J has a wheat free soy sauce. Have you seen that?
Do you know whether the San-J wheat-free tamari (regular and low-sodium varieties) are also naturally fermented? Is all San-J OK? How would I find out? Thanks!
Did you check out the link above? They clearly list the process by which they make eat of their soy sauces. It appears like all of the San-J soy sauce or tamari sauces are naturally fermented without any MSG.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’m also a big lover of stir fry and had no idea about Braggs. We have a Trader Joes close by so I’m going to give theirs a try. I really appreciate your blog and the ministry it is to so many woman. Because of your site I’ve made major changes in my life. I soak my grains now, use all natural/homemade cleaners, deordorant etc. You are a blessing, keep up the great work!
I would like some information if anyone knows it, if brown rice syrup and regular yeast cause the same reactions as MSG? Thank you
I have been studying this, too. If something says no MSG, it is not necessarily free of MSG because there are other ingredients with different names that are basically the same thing, such as this list, which I copied and pasted from http://www.migrainephd.com/index_files/Page374.htm (it is a very overwhelming list). BELOW IS THE COPIED LIST
Here are just a few of the other names for MSG.
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat flour
Malt extract
Malt Flavoring
Bouillon
Broth Stock
Flavoring
Natural Flavoring
Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
Seasoning
Spices
Carrageenan
Enzymes
Soy Protein Concentrate
Soy Protein Isolate
Whey Protein Concentrate
Hold up. Carrageenan is a type of Irish moss that’s used as a thickening agent. It’s a totally natural product. How can that be an “other name” for MSG?
Some of the stuff here makes sense, but some of the things seem wrong. For instance, we have enzymes in our saliva, but they don’t contain MSG. Cayenne pepper is a spice and it doesn’t contain MSG. See what I’m saying? I guess I don’t understand where they get the idea that whey protein (which is just the protein from milk) is an “other name” for MSG.
If you check out this article, you will see that carrageenan turns into MSG through processing. It is the heating and processing that often results in producing MSG. The trouble with spices is not usually the individual spice but rather spice mixes where it is often added. Again, I believe MSG in whey protein is a result of processing.
OK. That I can understand.
I still don’t like the wording of the article. To say that something CONVERTS to MSG at high temperatures or processing isn’t the same as saying it’s “another name for MSG” — see what I mean? It would be a shame if folks got the idea that they had to avoid all the stuff on that list at all costs to be healthy. Know what I’m sayin’?
San J is also a Weston A Price approved option.
Wow, I was using Bragg’s too, as was a friend of mine. Thank you for the info.
VERY interesting! We too love Bragg’s and have been using it forever. Thank you so much for the info! I guess I’m headed to Trader Joe’s to grab some soy sauce!
This is a question that I’ve had on my mind a lot lately. MSG causes migraines for my mother, so we have to avoid it strictly. I occasionally buy Jimmy Dean All Natural sausage which says no MSG added, but apparently it occurs naturally in some of the ingredients(celery salt). What do I do!? Is this natural form okay! Are they being sneaky? How do you know that a product that says all natural doesn’t contain natural MSG? Do they just process it in such a way that they can get around listing it as an ingredients?
Make your own sausage!! It’s seriously easy.
Our labeling laws in this country are absurd. Store-bought bread and other baked goods for example: all sorts of ingredients don’t have to be listed on the label because they’re considered manufacturing aids, not ingredients. And the word “zero” doesn’t even have to mean zero — like with trans fats.
From what I understand, fermented soy is okay. The problems with soy come with using unfermented products. Soy sauce is fermented. http://www.halleethehomemaker.com/2009/09/soy-oh-boy/
Apparantly, not all soy sauce is naturally fermented. Here is a quote from wikipedia on soy sauce, “Many cheaper brands of soy sauces are made from hydrolyzed soy protein instead of brewed from natural bacterial and fungal cultures. These soy sauces do not have the natural color of authentic soy sauces and are typically colored with caramel coloring, and are popular in Southeast Asia and China, and are exported to Asian markets around the globe[citation needed]. They are derogatorily called Chemical Soy Sauce (“化學醬油” in Chinese), but despite this name are the most widely used type because they are cheap. Similar products are also sold as “liquid aminos” in the US and Canada.
Some artificial soy sauces pose potential health risks due to their content of the chloropropanols carcinogens 3-MCPD (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) and all artificial soy sauces came under scrutiny for possible health risks due to the unregulated 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloro-2-propanol) which are minor byproducts of the hydrochloric acid hydrolysis [6].”
Good to know. Thank you so much. I’ll be careful about the soy sauce I buy now.
I use a soy sauce substitute recipe.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Soy-Sauce-Substitute/Detail.aspx
I use homemade broth instead of bullion and water, as called for in the recipe. I’m sure it’s much cheaper, too.
This is great to know! Thanks for posting it. I just picked up a copy of The NDD Book by Dr. William Sears and he has a section in there about MSG as well.
There is an Alternative to Soy Sauce and it is called Coconut Aminos by Coconut Secret. I am EXTREMELY MSG reactive and Braggs puts me into a major MSG reaction. Coconut Aminos, now sold through Whole Foods, does not. I have pours it over dishes straight from the bottle and have used it in stir-fry recipes. Here are just three sites that have noted this product as beneficial.
https://www.navanfoods.com/Coconut+Secret+Non+Soy+Sauce
http://ibstreatmentcenter.blogspot.com/2009/11/soy-fee-soy-sauce.html
http://stanford.wellsphere.com/healthy-living-article/soy-fee-soy-sauce/857214
Thanks,
Robert
It is very doubtful that Bragg’s Liquid Aminos contain MSG if Coconut Aminos do not. Since it is not fermented like true soy sauce (tamari), Bragg’s is made with hydrochloric acid (it is hydrolized) to isolate the aminos. Now, even though the bottle would have you believing that you could squeeze Coconut Aminos straight out of the coconut inflorescence, its “sap” (containing vegetable proteins that are isolated to become the product) must be processed in a similar fashion as the soy that Bragg’s uses is processed. It may be possible that the Coconut Secrets folks have figured some special way to isolate these, but I think they use the same process as Bragg’s. They are definitely not fermented, as miso and tamari are, or it would probably say so on the box. Plus fermented coconut sap is called toddy, and is not really anything like soy sauce. If someone knows of some other special way that aminos can be isolated from vegetable proteins, please let me know.
The Coconut Secret website claims the Coconut Aminos are fermented:
http://www.coconutsecret.com/aminos2.html