Ching's SecretSauces & Ketchup#19 of 23 in categoryRating 2/5

Ching's Secret Dark Soy Sauce

Red flags

  • Red flag: High added sugar (18.6g per 100g)
  • Red flag: High sodium (6693mg per 100g)
  • Red flag: Contains Potassium Sorbate

Green flags

Nothing stands out in its favour.

Ingredients, decoded

8 listed
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Iodised Salt
  • Natural Colour (INS 150c)
  • Soybeans (10%)
  • Wheat
  • Acidity Regulator (INS 260)
  • Preservative (INS 202)
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

EB5

Nutrition per 100 g
ENutritionBIngredients5Risk
VerdictPOOR
Energy115 kcal
Protein0.7 g
Carbohydrates28.1 g
Total sugars20.9 g
Added sugars18.6 g
Total fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium6693 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Soy sauce with a big pinch of salt and sugar

Ching's Secret Dark Soy Sauce is water, sugar, iodised salt, caramel colour (INS 150c), soybeans (10%), wheat, an acidity regulator and potassium sorbate. The label serve is 7 g.

CleanPlate scores it EB5. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g. The B for ingredients reflects a mix of whole and refined ingredients (led by sugar, soybeans and wheat), with additives that cost points: caramel colour. The 5 for risk comes mainly from sodium (6693 mg per 100 g) and free sugar (18.6 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • Product name

    “Dark Soy Sauce”

    Partly true

    Soybeans (10%) and wheat are on the list, but water, sugar and salt come first and caramel colour (INS 150c) is added for the dark colour.

  • Retail listing

    “Crafted from high-quality soybeans, fermented”

    Partly true

    Soybeans are 10% of the sauce, behind water, sugar and salt in the list.

How EB5 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
E

Very low nutrient density

Protein
0.7 g
Fibre
Not declared
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
115 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
B

Good, few concerning additives

Base
Water
Sweeteners
Sugar
Additives
2
Flagged
Potassium Sorbate

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
5

Very high risk

Added sugar
18.6 g
Sodium
6693 mg
Saturated fat
0 g
Trans fat
0 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Water, sugar, iodised salt, natural colour (INS 150c), soybeans 10%, wheat, acidity regulator (INS 260) and preservative (INS 202).

Per 100 g: 115 kcal, 0 g fat of which 0 g saturated, 20.9 g sugar of which 18.6 g added, 0.7 g protein, 6693 mg sodium. No fibre line. Total sugar is 20.9 g with 18.6 g added. The unit is 750 g and the net weight field 805 g (750 g used).

Ingredients to watch

  • SodiumConcern

    6693 mg per 100 g, more than three times the 2000 mg daily limit in 100 g; about 470 mg in a 7 g serve.

  • Added sugarWorth watching

    18.6 g per 100 g, the second ingredient.

  • Caramel colourWorth watching

    INS 150c (ammonia caramel) costs 4 points.

  • Soy and wheatFine

    Soybeans and wheat are real ingredients, and fat is zero.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Soy sauce is just fermented soy"

The list shows water, sugar and salt ahead of the soybeans.

Myth: "Low-fat sauces carry little risk"

Fat is 0 g, but sodium at 6693 mg per 100 g sits at the top of the risk scale.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsOccasionally
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Measure by the teaspoon

A teaspoon (about 5 g) gives about 335 mg of sodium; add it at the end of cooking and skip extra salt.

Stretch with lemon

Mix a few drops with lemon juice and sesame oil in a dressing instead of pouring.

Common questions

Is Ching's Secret Dark Soy Sauce healthy?

Ching's Secret Dark Soy Sauce scores EB5 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High added sugar (18.6g per 100g); High sodium (6693mg per 100g); Contains Potassium Sorbate.

What does the EB5 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (5) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): very high risk.

Which ingredients in Ching's Secret Dark Soy Sauce should I watch?

Preservative (INS 202) (Potassium Sorbate).

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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