There are also low sodium soy sauces available. I use soy sauce alot, because we eat a fair amount of rice. Tamari soy sauce is less salty and better tasting than your typical Kikkoman soy sauce.
I should clarify. Tamari is a type of soy sauce rather than a brand of soy sauce. I think Kikkoman makes a Tamari soy sauce as well as other types.
Here some info on Tamari sauce from elsewhere on the internet:
"Tamari is one of Japan's oldest culinary secrets. Its roots go back to the original soy sauce, conceived in China and brought to Japan along with Buddhism in the 7th century A.D. It has been known since ancient times that cooked soybeans, exposed to certain microbiological cultures and aged in salt, will produce a tasty, dark red paste. The Japanese call the fermented paste "miso". Tamari, meaning "that which accumulates" was the name given to the protein-rich liquid that accumulates during the miso ripening process. It has become a highly prized seasoning.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the manufacturing of soy sauce developed from a household art to a commercial industry. In order to increase production, the thick fermented paste (miso) was replaced by a thinner fermented mash (moromi) that had a much higher ratio of brine to solids than miso. The solids content was later revised to half soybean, half wheat rather than all soybean resulting in the current day soy sauce or shoyu.
Tamari is a premium soy sauce which goes back to the original formula using primarily soybeans. The result is a smoother, richer, more complex sauce which is perfect as a flavor enhancer, marinade, stir-fry sauce or table condiment.
There are three main categories of soy sauce available in the United States:
Tamari - Naturally brewed, made with more soybeans than ordinary soy sauce
Shoyu - Naturally brewed, made from half soybean and half wheat
Non-brewed - Made from hydrolyzed vegetable protein
When judging soy sauce, the characteristics you look for are aroma, appearance and most importantly taste.
Tamari - Tamari has a soft and rich aroma, very smooth flavor and a well balanced taste.
Shoyu - Although modern brewed soy sauce has a balanced taste, it is sharper than Tamari due to the difference in raw materials and a stronger alcoholic fermentation.
Non-brewed - Non-brewed with its strong, unbalanced taste and salty aftertaste is completely unlike Tamari and modern brewed soy sauce.
There are distinct benefits of a Tamari soy sauce as opposed to a regular Shoyu or non-fermented soy sauce.
Tamari retains its full flavor after cooking or in microwave foods. An ordinary soy sauce, because it is brewed with half wheat, contains more aromatic flavor notes in the form of alcohols and esters that flash off under high temperatures.
Tamari has 37% more protein than ordinary Shoyu soy sauce. The complex combination of protein and amino acids give Tamari unique flavor enhancing abilities. Tamari can be used instead of salt in prepared food without compromising taste, reducing sodium levels up to 35%.
Tamari has a noticeably smoother, less bitter taste than soy sauce brewed with half wheat, making it more versatile. Add Tamari to sauces, gravies and casseroles as well as stir-fry dishes. Also a great marinade."
