Braggs and Nama Shoyu?

[paprika]

I've noticed a lot of recipes call for "Braggs Liquid Aminos" and/or "Nama Shoyu". After perusing the local stores the closest I could find was a bottle labelled "Braggs ... Seasoning" or maybe "Braggs Soy Something". Anyway, it didn't say "liquid aminos" so was it not the same thing that's in all these yummy looking recipes? As well, I found a soy sauce called "Shoyu", I can't remember the brand, but since it didn't say "Nama" I wasn't sure again.

[rawpriestess]

Shoyu just means soy
Nama means raw
so Name Shoyu means raw soy sauce,

any other shoyu, is simply soy sauce.

Bragg's liquid aminos is a type of soy sauce, that is supposed to be raw, but there is some controversy over this.

You can substitute sea salt, but you will only have the salty taste, you won't have the soy sauce savory taste, sometimes, this is okay, but usually when someone has nama shoyu or braggs in the ingredients, it really makes a taste difference.

Like I LOVE mushrooms with a dash of braggs, but I don't care for them with sea salt.

So, you really need to be your own guide on this.

But hope this helps, I can't make a guess on the bragg's seasoning, as I've never seen this label.

[tames]

I have tried the Braggs, but I like the Nama Shoyou much better. You can order Nama Shoyou from Alissa's site. That is where I get mine and the raw olive oil.

[vegggeeemom]

I think they have a Bragg's seasoning out now. The Bragg's liquid Amino's will say that right on it. I had to go check my bottle!
The Bragg's seasoning is not what you're looking for!
Bragg's liquid Amino's is a dark liquid and comes in either a spray bottle or two sizes with a spout on top.
Hope that helps! And welcome to the board!

[Kris]

Am I the only one who doesn't like Bragg's? I like the taste of soy sauce, but something about Bragg's seems to take over whatever I try to put it in, no matter how tiny the amount I add. Does Nama Shoyu taste different? I haven't been able to find it locally, but if tastes different from Bragg's and has less tendency to overwhelm all other ingredients, I may just order some.

[jaurequi]

Nope! I hear ya, kris :) I used to *love* Bragg's, but my tastes have really changed, and I find it horrible. It has a chemical taste.
I do like soy sauce; however, I can't stand regular any longer. I tasted some the other day after not having any in months, and it was so "cheap" tasting.
I've read Nama Shoyu described as "the champagne of soy sauces": (Whether or not it is truly "raw") I agree with this. It's just different. I thought it was just me, but a friend, who despises soy sauce asked me, "Mmmm, what's that stuff?" He was shocked it was a soy sauce; he loves it.

[VeggieMel]

paprika,

Were you looking in a traditional grocery store? You may have to try a good health food store to find these items.

Good luck!

[Kris]

Okay then, off to the Japanese grocery I go, with fingers crossed that *this* store will have it. If not, I will resort to online ordering. Now, what to do with an almost full bottle of Bragg's...

[jaurequi]

kris, HAPPY COW (http://www.happycow.net/north_america/canada/index.html) is a great guide for finding (vegetarian and vegan) restaurants and health markets.

[RawFoodieMom]

rawpriestess, great explanation, especially for total newbies like me. Thanks!!

[sweetgoddess]

Regarding Braggs LIquid Aminos, the problem is that it is hydrolyzed and has naturally occurring glutamic acid, which causes symptoms for people sensitive to MSG.
Also, baking soda is used in the base. That alone would make it not raw I would think.


You can ask your health food store to order you some Nama Shoyu. They are usually very happy to meet your needs!

Blessings~
Carmel

[RawFoodieMom]

You can ask your health food store to order you some Nama Shoyu. They are usually very happy to meet your needs!

