Coconut Aminos vs Liquid Aminos vs Tamari: What the Labels Say
Coconut aminos, liquid aminos and tamari share a shelf and a job: a dark, salty seasoning poured where a recipe calls for soy sauce. Their labels differ in three places that matter when you shop: what the ingredient line is made from, how much sodium the Nutrition Facts panel lists and for what serving size, and how each brand words soy and gluten. This guide reads those three points side by side for Coconut Secret Organic Coconut Aminos, Bragg Liquid Aminos and San-J Organic Tamari.
How we wrote this: Nutrition Facts and ingredient lines come from each brand’s product page, plus a retailer label listing for the coconut aminos panel. The serving size rule comes from FDA regulation 21 CFR 101.12, the gluten-free rule from 21 CFR 101.91, and the allergen list from the FDA food allergies page. Where we did math, we say so. We did not lab test or taste test anything, and labels change, so the bottle in your hand is the final word.
If you want the gluten-free rules for soy sauce in full, including the asterisk rule for wheat, our tamari vs soy sauce explainer covers them. This page stays on the three bottles.
Coconut aminos vs liquid aminos vs tamari: the short answer
Coconut aminos is made from coconut tree sap and salt. Liquid aminos and tamari are both made from soybeans. The panels also use different serving sizes: the coconut aminos and the tamari list 1 tablespoon, while Bragg’s panel lists 1 teaspoon. So the sodium numbers on the front of the panel are not directly comparable until you put them on the same spoon.
| Label point | Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos | Bragg Liquid Aminos | San-J Organic Tamari |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Organic coconut tree sap, sea salt | Soybeans, water | Water, organic soybeans, salt, organic alcohol |
| Serving size on panel | 1 tbsp | 1 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| Sodium per listed serving | 270 mg (12% DV) | 310 mg (13% DV) | 940 mg (39% DV) |
| Sodium per teaspoon (our arithmetic) | 90 mg | 310 mg | about 313 mg |
| Sodium per tablespoon (our arithmetic) | 270 mg | 930 mg | 940 mg |
| Soy and gluten wording | Brand says no soy or gluten; retailer label lists certified gluten free | Brand says gluten-free, made from soybeans | Brand lists certified gluten-free by GFCO; made from soybeans |
Our arithmetic uses 3 teaspoons to a tablespoon and divides or multiplies the panel figure. It is not a figure any of the brands print.
The ingredient line: coconut sap vs soybeans
Coconut Secret Organic Coconut Aminos lists two ingredients: organic coconut tree sap and sea salt (Nutiva). The brand now sells under the Nutiva name; its product page says “Coconut Secret is now Nutiva!” and describes the sauce as made from fermented coconut blossom sap. No soybeans and no wheat appear in the ingredient line.
Bragg Liquid Aminos is soy based. Bragg’s product page lists the ingredients as soybeans and water, and elsewhere on the same page describes them as vegetable protein from soybeans and water (Bragg). Bragg describes the soybeans as non-GMO verified.
San-J Organic Tamari is a brewed soy sauce. Its listed ingredients are water, organic soybeans, salt and organic alcohol, and San-J says it is made with whole soybeans and no wheat (San-J).
So the split is simple: one bottle has no soy in its ingredient line, and two are built on soybeans, one as a brewed sauce with alcohol added and one as a soybean protein liquid.
Sodium per serving, and why the spoon matters
Each panel lists sodium for its own serving size, and a quick glance can mislead. Here are the figures as printed:
- Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos: 1 tbsp serving, 15 calories, 270 mg sodium (12% DV), 4 g total carbohydrate, 3 g total sugars and 0 g added sugars, about 33 servings in the 16.9 oz bottle (Martin’s label listing).
- Bragg Liquid Aminos: 1 tsp serving, 310 mg sodium (13% DV), 0 g fat, 0 g carbohydrate and 1 g protein, 35 servings; Bragg marks this panel as the one for its 6 oz bottle (Bragg).
- San-J Organic Tamari: 1 tbsp serving, 10 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g protein and 940 mg sodium (39% DV) (San-J).
