Teriyaki sauce is a rich, hearty Asian sauce that is filled with savory umami flavors. The main component in this sauce is soy sauce, but it is sweetened with sugar and the flavor is given additional complexity with seasonings and spices. If you’ve ever been to an Asian restaurant, you’ve likely seen teriyaki chicken, beef, shrimp, salmon, tofu, and even vegetables on the menu. This flavor is loved my many, but how does it stack up in a gluten-free diet?
No, Teriyaki sauce is not gluten free. This is because the main ingredient in teriyaki sauce is soy sauce, which is traditionally made from wheat. The best gluten free and healthier alternatives include Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki Sauce, Kevin’s General Tso’s Sauce, Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce, and Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette and Marinade.
In this article we will dive deeper into what teriyaki is, how the nutritional information of different brands stacks up, and the best gluten-free alternative for a healthier option. Let’s get started!
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What is Teriyaki?
Teriyaki traditionally is a cooking technique popular in Japanese cuisine. This cooking technique involves broiling or grilling foods with a glaze made of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
This is most often used with fish in Japan (such as yellowtail, marlin, salmon, and tuna), but this technique has become popular in the west with chicken, beef, and other white and red meats.
Over time, this word has almost become synonymous in Western cultures with Teriyaki sauce, which is generally made from a combination of soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar or pineapple juice, garlic, and spices.
Teriyaki gained popularity in America first in Seattle in the 1990s and quickly spread across the entire country. Now, teriyaki dishes are available in almost every city and town across America, often at multiple locations.
Is Teriyaki Sauce Healthy?
Teriyaki sauce is high in carbohydrates, sugar, and salt per serving. In fact, almost all of the calories in teriyaki sauce come from carbohydrates (usually around 75%). While is it not necessarily unhealthy in small amounts, it should not be considered a health food.
The good news is, teriyaki sauce is lower in calories than many other sauce options such as barbecue sauce or sweet and sour sauce, and it is a good source of iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
We recommend that you consume teriyaki sauce in moderation and be sure to choose healthier brand options when possible. Try not to go much above the recommended serving size as a complement to meals high in vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Teriyaki Sauce Nutrition Information
While the nutritional information of different brands will be slightly different, they generally follow pretty similar patterns. Teriyaki sauce will generally cost you about 20 to 25 calories per tablespoon, 2-4 grams of sugar, and 15-30% of your recommended daily sodium intake.
Soy sauce is notoriously high in sodium, which is what drives the sodium content of this product up. However, the mixture with other ingredients keeps the percentage lower than pure soy sauce.
Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce is one of the most popular teriyaki sauces and is used either as a marinade or by directly adding it to food products. It has no high-fructose corn syrup or MSGs added, but it does contain both wheat and soy.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 20
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 4 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Sodium: 620 mg (27% DV)
Ingredients:
- Soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt)
- Wine (contains Sulphur dioxide)
- Sugar
- Water
- Spirit vinegar
- Salt
- Spice extracts
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
PF Chang’s Teriyaki Sauce
PF Chang’s is another popular brand of teriyaki sauce and is slightly sweeter than other brands, thanks to the addition of pineapple juice. It also contains around half the amount of sodium as similar products.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 25
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 5 grams (2% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 4 grams
- Protein: 1 gram (4% DV)
- Sodium: 350 mg (15% DV)
Ingredients:
- Soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt, ethyl alcohol)
- Water
- Brown sugar
- Pineapple juice concentrate
- Sugar
- Modified corn starch
- White wine
- Sake wine (wine, salt)
- Less Than 2% Of: ginger puree, garlic, distilled vinegar, ginger, canola oil, chili paste (red chili peppers, distilled vinegar, salt), natural flavor, salt
Market Pantry Teriyaki Sauce
Similar to Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce, Market Pantry Teriyaki Sauce is advertised to be great for marinades and as a sauce for Asian-style foods. It is slightly less sweet than the PF Chang’s option and will provide close to 1/3 of your daily sodium intake per 1 tablespoon.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 15
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 3 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Sodium: 620 mg (27% DV)
Ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- High fructose corn syrup
- Rice wine
- Distilled vinegar
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sugar
- Succinic acid
- Xanthan gum
- Natural flavors
Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce Alternatives
Those with celiac disease or gluten allergies should rest assured there are plenty of delicious, gluten-free teriyaki alternatives. In fact, many of these options are healthier than the traditional teriyaki brands.