Blessings~
Carmel

That's a great idea, I really should get more cozy with the regular staff there, since they will be seeing a lot more of me anyway! :)

[RawFoodieMom]

paprika -- Good news! :) Due to sweetgoddesses' prompting, I was a good girl and started asking questions at my favourite health food store. I was having the same issue as you. They carry Bragg's products, but nothing was labelled "liquid aminos".... WELL, the great news is that the Bragg's "All Seasoning" IS the liquid aminos. It must be a Canadian thing. She said it used to come in as "liquid aminos" on the bottle but the label is changed but the product is the same. I checked the Bragg website, and I've come to the conclusion that she's right. I bought it and asked her to see if she can get Nama Shoyu for me but I'm happy that I can at least get the liquid aminos! I'm so glad I asked (thanks sweetgoddess!!!) or I would never have known that the all seasoning IS the liquid aminos. If you look at the ingredients and description and everything on the seasoning bottle it is the same as the liquid aminos on the website, and there is no listing in their product section for the "all seasoning" so I've come to the conclusion (yes, conclude this post already!! LOL) that Bragg All Seasoning is the Canadian label for the Bragg Liquid Aminos in the states. They must have had to change the label for some reason.

Cool, eh??? :cool:

[SamuelWilson]

Braggs Liquid Aminos has some kick to it. It is like a super dark Noma Shoyu. I was using Noma Shoyu, but Alissa kept calling for BLA in her recipes, so I was like, might as well get it. Glad I did to, because I like it. However, if it is not raw, then it will have to go.

[paprika]

Oh yay, thanks RawFoodieMom! And thanks to everyone else for the feedback in this post. I'll have to pickup a bottle of Braggs the next time I'm at the health store; they have the Braggs raw apple cider vinegar too.

[RawFoodieMom]

Regarding Braggs LIquid Aminos, the problem is that it is hydrolyzed and has naturally occurring glutamic acid, which causes symptoms for people sensitive to MSG.
Also, baking soda is used in the base. That alone would make it not raw I would think.

Carmel, I'm confused again. :confused: Where do you find the information that it has baking soda in it? According to the bottle it's just soy and water, and this is from the web site:

Ingredients: Our Bragg Liquid Aminos are made from health-giving, NON-GMO soybeans and purified water. They are an excellent, healthy, gourmet replacement for Tamari and Soy Sauce. Not fermented or heated and Gluten-Free.

So how is that not raw? :confused:

Thanks. :)

[rawgrrl]

That's strange. I also read that Bragg's is a cooked food, but while their website doesn't say that BLA is raw, it doesn't seem to be cooked.

(I also hate the taste of it. Waaay too strong.)

[Maverick]

Thanks, some great information for us neewbies.

[SamuelWilson]

Here is a picture of both the Bragg Liquid Aminos and the Nama Shoyu.

[sweetgoddess]

RawFoodieMom, read this thread.
http://www.livingnutrition.com/fwn/read.php?2,214,214#msg-214

It wont help clear your confusion though ;)

Warmly~
Carmel

[Sharon in Colorado]

Here's another monkey wrench in everyone's parade. Well, I guess it depends on how pure you really want to be in the beginning (BTW - I'm not pure, but some people really want to be).

Shoyu sauce always has wheat in it. I don't know what kind of wheat, if it's mature, or a grass type of wheat, but I thought I'd put that in there for people with allergies. They might know that already.

Tamari does not contain wheat. However, I believe Tamari has been cooked.

So now you can choose what you want to use:

1) Bragg's, which has been hydrolized :eek:

2) Nama Shoyu, which is raw but contains wheat :o

3) Tamari which doesn't have wheat but is cooked :confused:

4) Or you can use one of the many types of sea salts, which is an inorganic type of sodium. :cool:

Decisions, decisions...

However, a long time ago on another raw food board I DID read about a really good alternative if anyone's interested:

Take lemons, celery and tomatoes, chop them up and dehydrate them. After they are nice and dry, grind them in a coffee grinder and then place them in a spice jar with a shaker lid. Now you have a natural sodium source for seasoning. :)

[rawgrrl]

I like to use the liquid from NFL's Moroccan Olives. If a recipe calls for 1 tbsp shoyu, I substitute 2 tbsp olive liquid.