Read side by side, Bragg’s 310 mg looks close to the coconut aminos’ 270 mg. But Bragg’s figure is for a teaspoon and the other is for a tablespoon. On the same tablespoon, by our arithmetic, Bragg comes to 930 mg, next to San-J’s 940 mg, while the coconut aminos stays at 270 mg. That is a comparison of printed numbers, not a judgment on which bottle you should use; how much sodium fits your day is a question for your doctor.
Why do the serving sizes differ? Under 21 CFR 101.12, the reference amount for major condiments, a group that names soy sauce, is 1 tablespoon (15 mL), and labels base their serving size on that reference amount. A brand may still print a different household measure on its panel, as Bragg’s does. Our guide to reading a Nutrition Facts label explains how serving size and %DV work across the whole panel.
Coconut aminos also lists carbohydrate and sugars, which the two soy bottles do not: 4 g total carbohydrate and 3 g total sugars per tablespoon, with 0 g added sugars. The sugars come from the sap itself, since no sugar is listed as an ingredient.
Soy and gluten wording on each bottle
Soybeans are one of the nine major food allergens named by US law, which means a packaged food made with soy must name soy on its label (FDA). Wheat is also on that list. Here is how each brand words the two:
- Coconut Secret: Nutiva’s page says the sauce has “no soy, gluten, or added sugar” and tags it soy-free and gluten-free (Nutiva). The Martin’s label listing prints “Certified gluten free”, “USDA Organic” with QAI as the certifier, and “Soy-free” (Martin’s).
- Bragg: Bragg calls Liquid Aminos a gluten-free soy sauce alternative and lists it as vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified and kosher (Bragg). Because soybeans are its base, it is a soy food.
- San-J: San-J lists its tamari as certified gluten-free by GFCO and states it contains soy (San-J).
“Gluten-free” on any of these bottles is a regulated claim. Under 21 CFR 101.91, a food that makes it must meet the FDA definition, including any unavoidable gluten below 20 parts per million. Fermented foods such as soy sauce carry extra record-keeping rules, which our tamari vs soy sauce page walks through.
If you avoid soy, the ingredient line is the place to look: coconut aminos lists none, and the other two are made from it. If someone in your home has a food allergy or celiac disease, read the full label every time you buy and ask your doctor, allergist or pharmacist about anything you are unsure of.
Serving and storage notes from the brands
- Nutiva says to refrigerate coconut aminos after opening, and that unopened bottles can be kept at room temperature. It also says the sauce can replace soy sauce 1:1, and that you may want to adjust seasoning to taste (Nutiva).
- Bragg says to shake and refrigerate Liquid Aminos after opening (Bragg).
- America’s Test Kitchen describes coconut aminos as sweeter and less intense than soy sauce, and liquid aminos as salty with a bit of fermented flavor (America’s Test Kitchen).
How to choose between the three
- Start with the ingredient line. If soy is off the table, only the coconut aminos fits. If you want a soy flavor, liquid aminos and tamari both start from soybeans.
- Put sodium on one spoon. Check the serving size before you compare the sodium line, then convert if one panel uses a teaspoon.
- Check the gluten wording on the bottle you buy. All three brands use a gluten-free claim, but the wording and the certifier named differ.
- Expect a flavor difference. Coconut aminos lists sugars and is described as sweeter, so a recipe built on soy sauce may need tasting and adjusting.
FAQ
Are coconut aminos and liquid aminos the same thing?
No. Coconut aminos is made from coconut tree sap and salt. Bragg Liquid Aminos is made from soybeans and water. The shared word “aminos” does not mean a shared ingredient.
Is liquid aminos lower in sodium than tamari?
On the printed panels, Bragg lists 310 mg per teaspoon and San-J lists 940 mg per tablespoon. On the same tablespoon, by our arithmetic, Bragg comes to 930 mg, so the two land close together.
Does coconut aminos contain soy?
Its ingredient line lists organic coconut tree sap and sea salt only, and the brand describes it as soy-free. Check the bottle you buy, since labels can change.
Why does Bragg list a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon?
The FDA reference amount for soy sauce and other major condiments is 1 tablespoon, but a panel can print a different household measure. Bragg’s panel, marked for its 6 oz bottle, uses 1 teaspoon.
Is Coconut Secret still sold under that name?
The brand’s page says Coconut Secret is now Nutiva, so you may see either name on shelves while packaging changes over.