Fish sauce is the agent that gives most of my dishes a distinct and perfect touch! A few drops of this beautiful stuff can take your meal to a whole new level, I mean from good to spectacular, and that’s very rich coming from me.
However, as a diabetic, before you can decide whether to add this to your culinary arsenal, the question of whether fish sauce is good for diabetics is a concern. Here’s everything you need to know:
Disclaimer; This material is presented for education and should not replace the professional medical advice of your healthcare provider.
The alluring fish sauce
Fish sauce is a safe and unique condiment that’s used to amplify the savory qualities of almost every dish. As an Asian, you already know what this umami bomb is, as it’s an extremely versatile ingredient used in almost anything, like, soups, sauces, stews, and even marinates. I can boldly say that fish sauce is probably the most important ingredient in Asian food, and I can’t blame them!
Fish sauce is made by fermenting the fish with salt for a long time, sometimes even up to 2 years. it can be made from basically any seafood, like shrimp, crabs, tuna, and more, but generally, they are mostly made from Anchovies.
Widely used by many southern Asian countries, such as the Philippines, Thai, Laos, and Vietnam, The process of making fish sauce isn’t that complicated so much so you can make it yourself at home, take 3 parts fish and 1 part salt in a jar, and fill up the jar with some water.
The main role of fish sauce is mostly as a low-sodium substitute in your food. Fish sauce allows you to reduce the amount of salt added to the meal without letting go of any of the great flavors, and, it can make all the difference in any dish.
Is fish sauce healthy
This is where fish sauces may get complicated. Usually, you can make fish sauce from the first liquid obtained from pressing the fermented fish you left for 24 months which gives you the purest and most virgin fish sauce. How many people take the time to make theirs? Instead, they opt for store-bought ones, and most of what’s labeled extra virgin on the store shelf isn’t necessarily so.
Most manufacturers add more water and salt to get more presses out of the fermented fish, then add a proportion of the first press to get a certain flavor. This process dilutes the fish sauce each time it’s done, but it doesn’t end there. Some manufacturers go as far as adding sugar, and other additives such as MSG, flavor, and color. These types are personally considered low-quality fish sauces.
Fish sauce may be healthy or not depending on the quality you chose or bought as the quality also decides how much protein and sodium they have. If you measure per serving, most store-bought mid-quality brands may have one or two grams of protein, low-quality may have less than one gram, and high-quality virgin brands may have up to four grams per serving.
Also, fish sauce has high amounts of fats and carbohydrates but smaller amounts of Magnesium, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B12.
Fish sauces are not necessarily unhealthy for you because they are just a smaller part of your meal even when they are used as a dipping sauce.
However, excessive use may contribute to issues of high blood pressure as it may contain high amounts of sodium. So unless you have seafood allergies and are dealing with high blood pressure and the like, you can enjoy fish sauce without having to worry.
Is fish sauce good for diabetics?
Fish sauce is a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb condiment added to meals, mostly for its savory benefits, high in sodium, and some brands may contain small amounts of sugar. Regardless, fish sauces boast a low GI of 0% as they don’t contain carbohydrates that can cause an increase in blood sugar, so fish sauces are good for diabetics, but there’s just one problem, SODIUM!!!
Diabetics are advised to eat fish, as long as they’re not fried, the sodium in fish sauce is our main concern because diabetics are also advised to go on a low-sodium diet, and fish sauces can be anything but low in sodium. Fish sauce has the highest sodium content among other Asian sauces with 96% of your daily salt intake, and this makes it a big deal for diabetics who want to add some great flavor to their meals and still get that traditional umami flavor.
If you can relate to that, then here are some ways you can enjoy Asian Fish sauce as a diabetic;
Choose a good fish sauce
This is the first and most important aspect if you’re considering adding fish sauce to your culinary arsenal. choosing a good fish sauce makes all the difference in your health and pot. Choose fish sauces that have at most 4 ingredients (Water, fish, salt, and sugar), clear and brown, and avoid the ones with so many additives and ingredients you don’t even understand.
Other considerations when choosing your fish sauce include the price and the protein content. Do not be tempted to go for the cheap options, as they can mean low quality, except you’re buying from your sister on the farm, and also watch out for the ones with high protein content (indicated with degree N) like Red Boat (40°N). Remember, the more the protein, the better for you!
Keep the salts away
When making any food with fish sauces as the main ingredient, try as much as possible to avoid any other form of salt. Keep the salty spices to the barest minimum or take them out entirely, because fish sauce will give you all the salt you need and even more. you can opt for limes, ginger, or chili to spice up your dish instead.
Use small amounts of fish sauce1
1/2 tablespoon of your beloved fish sauce might be all you need to make all the difference in your stews or soup. This is rather beneficial when trying to reduce the sodium content in your meal. Therefore, learn to use only a small amount in your dish, and avoid added sodium even so.
Opt for other low-sodium sauces
They might not taste the same, but they will keep your sodium levels in check. some of the sauces that are lower in sodium per serving when compared to fish sauce(1390mg) include but are not limited to; Barbecue sauce (127mg), Oyster sauce (492mg), peanut sauce(33mg), sweet and sour sauce(47mg), salsa (96mg).
Summing Up
Along with listening to your doctor’s recommendation, keep this in mind while buying and using fish sauces, and you’ll be surprised at how you can also enjoy flavorful and spectacular meals without raising spikes in your blood sugar.
