Everland Organic Sweet and Sour Sauce

I absolutely adore sweet and sour sauce. For my money it’s one of the most delicious and versatile sauces any cook can employ. When made properly, its depth of flavour can enliven everything from chicken, meatballs and tofu, to spring rolls and brown rice. Though I enjoy whipping up a batch of the stuff myself, I find I do not always have the time, inclination or the right ingredients at hand, to do so. I can honestly say though, up till now,  I’ve never been tempted by the convenience of the store-bought varieties —as a nutritionist, I’ve found the ingredients they invariably contain—refined sugars , modified” corn starch (a GMO), white-distilled-vinegar, sodium benzoate and sulphur dioxide—rather “off-putting” and not exactly health-enhancing.

But, last week I discovered Everland’s Organic Sweet and Sour Sauce amongst the healthy bounty proffered at Lifestyle Markets. A quick perusal of its virtuous ingredient list (filtered water, organic sugar cane juice, organic rice vinegar, organic tomato paste, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic onion, organic ginger and the plant based thickener xanthan gum) convinced me to give it a try. I am so glad I made the purchase. The well-balanced sauce was sweet, sour AND somewhat savoury, thanks to the healthy addition of ginger. I am not overstating when I report that the blend’s deep complex flavour managed to turn something as bland as tofu into something sublime. If pressed to find fault with this sauce, I’d say its consistency may be a little “runny” for some tastes, but perhaps that’s because it’s not chock-full of starchy genetically modified thickeners! I personally found the consistency just right. It worked well straight out of the bottle as a dipping sauce and when simmered with the tofu, thickened up quite nicely.

Of course, being a nutritionist, I have to point out the health benefits of this sweet and sour brew, in addition to its great taste. The organic tomato paste it boasts happens to be the richest food source of lycopene—an antioxidant that has been extensively studied and hailed for its cancer fighting properties. Compelling evidence suggests lycopene offers protection against prostrate, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, mouth, colon and throat cancer. The delicious blend’s rice vinegar is also a cancer foe; a recent Japanese study revealed it has the ability to inhibit the growth of liver cancer! It also lowers blood glucose and insulin levels, making it a valuable adjunct in the treatment of diabetes. Oh and that lovely, piquant ginger I spoke of? Its main ingredient gingerol has been shown to offer protection against colorectal and ovarian cancer. It has also garnered attention for its anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, the American Arthritis Foundation endorses it as an effective remedy for pain!

Ok, it’s evident—this sauce impressed me on many levels and I loved it! But really, what is not to love? It offers convenience, versatility, great taste and some concrete health benefits, all for $4.99 per 355 ml bottle. Why not try it yourself? Your palate and your body will thank you.

Rating—3.8 stars