La Choy Soy Sauce

[Wakeboarder]

I am looking for a good gluten free soy sauce. I was looking at La Choy soy sauce today and it did not list wheat as one of the ingredients. I have the list of companies that do not hide gluten in their ingredients and ConAgra is one of those companies. I believe La Choy is a subsidiary company of ConAgra, so since wheat, barley and rye are not listed, that means it is safe to eat right? It just seems almost too easy...

[njbeachbum]

I am looking for a good gluten free soy sauce. I was looking at La Choy soy sauce today and it did not list wheat as one of the ingredients. I have the list of companies that do not hide gluten in their ingredients and ConAgra is one of those companies. I believe La Choy is a subsidiary company of ConAgra, so since wheat, barley and rye are not listed, that means it is safe to eat right? It just seems almost too easy...

you are correct. la choy soy sauce is safe for us to consume, however it is not the best tasting soy sauce around. it's not made with wheat like real soy sauce, it is mostly colors and flavorings. not bad for cooking at home, but i wouldn't use it with sushi.

[Lisa]

San-J "Wheat free" Tamari is also gluten free.

Yup, once you have mastered label reading, and learning the companies that you can trust, life becomes to much easier.

[psawyer]

For any Canadians reading this, in Canada VH Soy Sauce is widely available in grocery stores and is gluten-free. I use it frequently and it tastes as good as any wheat-based version that I can recall (it has been almost eight years). The bad news is that is is only available in Canada. Pity.

There are many other gluten-free sauces sold by VH in Canada. A few are not, so read the label. VH is owned by ConAgra, and will clearly disclose any gluten in the ingredient list.

[Guest lorlyn]

Had La Choy soy sauce tonight over chicken cubes. My 11 year old daughter loves it.

[Yellow Rose]

Wal-Mart's Great Value Soy Sauce is also gluten free.

Yellow Rose

[larry mac]

I am looking for a good gluten free soy sauce.....

Wakeboarder,

Please keep looking. Don't limit your search for just any gluten-free soy sauce. Just my two cents worth but, ya gets what yous pays for.

Here's an old recycled post from some forum member who thinks they are a soy sauce snob.

best regards, lm

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As I'm always recommending the Eden Organic Tamari Soy Sauce, I decided to pick up the La Choy Soy Sauce and the San-J Organic Tamari Soy Sauce for a little taste-off. Battle of the gluten-free soy sauces.

First off, the La Choy is much cheaper than the others. About $1.50 compared to about $3.5 for the San-J and $4 for the Eden. Depending on stores of course.

Well, the price difference really shows. The La Choy has a dull, flat, I'd say rather unpleasant nose. By comparison, both the San-J and the Eden have bright, freshly brewed, aromatic fragrances. The San-J has an additional, stronger, almost fish like component to it's odor. Not an off putting smell, just a little different.

The La Choy has a softer, more muted flavor. Not a bad flavor, not a very good flavor either. Less salty aftertaste, which unfortunately allows for the dull flavor to be the lasting impression.

Both the others have much stronger flavors. There's an initial blast of fermented soy, followed by a big salty bite. For the life of me I can't tell much difference between the two. They're both very tasty, with excellent qualities.

If you like a milder, less fermented soy sauce, or don't want to pay more than a buck fifty, go for the La Choy. It's comparable in quality and price to a store brand such as Kroger, Walmart etc.

I give Eden the slight edge over San-J, only by a nose. The Eden has a more agreeable fragrance. Taste wise, they both shine.

If you prefer, nay demand, a full bodied, aromatic soy sauce, and insist on only the highest quality, comparable to the best, Kikkoman, then settle for nothing less than Eden or San-J , price be damned.

[bakingbarb]

I just bought the san j and the smell makes me want to hurl. If thats what real soy sauce is supposed to be like I don't want it.

I will stick with boring and flat la choy. La choy is gluten free, if it isn't on the label then it isn't in there. I checked with the company btw.

But I will say I haven't done the taste test and I don't know if I can get past the smell. Its odd because I don't normally shy away from strong flavors. I will try a taste test next time I cook with soy and then decide.

[Nancym]

I like the San J. It is rich with umami taste.

[home-based-mom]

I grew up with La Choy. Then my Japanese/Chinese friend (who I figured ought to know!) told me that wasn't "real" soy sauce and I should use Kikkoman. So I did for the next 30-40 years or so (did I say that? ) until this gluten intolerance thing came along and disrupted things.

I went back to La Choy and I am just fine with it.

[Jujbe]

Well, I consider myself a real soy sauce snob since I've been cooking Asian foods for decades! Soy sauces are supposed to taste differently - just like there are diff flavours of rice. It depends on what you're making. I always used the heavier. less subtle Chinese soy sauces for the more robust flavoured Cantonese Chinese foods but would not think of using it when making sushi. That's where I used naturally brewed soy sauces like Kikkoman instead.

So I can see where VH La Choy might be good for my Chinese cooking whereas San J. would be good for sushi. I might mix the two for Thai or Korean foods. Since I'm new to gluten-free cooking, I only have my old soy sauces (which will have to find a new home with friends ) & need to buy new safe ones. Hope I can find the naturally brewed gluten-free type here. If not, a trip into PoCo (bigger metro area not too far off) to my favourite store, T & T Oriental Foods, for gluten-free soy sauce. I can always stock up on other Asian goodies & buy all the unusual fruits & veggies I love.

I LOVE this forum & appreciate all the info here - SO good & informative!!

[larry mac]

Hope I can find the naturally brewed gluten-free type here. If not, a trip into PoCo (bigger metro area not too far off) to my favourite store, T & T Oriental Foods, for gluten-free soy sauce...

Hope you have better luck than I did. We have several large asian supermarkets, yet I haven't found any gluten-free soy sauces. They do have lots of strange brands however.

I recommend health food and large gourmet food stores. Please do try to find Eden Organic Tamari Soy Sauce.

best regards, lm

I like the San J. It is rich with umami taste.

I've heard that not everyone can taste that flavor well.

From wikepedia:

"Psychophysicists have long suggested the existence of four taste 'primaries', referred to as the basic tastes: sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness. Umami, or savoriness, has been suggested as a fifth basic taste, exemplified by the non-salty sensations evoked by Monosodium glutamate....."

"....Umami is a proposed addition to the currently accepted four basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human tongue. The same taste is also known as xiānw

[bakingbarb]

I'm not sure why I had such a strong reaction to the Sun J when I first brought it home. It almost knocked me back! So I waited awhile before I got it out to try.

I did try it and I am happy to report I like it! Honestly I am surprised after that first reaction.

I grew up with La Choy so to me that was what it was supposed to taste and smell like. Funny I always thought I was a bit of a food snob but I loved my La Choy lol!!

I used it on some broccoli and then I tried it as a marinade to chicken and I liked it and so did my family.