Nov 14, 2011

Zenith of fermentation – Soy Sauce


Soy sauce has been a part of Koreans’ diet even longer than kimchi. Mainly made from soy beans, it is very nutritious and the beans’ amino acids create a synergy effect to emphasize healthy ingredients during the fermentation process to produce a full-body taste. 


Soy sauce for fortune telling?

Although it is not clear when the Koreans started to make soy sauce, many refer to the record of Samguksaki (History of the Three Kingdoms) which suggested it was first made in 683A.D. It is said that the Korean ancestors used soy sauce to foretell family fortune or outcome of war. They believed someone in the family will get sick or die and lose the battle if the taste of soy sauce changes.

Difference between Korean and Japanese soy sauce

soy sauce
Another country where people consume as much soy sauce as in Korea is Japan. The Koreans call Japanese soy sauce Wae Ganjang (‘Wae’ means Japan and ‘Ganjang’ soy sauce) and soy sauce made according to traditional methods Joseon Ganjang (‘Joseon’ means Korea). Joseon Ganjang is mainly made of soy beans and fermented in traditional crocks using bacilius subtilis. Meanwhile, wae ganjang (Japanese style ganjang) is made of a mixture of beans and starch and fermented with aspergilus oryzae. In comparison, Korean soy sauce tastes saltier and strong. With no preservative used, Korean soy sauce can be kept at room temperature. 

Ingredients in soy sauce

Soy sauce contains numerous healthy substances. First, it is a rich repository of minerals including almost all 39 kinds of minerals required for the body. Other substances that can be found in soy sauce include sulfur (to discharge pollutants outside the body); iron (to prevent anemia); molybdenum and rubidium (to make the brain healthy); phosphorus and calcium (to make the bones healthy); sodium chloride (salty taste); and more. Soy sauce made with bamboo salt also includes gold and platinum. Calcium and phosphorus do not have a direct impact on the bones on their own, and gold and platinum help gather calcium and phosphorus to make the bones healthy.
Effects of soy sauce

soy sauceThe greatest effect of soy sauce is that it helps calm the stomach and in particular long-matured soy sauce helps protect and stimulate the brain cells. Protecting cells that can be the cause of all diseases is important and soy sauce removes impurities in blood, softens the vessels, and boosts synthesis of vitamins in the body that are good for blood circulation. Korean traditional soy sauce, in particular, is rich in lactobacilli like yeast fungi and cacilus subtilis and effective in supplying proteins, amino acids and salt. It also excels indetoxification to remove harmful substances from the body and is thereby great for skin care.


To read a full story about soy sauce, visit www.koreamedicalhub.com
 
 

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