Braggs Aminos

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Braggs Aminos

Postby petalpusher » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:09 pm

Hi Jeff
I am reading labels like crazy...have almost logged in enough hours for a membership in the Order of the Dangling Magnifying Glass. I am over the trauma of the serving size scam and on to the ingredient list. I remember in class you said to watch out for bad ingredients disguised in other names. While I am about to ditch Braggs Aminos altogether because of the high sodium content, I am curious. When Braggs Aminos lists the ingredient 'vegetable protein from soybeans' does that mean it is isolated soy protein?
Thanks

PS I meet a lot more interesting people while playing Sherlock Holmes in the grocery aisles than I ever did waiting in line for a Big Mac!!
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Re: Braggs Aminos

Postby JeffN » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:20 pm

petalpusher wrote:Hi Jeff
I am reading labels like crazy...have almost logged in enough hours for a membership in the Order of the Dangling Magnifying Glass. I am over the trauma of the serving size scam and on to the ingredient list. I remember in class you said to watch out for bad ingredients disguised in other names. While I am about to ditch Braggs Aminos altogether because of the high sodium content, I am curious. When Braggs Aminos lists the ingredient 'vegetable protein from soybeans' does that mean it is isolated soy protein?
Thanks

PS I meet a lot more interesting people while playing Sherlock Holmes in the grocery aisles than I ever did waiting in line for a Big Mac!!


Hi PP

Glad you are enjoying the experience and also meeting new friends. See, it really can be a fun and exciting experience. :)

The problem with Bragg's is 2 fold. First, the sodium is no better than light sodium sauce. The part I do not like about Bragg's is the use a deceptive serving size of 1 tsp while the standard for these products is 1 TB.

Second, the soy protein is not isolated soy protein so that is not the worry, however, if it is a concern of yours, Bragg's also has MSG in it. They used to have a little tag on the product that said no MSG in it, but had to remove it when chemical analysis of the procedure to produce Bragg's showed that MSG was a byproduct on the process.


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Postby petalpusher » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:13 pm

Wow, thanks Jeff...I have so many friends who have expounded the benefits of Braggs for years...'low sodium (!)and healthy'. Guess what! Braggs is now using 1/2 tsp as the serving size with 160 mg of sodium.

Keep up the good work!! And thanks for posting the Lisa Bero lectures...great!!
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Postby Daffodil » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:29 am

I had written to the Braggs people about the MSG that I heard was in Braggs liquid aminos. I was told that it was "naturally occuring" MSG. Which still didn't really answer my question. :? How can it naturally occur?

What I like about Braggs is it tastes really good compared to others i've tried, plus the sodium content is much lower and it doesn't contain wheat like so many others do. I use the spray bottle so just a small amount comes out at one time. So would just a little of this at a time still be ok to use?
I feel let down by them because of the MSG factor, and now feel there is not much else out there i can use for my rice to give it flavor without fat. :-(
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Postby JeffN » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:53 am

Daffodil wrote:I had written to the Braggs people about the MSG that I heard was in Braggs liquid aminos. I was told that it was "naturally occuring" MSG. Which still didn't really answer my question. :? How can it naturally occur?

What I like about Braggs is it tastes really good compared to others i've tried, plus the sodium content is much lower and it doesn't contain wheat like so many others do. I use the spray bottle so just a small amount comes out at one time. So would just a little of this at a time still be ok to use?
I feel let down by them because of the MSG factor, and now feel there is not much else out there i can use for my rice to give it flavor without fat. :-(


Natural food stores and companies can be just as deceptive & misleading in their marketing & advertising as any other company.

The MSG is produced as a result of the chemical process and is in the end product.

If they have gone to 160 mgs of sodium per 1/2 tsp, then the amount of sodium in a TB is 960 which is basically the same as most all regular soy sauces (which come in around 900 to 1000) and more than all lite soy sauces (which come in around 700).

I am not telling you not to use it. I am just pointing out the deception in the way it is marketed & labeled. The problem is that many oeople believe it is healthier because it is made by "Braggs" and sold in health food stores.

