Soy sauce is one of the few condiments that I would not attempt to make at home. Despite that, I don’t consider it to be an ultra-processed food due to the minimal amount of ingredients and processing applied.
Versions that stick to some combination of water, soybeans, wheat, salt, and possibly alcohol I listed as not being ultra-processed. Anything that included lactic acid, wheat gluten, caramel color, sodium benzoate, yeast extract, or other preservatives I categorized as ultra-processed.
All of the reduced sodium soy sauces that I found are ultra-processed. Soy sauce is a fairly high sodium food, and if you are trying to watch you sodium intake you may need to be very careful about the amount that you use or avoid it altogether.
Kikkoman brand soy sauce is widely available and both the original and organic versions do not include any unexpected ingredients.
Soy Sauces that are not UPF:
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Shoyu Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Organic Soybeans, Organic Wheat, Salt, Organic Alcohol.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt.
Kikkoman Organic Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Organic Soybeans, Organic Wheat, Salt.
Kimlan Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Sugar.
Momofuku Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Alcohol (To Retain Freshness), Kombu.
Simple Truth Organic Soy Sauce (Kroger)
Ingredients: Water, Organic Soybeans, Organic Wheat, Salt, Organic Alcohol
Yamasa Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Walt, Alcohol (to retain freshness).
Ultra-processed soy sauces:
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Reduced Sodium Shoyu Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Organic Soy Sauce (Water, Organic Soybeans, Salt, Organic Wheat, Organic Alcohol), Water, Organic Alcohol, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Lactic Acid.
Aloha Original Blend Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Sugar, Soybeans, Caramel Coloring and Sodium Benzoate, a Preservative.
Great Value Soy Sauce All Purpose Seasoning
Ingredients: Soy Sauce, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Soy Sauce Contains: Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt.
Happy Belly Soy Sauce (Amazon)
Ingredients: Soy sauce (soybean, corn, water, sugar, sodium benzoate), water, sugar, salt, caramel color, monosodium glutamate, citric acid to regulate acidity, potassium sorbate as a preservative.
Happy Belly Low Sodium Soy Sauce (Amazon)
Ingredients: Soy sauce (soybean, corn, water, sugar, sodium benzoate), water, sugar, salt, caramel color, monosodium glutamate, citric acid to regulate acidity, potassium sorbate as a preservative.
Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Kroger Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, hydrolyzed soy protein, salt, dextrose, caramel color.
Kroger Lite Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Soy Sauce (water, salt, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup, lactic acid, potassium sorbate [preservative]), water, dextrose, caramel color, salt, lactic acid.
La Choy All Purpose Soy Sauce Original
Ingredients: Water, Salt, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).
La Choy All Purpose Soy Sauce Less Sodium
Ingredients: Water, Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Caramel Color, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).
Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Wheat, Defatted Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate
Lee Kum Kee Dipping Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Wheat, Defatted Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate
Market Pantry (Target)
Ingredients: Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate.
Market Pantry Less Sodium Soy Sauce (Target)
Ingredients: Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Nine Less Sodium Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Defatted Soybeans, Wheat, Salt Yeast Extract
Polar Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Salt, Soya Beans, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Potassium Sorbate.
Private Selection Premium Soy Sauce (Kroger)
Ingredients: Water, Defatted Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Yeast Extract.
Yamasa Reduced Sodium Shoyu Soy Sauce
Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Salt, Alcohol (to maintain freshness), Vinegar, Lactic Acid.