How I’ve Been Reducing My Salt Intake With Soy Sauce and MSG

I was recently having lunch with a couple friends and their 7-year-old and we ordered a giant soft pretzel with beer cheese. As we mindlessly broke off pieces of the pretzel during our chatter, I noticed how the small human was silently eating her pretzel piece—salt first—and I saw a bit of myself in her. I have a vivid memory of being in middle school at a friend’s house and eating seasoned salt straight off of a plate. Eating salt so voraciously isn't wrong, per se, but sadly, the love affair can’t last forever.   

While my love for sodium chloride crystals has hardly faded, I am of an age where I need to chill on my salt intake as I am interested in longevity. Am I perfect? Hardly. I still love deli meats and the occasional fast food, but I am improving. It’s a work in progress. To reduce my salt intake, I’m using MSG and soy sauce to help me on my journey. 

Salt isn’t everything

To other salt fans, this is blasphemy, but truly there are four other flavors we should give equal attention to: bitter, sour, umami, and sweet. If you find yourself constantly reaching for the salt cellar when you’re cooking because “something” is missing, it might be one of those other flavors. 

After you’ve added that first measurement of salt, try to tap into striking a balance with those other flavors. Squeeze in some fresh lemon or lime juice; even a spoonful of tomato sauce could bring in much needed acidity. Add chopped nuts, or keep the peels on your vegetables for bitterness. A teaspoon of sugar, maple syrup, or a handful of raisins can add surprisingly welcome sweetness. 

But salt’s sister seasonings are certainly those that exhibit umami. Seasonings like MSG and soy sauce might be the “something” you’ve been seeking.

How MSG and soy sauce can help you cut down on salt

For context, in an equal measurement comparison, salt contains considerably more sodium than both soy sauce and MSG. A teaspoon of table salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium. A teaspoon of soy sauce has about 300 and a teaspoon of MSG has about 500. 

My regular Kikkoman soy sauce, not low sodium, has 320 mg of sodium per teaspoon. (A teaspoon is 1/3 of a tablespoon.) Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Aside from just the quantity of sodium, it’s important to keep in mind that each flavoring agent has different potency, too. A quarter-teaspoon of MSG can adequately flavor about two cups of soup broth, while you might use ¾ of a teaspoon of salt for the same volume of liquid. I rarely use more than an eighth of a teaspoon of MSG when I make a personal serving of vegetables for example. For some other ways I use MSG in cooking and baking, read here.

How I cook to reduce salt

You can see how by adding a pinch of MSG and a teaspoon of soy sauce (which also contains the building blocks of MSG) you’re still getting that salty flavor but with so much more. With these two seasonings you activate your glutamate receptors, which stimulate that mouth watering response, along with building a well-rounded savory flavor.

Despite my history of really leaning into salt, I’m learning that umami and a smidge of salt is often enough. Whereas in the past I would add another pinch of salt, and then another, never really hitting the perfect note. 

To reduce salt, I’ve switched around my cooking style slightly by using a “salt last” seasoning method when I can. I sautée, braise, or make soup as usual, but I add a portion of MSG or soy sauce first. Then I’ll taste the finished dish. If it needs some salt then I’ll add some and taste it again. This way I can use MSG and soy sauce in combination with salt or as a complete replacement for salt when it works.

Granted, sometimes I prefer to add salt earlier in the cooking process, like if I’m roasting vegetables or dry brining a chicken. For roasted veggies, I’ve simply taken to cutting the usual salt in half and adding a splash of soy sauce after it’s finished cooking. For dry brining, I’ll cut the salt in half again, and replace it with MSG. Holy cow, what a chicken. Do not sleep on adding MSG to your brines, whether dry or wet. 

Luckily, soy sauce and MSG go well with pretty much everything so you don’t have to spend much brain power wondering if it pairs well with what you’re cooking. If you need some inspiration, here are some unexpected ways to use MSG, and an excellent cookbook, Salt, Sugar, MSG, for flavorful recipes that include these seasoning heroes. Note that these are my tricks for reducing salt simply because I'd like to, but if you have a medical requirement to reduce your salt intake, be sure to check with your doctor as you make changes to your diet.

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