You are welcome to choose Braggs, table salt, sea salt or celtic salt. My only recommendation is to limit all sodium whichever source you choose. Just don't be fooled by the source.

Personally, I am more concerned over the amount of sodium in it than the MSG.

You may want to review the thread on my sodium guidelines (&/or Dr McDougalls new newsletter on sodium) and also the discusiion on MSG.

There are many wonderful flavors out there besides fat & salt. It is just that those are the flavors most of us are used to due to the typcial American diet. The good news is that we quickly lose our taste for high fat & high salt foods.

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Postby Clary » Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:02 am

The label on the last container of Bragg's Liquid Aminos I bought online includes an added section not on the labels of previous bottles I used, that says this:

"Bragg's has a small amount of naturally occurring sodium. No table salt is added. If less sodium is desired use 6 oz. Bragg's (empty) spray bottle, dilute with 1/3 purified water or to taste and then either add in or spray Bragg's on food."

This label lists the new "1/2 tsp." serving size, and lists 150 mg. sodium per the 1/2 tsp. !

This indicates to me that the company is aware of customers becoming more aware of the sodium use/problem.

I understand the sodium guidelines you have provided for us, Jeff, and am a more educated, grateful consumer because of what I have learned (and still learning about the amt. of my sodium consumption--something I never paid attention to in the past), and now I am curious about what is meant by "naturally occurring sodium", and how does that compare to or differ from sodium from salt purposely added during food processing ?? --and does the source of the "sodium" make any difference regarding our health? --Like comparing naturally occurring fats in whole foods, compared to added oils, butter, etc.??; or__??

Thank you.
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Postby JeffN » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:53 am

The new label indicates to me that they are aware of the problem (consumer awareness of its true sodium & MSG content) & are trying to convince their customers that their high sodium proudct is not high in sodium :)

However, remember the "rule" of label reading.....

"NEVER ever beleive ANYTHING on the front (or side) of any package....... EVER!"

We only look at the nutrition facts label & the ingredinet list & never believe any comments made by the manufacturer. Their comments are always & only just marketing & advertising to sell you more product & not a source of accurate consumer health info.

Sodium is sodium. The guideline is for total sodium, regardless of the source, not just added sodium.

This is discussed in the Hot Topic threads on sodium.


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Postby ThinFor5Minutes » Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:26 am

A lot of vegan/vegetarian recipes call for Bragg's Liquid Aminos. I have resisted buying it, since I often end up with a lot of fancy, expensive ingredients I use for one or two recipes and then end up throwing it out two years later. What is an acceptable substitute in recipes that call for Bragg's?
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Re: Braggs Aminos

Postby LifeDancer » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:11 pm

JeffN wrote:

Second, the soy protein is not isolated soy protein so that is not the worry, however, if it is a concern of yours, Bragg's also has MSG in it. They used to have a little tag on the product that said no MSG in it, but had to remove it when chemical analysis of the procedure to produce Bragg's showed that MSG was a byproduct on the process.

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OMG. WOW I'm glad I clicked on this thread -- I've used Braggs off and on for several years and made something once with some Braggs in it. My husband got skip-a-beats like happens when he eats msg and we couldn't figure *what* it could possibly be because the only thing different I had used was Braggs and we read the label and nothing wrong there and there was nothing else different about what I had made. As a result I've never made anything else for both of us that has Braggs in it and I've always kept thinking I ought to have him try it again because it *couldn't* have been the Braggs . . . . .

Thankfully I never have and it goes in the trash right now.

Thank you so much, Jeff :-)

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Postby VeggieSue » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:02 pm

ThinFor5Minutes wrote: What is an acceptable substitute in recipes that call for Bragg's?



