When You Eat Too Much Soy Sauce, This Is What Happens To Your Body
Asian food connoisseurs are probably super-familiar with the dark brown liquid condiment known as soy sauce. Whether you are dipping a bite of a sushi roll into it, or dripping one of those plastic packets of soy sauce onto a spring or egg roll, you know its salty flavor adds quite the punch. Soy sauce's incredible taste and aroma also make it great for creating marinades and sauces, and seasoning all types of dishes from stir-fry, to steak, chicken, and seafood.
Soy sauce is made from soy beans that have been fermented in a salty-brine water along with roasted grains (via Spruce Eats). After the fermentation process, soy sauce is pasteurized, and then bottled. A diet that includes a regular regimen of soy sauce might seem tasty. But before you venture down this culinary path, you may want to consider that the myriad of elements in soy sauce that make it so delicious, may have a negative impact on your body and overall health if consumed too frequently.
Eating too much soy sauce can lead to health issues
One of the the biggest drawbacks of consuming soy sauce on a frequent basis is the sodium content. A tablespoon of the liquid contains 902 milligrams of sodium (via Healthline). To put that in perspective, that's 38 percent of the daily recommended intake. According to the American Heart Association, too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, and a host of other health problems ranging from kidney stones, to heart failure, and stroke.
Moreover, the process of creating this condiment results in 300 compounds associated with various health concerns. According to Doctor NDTV, isoflavones in soy products can increase a woman's breast cancer risk, and interfere with her menstrual cycle. Since soy sauce contains Goitrogens, the condiment can interfere with the thyroid when consumed in excess. Excess soy consumption can also negatively impact a man's sperm count, and obstruct mineral absorption.
Bottom line: Have your soy sauce, but stick to the Greek philosophy. Nothing in excess, everything in moderation.