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  6. Oyster sauce vs. Hoisin sauce

Hoisin sauce vs. Oyster sauce — What's The Difference?

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on July 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Oyster sauce
vs
Hoisin sauce

Summary

Hoisin sauce is richer in calories, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and folate. Hoisin sauce is lower in sodium than oyster sauce.

In comparison, oyster sauce contains more selenium and B12. Besides, oyster sauce is lower in carbs, including net carbs.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Nutrition
      1. Calories
        1. Carbs
          1. Fats
            1. Protein
              1. Minerals
                1. Sodium 
              2. Vitamins
              3. Health Impact
                1. References
                   

                  Introduction

                  In this article, we will compare two types of sauces that are frequently used in Chinese cuisine: hoisin sauce and oyster sauce. 
                  Hoisin sauce is a dark sauce with a savory-sweet flavor. The basic ingredients are soybeans, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and chili. Hoisin sauce is frequently used with roasted Pekin duck.

                  In comparison, oyster sauce is derived from oysters and infused with soy sauce, sugar, and salt. It is similarly dark and brown but has a different flavor profile, blending umami, savory, and slightly sweet flavor. 

                  Oyster sauce is used as a marination sauce and in stir-fries and dish flavoring. Oyster sauce is also frequently used in other Southeast Asian gastronomy. 

                  Oyster sauce is not a vegan sauce. However, hoisin sauce is supposed to be vegan. 

                  Nevertheless, more often, producers add animal-based products to them. It is essential to read the label.   

                  Nutrition

                  In this section, we will compare 100g of each sauce. 

                  Macronutrient Comparison

                  Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                  11% 80% 7%
                  Protein: 1.35 g
                  Fats: 0.25 g
                  Carbs: 10.92 g
                  Water: 80 g
                  Other: 7.48 g
                  3% 3% 44% 44% 5%
                  Protein: 3.31 g
                  Fats: 3.39 g
                  Carbs: 44.08 g
                  Water: 44.23 g
                  Other: 4.99 g
                  Contains more WaterWater +80.9%
                  Contains more OtherOther +49.9%
                  Contains more ProteinProtein +145.2%
                  Contains more FatsFats +1256%
                  Contains more CarbsCarbs +303.7%

                  Calories

                  One of the significant differences between these two sauces is their calories. Hoisin sauce has 220 calories, and oyster sauce has 51 calories.

                  There are about 4.3 times more calories in hoisin sauce. 

                  Carbs

                  Hoisin sauce contains 4.3 times more carbs than oyster sauce. Hoisin contains 44g of carbs. In comparison, the oyster sauce contains 11g. 

                  Fats

                  Their total fat content is low, and that of oysters is negligible. However, hoisin sauce contains higher amounts of fats, but this amount doesn't have much significance. 

                  Protein

                  They don't have significant amounts of protein, but hoisin sauce is slightly richer in protein. 

                  Below are the macronutrient distributions of each sauce. 

                  Minerals

                  Hoisin sauce is richer in magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. The amount of potassium in hoisin sauce is two times higher than in oyster sauce. Hoisin sauce is also lower in sodium.

                  On the other hand, oyster sauce is richer in selenium.

                  Sodium 

                  Sodium needs a special section in this comparison because they are both very high in sodium. The health section will focus on why high amounts of sodium are dangerous. 

                  Oyster sauce is much higher in sodium compared to hoisin sauce. 

                  Mineral Comparison

                  Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 2.9% 9.6% 4.8% 6.8% 49% 2.5% 9.4% 356% 6.9% 24%
                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 17% 9.6% 11% 38% 43% 8.7% 16% 211% 33% 9.8%
                  Contains more CopperCopper +14.8%
                  Contains more SeleniumSelenium +144.4%
                  Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +500%
                  Contains more PotassiumPotassium +120.4%
                  Contains more IronIron +461.1%
                  Contains more ZincZinc +255.6%
                  Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +72.7%
                  Contains less SodiumSodium -40.9%
                  Contains more ManganeseManganese +379.2%
                  ~equal in Calcium ~32mg

                  Vitamins

                  Hoisin sauce is richer in vitamins B2, and oyster sauce is richer in vitamins B3 and B12.

