Worcestershire sauce presents a unique savory flavor for many protein dishes, especially with red meat. However, it is difficult to find any worcestershire sauce option that isn’t high in sodium or gluten. The below recipe provides an option for worcestershire sauce that is allergy free, gluten free, and low sodium while still tasting amazing. Traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so if you have an allergy to fish, you want to avoid including the anchovy paste.  Likewise, some brands of Worcestershire sauce may contain gluten-containing ingredients, like malt vinegar or natural flavors, so adding the apple cider vinegar helps eliminate this concern. It is also easy to forget that Worcestershire sauce provides several essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, iron, zinc, copper, and potassium. I like this recipe below because it maintains the same nutritional value while mitigating the concerns around sodium. 

Sodium is not always a negative thing, it can be good for any athlete going into physical competition. Sodium is an electrolyte that helps the muscles hold on to water, but it is easy for anyone to digest too much. The bodily reaction to consuming too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, inflammation, unwanted weight gain, and poor sleep in the short term. The long term effects of high sodium are even more concerning, excess sodium intake over time increases the risk for enlarged heart muscle, headaches, heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney disease, kidney stones, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and even stroke. By putting together your own recipes, I have found great relief in being able to control the exact amount of salt that goes into each recipe.  

Resource: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-too-much-salt

Ingredients:

• 1 ½  tsp. Safflower, canola, or other oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup water
• 2 TBS. Fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS. Fresh grated horseradish
• 1 TBS. Anchovy paste (OPTIONAL)
• 1 tsp. Salt (or ½ tsp, depending on sodium intake needs)
• ¾ tsp. Black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. Ground cloves

Preparation:

• Use a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat
• Sauté onion & garlic in oil for about 3 minutes  
• Add remaining ingredients & bring to boil
• Then reduce heat to medium low, simmering until mixture is reduced to 3 cups
• Make sure to stir occasionally (mixture will darken as it simmers)  
• Strain into an air-tight glass container & store in the refrigerator 

GFCF, DF, EF, SF

Legend:

• GFCF – gluten free casein free
• SF – soy  free
• DF – dairy free
• EF – egg free