Plain old lower sodium soy sauce, because when you look at it closely, that's all Bragg's is - soy sauce.

from Bragg's web site and its description of what their "liquid aminos" product is:
http://www.bragg.com/products/la.html

"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."
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Re: Braggs Aminos

Postby Daffodil » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:43 pm

LifeDancer wrote:OMG. WOW I'm glad I clicked on this thread -- I've used Braggs off and on for several years and made something once with some Braggs in it. My husband got skip-a-beats like happens when he eats msg and we couldn't figure *what* it could possibly be because the only thing different I had used was Braggs and we read the label and nothing wrong there and there was nothing else different about what I had made. As a result I've never made anything else for both of us that has Braggs in it and I've always kept thinking I ought to have him try it again because it *couldn't* have been the Braggs . . . . .

Thankfully I never have and it goes in the trash right now.

Thank you so much, Jeff :-)

Dancing to the Trash Can! LifeDancer


Ok, I've made up my mind now. I will quit buying Braggs because of the MSG factor mainly. I would dilute it for less sodium content, but now I am afraid of using it because of the "skip a beat" thing from LifeDancers husband. I get that a lot, and it never occured to me that it could be the Braggs! And to think I was trusting them and buying their products. I guess i'll just stick to the ACV. Unless someone can prove that's a scam as well. :-(
Thank you Jeff and everyone else for your comments on Braggs.
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Postby petalpusher » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:00 pm

Okay, just so I am clear on this. If MSG is added to the product it must be included in the ingredient list. If it is a natural occuring byproduct of the process, then it does not have to be listed (although it is reflected as part of the sodium content).

If this is true, then people like LifeDancer's husband may be playing Russian roulette with some foods.


How common is MSG as a byproduct of the process?
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Postby Karen in FL » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:44 pm

While we are asking MSG questions - isn't it sometimes labeled with another names? I've heard it can come under the terms "yeast extract" and "maltodextrin" and "natural flavors" and "spices."

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Postby JeffN » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:53 am

Karen in FL wrote:While we are asking MSG questions - isn't it sometimes labeled with another names? I've heard it can come under the terms "yeast extract" and "maltodextrin" and "natural flavors" and "spices."

Karen


I am not endorsing this site, but it does have a list of "hidden" names/sources of MSG

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

Also, here is an earlier discussion on MSG

http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5787

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Postby JeffN » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:56 am

petalpusher wrote:Okay, just so I am clear on this. If MSG is added to the product it must be included in the ingredient list. If it is a natural occuring byproduct of the process, then it does not have to be listed (although it is reflected as part of the sodium content).

If this is true, then people like LifeDancer's husband may be playing Russian roulette with some foods.


How common is MSG as a byproduct of the process?


Here is the FDA ruling on MSG

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/msg.html

Under current FDA regulations, when MSG is added to a food, it must be identified as "monosodium glutamate" in the label's ingredient list. Each ingredient used to make a food must be declared by its name in this list.

While technically MSG is only one of several forms of free glutamate used in foods, consumers frequently use the term MSG to mean all free glutamate. For this reason, FDA considers foods whose labels say "No MSG" or "No Added MSG" to be misleading if the food contains ingredients that are sources of free glutamates, such as hydrolyzed protein.

In 1993, FDA proposed adding the phrase "(contains glutamate)" to the common or usual names of certain protein hydrolysates that contain substantial amounts of glutamate. For example, if the proposal were adopted, hydrolyzed soy protein would have to be declared on food labels as "hydrolyzed soy protein (contains glutamate)." However, if FDA issues a new proposal, it would probably supersede this 1993 one.

In 1994, FDA received a citizen's petition requesting changes in labeling requirements for foods that contain MSG or related substances. The petition asks for mandatory listing of MSG as an ingredient on labels of manufactured and processed foods that contain manufactured free glutamic acid. It further asks that the amount of free glutamic acid or MSG in such products be stated on the label, along with a warning that MSG may be harmful to certain groups of people. FDA has not yet taken action on the petition.


Copies of the 1995 FASEB report are available for $50 each by writing to FASEB at 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814.

References: Federal Register, Dec. 4, 1992 (FR 57467) and Federal Register, Jan. 6, 1993 (FR 2950); FDA Consumer, December 1993, "Food Allergies: When Eating is Risky."

BG 95-16


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