                  Vitamin Comparison

                  Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0.33% 0% 0% 0% 2.5% 29% 28% 0.96% 3.7% 51% 0% 11% 1.9%
                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 1.3% 0.36% 5.6% 0% 1% 50% 22% 4.1% 14% 0% 1.3% 17% 4.4%
                  Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +150%
                  Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +26%
                  Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +∞%
                  Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +300%
                  Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
                  Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +∞%
                  Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +75%
                  Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +325%
                  Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +287.5%
                  Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +∞%
                  Contains more FolateFolate +53.3%
                  Contains more CholineCholine +128.6%
                  ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

                  Health Impact

                  One of the essential health impacts that both these sauces can have is on the cardiovascular system. 
                  They contain very high amounts of sodium, and more often, the salty flavor is obscured by other flavors. Often we overuse them, and without realizing it, we increase our sodium salt consumption. 
                  High sodium consumption is linked with increased risks of hypertension, and in addition, hypertension increases risks of overall cardiovascular mortality rates. In this comparison, the oyster sauce contains much higher amounts of sodium than hoisin and poses a higher risk. (1)(2)

                  References

                  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34579105/
                  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22157565/ 
                  Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                  Education: Haigazian Medical University
                  Last updated: July 28, 2023
                  Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                  Infographic

                  Oyster sauce vs Hoisin sauce infographic
                  Infographic link

                  Fat Type Comparison

                  Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                  24% 40% 36%
                  Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.043 g
                  Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.073 g
                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.066 g
                  18% 30% 53%
                  Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.568 g
                  Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.963 g
                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.698 g
                  Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -92.4%
                  Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +1219.2%
                  Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +2472.7%

                  Comparison summary table

                  Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                  Oyster sauce Hoisin sauce
                  Lower in Cholesterol ok
                  Lower in Sugar ok
                  Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                  Lower in Sodium ok
                  Rich in minerals ok
                  Rich in vitamins ok
                  Lower in Glycemic Index Equal
                  Lower in price Equal

                  All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                  Nutrient Oyster sauce Hoisin sauce Opinion
                  Calories 51kcal 220kcal Hoisin sauce
                  Protein 1.35g 3.31g Hoisin sauce
                  Fats 0.25g 3.39g Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin C 0.1mg 0.4mg Hoisin sauce
                  Net carbs 10.62g 41.28g Hoisin sauce
                  Carbs 10.92g 44.08g Hoisin sauce
                  Cholesterol 0mg 3mg Oyster sauce
                  Magnesium 4mg 24mg Hoisin sauce
                  Calcium 32mg 32mg
                  Potassium 54mg 119mg Hoisin sauce
                  Iron 0.18mg 1.01mg Hoisin sauce
                  Sugar 0g 27.26g Oyster sauce
                  Fiber 0.3g 2.8g Hoisin sauce
                  Copper 0.147mg 0.128mg Oyster sauce
                  Zinc 0.09mg 0.32mg Hoisin sauce
                  Phosphorus 22mg 38mg Hoisin sauce
                  Sodium 2733mg 1615mg Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin A 0IU 6IU Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin E 0mg 0.28mg Hoisin sauce
                  Manganese 0.053mg 0.254mg Hoisin sauce
                  Selenium 4.4µg 1.8µg Oyster sauce
                  Vitamin B1 0.01mg 0.004mg Oyster sauce
                  Vitamin B2 0.124mg 0.217mg Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin B3 1.474mg 1.17mg Oyster sauce
                  Vitamin B5 0.016mg 0.068mg Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin B6 0.016mg 0.062mg Hoisin sauce
                  Vitamin B12 0.41µg 0µg Oyster sauce
                  Vitamin K 0µg 0.5µg Hoisin sauce
                  Folate 15µg 23µg Hoisin sauce
                  Choline 3.5mg 8mg Hoisin sauce
                  Saturated Fat 0.043g 0.568g Oyster sauce
                  Monounsaturated Fat 0.073g 0.963g Hoisin sauce
                  Polyunsaturated fat 0.066g 1.698g Hoisin sauce
                  Omega-3 - EPA 0.001g 0g Oyster sauce
                  Omega-3 - DHA 0.001g 0g Oyster sauce

                  Which food is preferable for your diet?

                  ok
                  ok
                  is better in case of low diet
                  Oyster sauce Hoisin sauce
                  Low Calories diet ok
                  Low Fats diet ok
                  Low Carbs diet ok
                  Low Glycemic Index diet Equal

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                  Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                  The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                  Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                  10%
                  Oyster sauce
                  9%
                  Hoisin sauce
                  Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                  47%
                  Oyster sauce
                  40%
                  Hoisin sauce

                  Comparison summary

                  Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
                  Oyster sauce
                  Oyster sauce is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 3mg)
                  Which food is lower in Sugar?
                  Oyster sauce
                  Oyster sauce is lower in Sugar (difference - 27.26g)
                  Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                  Oyster sauce
                  Oyster sauce is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.525g)
                  Which food contains less Sodium?
                  Hoisin sauce
                  Hoisin sauce contains less Sodium (difference - 1118mg)
                  Which food is richer in minerals?
                  Hoisin sauce
                  Hoisin sauce is relatively richer in minerals
                  Which food is richer in vitamins?
                  Hoisin sauce
                  Hoisin sauce is relatively richer in vitamins
                  Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                  ?
                  The foods have equal glycemic indexes ()
                  Which food is cheaper?
                  ?
                  The foods are relatively equal in price ($)

                  References

                  All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                  1. Oyster sauce - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174529/nutrients
                  2. Hoisin sauce - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172886/nutrients

                  All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                  Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.