[Autumn]

<<Am I the only one who doesn't like Bragg's? >>

Nope. I find it *incredibly* strong. I can only use a teensy bit. I was never much for salty foods pre-raw, so perhaps this is the reason.

[rawpriestess]

rawgrrl, that is a great idea,

all foods have a different wonderful taste.

I couldn't use a ton of Braggs, like the spray bottle, that you are supposed to spray on your food, I've seen people do this, oh man, I couldnt' eat the food then,

I don't salt anything, but I do like the Braggs (specifically) on my marinated veggies, that I dehydrate and eat in my stir fry, it is especially great with mushrooms. mmmmmmmm
but again, I only use a tad. for marinating or in a recipe, but never straight, I couldn't even dip in it.

But, I'm like Autumn,not much on salty foods either. I used to like the sweet foods, but then I'm not much into them either right now, right now, I'm getting into nuts and heavier foods, as It is getting colder here, so I am getting ready for winter, eating herbs, and squash, and pate's and creamy soups, and almond milk mmmmmmmm and hummm, well there is a sweet thing, but I only eat about 1 date a week, LOL, in my almond milkshake they are just too sweet for me now.

I used to make almond milkshakes, with 2 cups of almond milk, 10 dates, 1 tsp almond extract, and 1 tsp cinnamon, and some nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and maybe some ginger if I wanted it like that, and I'd drink a couple a day,

Now, I use one cup of almond milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, dash nutmeg, and cardamom, 1 date, and just a touch of vanilla bean, maybe 1/2 " or so.

WOW, is that good, and way way sweet, sometimes, I have to add more almond milk, and to think I used to drink 1 cup with 5 dates, YIKES!!!,

and that wasn't sweet to me, before, now it's way sweet, so your tastes do change drastically on raw.

I can't eat olieve anymore, used to eat about 10 big green ones at one sitting, today I had about 5 calamats, and boy were they salty. way way salty, will have to start soaking them again, but that was my entire dinner, so taht was okay too. Okay, I drank two glasses of water with them. :o)

[rawgrrl]

During certain times of the month, I can eat a whole jar of salt-cured olives. Other times, must soak first.

[mbf]

I don't want to use Braggs or Soy sauce. Can anyone suggest a replacement ? A book I have suggests Miso ? has anyone tried it ? and where do I find Miso ? I have seen packaged Miso soups but I don't think that is what he means.

Thanks !

MBF

[rawpriestess]

There are many types of Miso, and miso is not raw, however it is living, so there is quite a bit of controversy over using it.

Those ONLY eat raw, do not eat Miso, and those who eat living and raw food do,

I use chickpea miso, you find it in the frige at the hfs and it is great, but is not anything like braggs or nama shoyu.

You can use Celtic Sea Salt instead of braggs or nama shoyu, but you won't have that warm earthy taste of the soysauce, so it is up to you.

[Sillybloss]

RawFoodieMom, read this thread.
http://www.livingnutrition.com/fwn/read.php?2,214,214#msg-214


Thanks, sweetgoddess, this information was REALLY helpful to me! ;) I'm trying to figure out why my lunchtime salad is not agreeing with me and, since I make the dressing with a lot of Bragg's, thought I'd check into that.

I do get Living Nutrition magazine and saw a side-box that said, "Bragg's is poison!!! Do not consume it!" and I just wasn't sure because everyone has their own opinion. But here I am, using Bragg's daily for almost 2 years, still battling my candida problem. :eek: Well, OK NOW! :o

I think I've found the answer to my problem!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[rawpriestess]

I now no longer use Braggs or Nama Shoyu, I only use Celtic Sea Salt if the dish I am making needs salt, which is only in recipes, I have never been a big salt person, never salted my food, unless I was cooking, since going raw, I don't use it at all.

it but I was using alot of Braggs, now I've stopped using it all together and I feel so much more alive.

This has all been within the last couple of weeks.

It seems as we progress on our raw journey, we drop so many things we thoguht we couldn't live without.