Here I will cover about soy sauce and if it is acidic and if it’s good for acid reflux.
Soy sauce is acidic at a pH of around 5. While this is acidic it’s not very acidic and some brands and varieties of soy sauce can even less acidic than this.
Whether soy sauce is a good choice if you have acid reflux will depend on the kind of soy sauce you have opted for and your own case of acid reflux. If the soy sauce has more preservatives etc. it may be more acidic and if your acid reflux is more severe it might not be a good choice.
Below we will get into soy sauces acidity in more detail and if you should take soy sauce if you have acid reflux.
Is Soy Sauce Acidic?
Yes soy sauce is acidic with a pH of around 5. While 5 pH is acidic it’s not very acidic but it’s also not very close to being alkaline either. It’s more of a middle ground that some people should be okay with.
When compared with other condiments it’s tends to be less acidic because it usually doesn’t include things that can make a condiment more acidic like vinegar or tomatoes that are included in many condiments.
Is Soy Sauce Bad for Acid Reflux?
Soy sauce is not necessarily bad for acid reflux but for certain people soy sauce might irritate or worsen their acid reflux symptoms.
Soy sauce that is more pure without added extras is best. These kinds of soy sauces tend to be less acidic than soy sauces that have more unwanted ingredients. Some soy sauces can be closer to a pH of 4 than 5. This is noticeably more acidic than the ones with more simple counterparts.
So, for someone with more severe acid reflux like GERD or LPR they might be able to take the more simple and core soy sauce though other soy sauce alternatives might be too acidic or have ingredients that bother them more.
Light and reduced salt soy sauces also tend to be more acidic so keep that in mind.
If you are someone with more minor acid reflux most soy sauces should be okay for you. But if you notice soy sauce bothering you it would be best to opt for one with more simple ingredients only.
An example of a good and less acidic soy sauce would be Kikkoman’s Soy Sauce. It only has the ingredients Water, Soybeans, Wheat, and Salt. This keeps it more simple and less acidic.
A more acidic soy sauce might include ingredients like sugar, acidity regulators like citric acid, and flavor enhancers. All of them added ingredients not only make the soy sauce more acidic but also are more likely to irritate people with acid reflux.
If you want to be on the safe side and try some soy sauce you can also opt to mix in into a sauce or broth. This way it dilutes the soy sauce and balances it out which also makes it much less acidic.
If you aren’t sure on the amount of soy sauce to use it’s best to start with a little and increase it later once you know it works well for you. Start with 1 teaspoon and then increase it later as I mentioned. Of course, the more soy sauce you add the more likely it’s to affect you, so starting with a small amount and increasing makes the most sense.
For more advice on food and ingredients and a complete acid reflux diet plan check our Wipeout Diet Plan.
Interesting Related Questions
Is Soy Sauce High Acid?
Soy sauce is acidic but when compared with other foods and condiments it’s not very acidic. It’s more of a middle ground that should be fine for most people even with acid reflux.
Is Soy OK for GERD?
Soy is usually okay for most people with GERD. Keep in mind that it might irritate some people and should be stopped if that’s the case.
What is the pH of Soy Sauce?
The average pH of soy sauce is around a 5 pH though depending on the brand and ingredients included it could be as low as a 4 pH up until about a 5.5 pH.
Is Soy OK for Gastritis?
Soy is usually okay for people with gastritis. If you take some and notice a negative affect it might be affecting you so in that case it would be best to avoid it.
Related Posts