Nutrition Claims

• No added sugar
• Vegan Friendly
• Gluten Free
• All natural (this does not necessarily mean healthy)

Nutrition Panel

Energy: at56kJ per serve this is quite low, as to be expected for a stir-fry sauce.

Protein: 0.3g per serve, again we are not expecting the sauce to be a good source of protein.

Sugar (Target <10g/100g): 0.1g/100g, under the target, which is as advertised, with a sweetener used in its place.

Saturated Fat (Target <2g/100g):0.0g/100g, this product is extremely low in saturated fat

Fibre (Target >7g/100g): 0.3g per serve, to be expected.

Sodium (Target <400mg/100g): 1330mg/100g. This is WAY over target due to the soy sauce powder and added salt. This is common in products which state they are all natural, as salt is natural however not healthy in larger amounts.

Ingredients List

The first 4 ingredients are water, corn starch, soy sauce powder and salt, leading to this product’s high sodium content. The remaining ingredients are comprised of natural flavours and vegetables powders and gums with stevia glycosides (a stevia extract) used as the sweetener and listed as the last ingredient.

Stevia/ Stevia Glycosides

Whilst limited, the systematic reviews of the evidence have shown no effects of Stevia affecting satiety and energy intake to a significant extent. This means it is unlikely to leave you feeling overly hungry or unsatisfied as sometimes thought. There is also a demonstrated lowering of systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients consuming a controlled amount of Stevia for 1–2 years. Stevia is promoted as the natural sugar alternative.  While the stevia comes from a plant, it is extracted and filtered into a powdered form, meaning it does undergo some processing. Experts agree that more studies are needed on stevia’s long-term safety and potential health benefits, particularly when it comes to weight gain and diabetes. Available data on stevia for reducing energy intake and benefiting weight management, and its effect on the gut microbiome, are limited. Overall, commercial stevia sweeteners sold in Australia appear to be a safe and accepted sugar substitute for use in baking and in a wide range of foods and beverages, but the health benefits are still being investigated.

Taste Factor

I used the sauce in a chicken stir-fry and enjoyed the taste and did not notice the sweetener taste. I had tried this product a few years ago and noticed a definite sweetener taste, so the recipe has evidently been improved.

Price Point

At $3.50 per pack this is on par with other pre-made stir-fry sauces and reasonable at $0.87 per serve.

Overall, I have given this product a 4/5 green apple rating, with a point deducted for the high sodium content. I would likely use this product again on occasion for convenience but am conscious of the high salt content so would not make it a regular occurrence.

Reviewed and tasted by Caitlin Mannion, Dietitian