Primal Kitchen No-Soy Teriyaki Sauce
Primal Kitchen No-Soy Teriyaki Sauce markets itself as a sweet and sour sauce perfect for stir-fries, wings, marinades, and added as a sauce for traditional dishes. It contains no soy, gluten, grains, or canola oil and is made from organic ingredients.
You’ll notice that these ingredients are much purer than the traditional teriyaki sauce brands and is flavored by whole foods such as organic dates. It is paleo, keto, and Whole30 approved, so most people are able to consume this sauce.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 15
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 3 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 220 mg (10% DV)
Ingredients:
- Water
- Organic coconut aminos (organic coconut syrup, himalayan salt)
- Organic balsamic vinegar
- Organic dates
- Organic orange juice concentrate
- Sea salt
- Organic tapioca starch
- Organic ginger
- Organic garlic
- Organic tamarind
- Organic sesame seeds
- Organic distilled vinegar
- Organic sesame oil
- Organic yeast extract
Kevin’s General Tso’s Sauce & Marinade
For a slightly different (but still delicious!) Asian flavor profile, try General Tso’s Sauce and Marinade. This sauce is made from coconut aminos, garlic, and ginger and is paleo, keto, and gluten-free certified. It is also non-GMO and mild in spice level.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 15
- Fat: 0.5 gram (1% DV)
- Carbs: 2 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 95 mg (4% DV)
Ingredients:
- Water
- Coconut aminos (coconut nectar, water, sea salt)
- Sesame oil
- Coconut sugar
- Orange juice concentrate
- Tapioca starch
- Vinegar
- Ginger
- Lemongrass puree (lemongrass, water)
- Yeast extract
- Dehydrated roasted garlic
- Sea salt
- Dehydrated onion
- Spices
- Sesame seeds
- Citric acid
- Dehydrated orange peel
- Xanthan gum
- Monkfruit extract
Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce
For those that don’t know, coconut aminos are a popular alternative to soy sauce. This is why it is often one of the main ingredients for gluten-free teriyaki sauces. However, Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce goes one step further and uses coconut tree sap and then brings savory flavors into the sauce with organic spices.
Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce has a low-glycemic index, which means it is safe for diabetics and will not cause large spikes in your blood sugar. It is also gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, vegan, and certified kosher.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 30
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 7 grams (2% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 280 mg (12% DV)
Ingredients:
- Organic Coconut Tree Sap
- Sea Salt, Organic Ginger
- Organic Onion
- Organic Garlic
- Organic Cayenne Pepper
Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette & Marinade
Slightly different than teriyaki sauce but with a similar Asian flavor profile is Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette & Marinade. This sauce is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, keto-certified, and made with no soy or canola oil.
This vinaigrette is marketed as being sweet and spicy with tangy ginger.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 10 gram (13% DV)
- Carbs: 1 grams (0% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 95 mg (4% DV)
Ingredients:
- Water
- Avocado oil
- Organic sesame oil
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Organic distilled vinegar
- Organic coconut aminos (organic coconut sap, sea salt)
- Organic honey
- Organic ginger
- Organic sesame seeds
- Sea salt
- Organic guar gum
- Organic coriander
- Organic garlic
- Organic black pepper
Related Questions
Is teriyaki sauce vegan?
Teriyaki sauce is sometimes vegan, depending on the brand. However, animal products or by-products are often used in the sauce as sweeteners (such as honey). It is important to check the label to be sure.
What is the difference between soy sauce and teriyaki sauce?
Soy sauce is a salty, thin-consistency sauce that is often used in Asian cooking. Soy sauce is the primary ingredient in teriyaki sauce, but teriyaki sauce is thicker and sweeter with additional ingredients to balance the flavor from the salty soy sauce.
Is teriyaki sauce Japanese or American?
Teriyaki sauce originates from Japanese cuisine and cooking, but it is popular in America and other Western cultures.