Chinese brown sauce is a thick and savory gravy, made primarily with a meat stock or bouillon, soy sauce, oyster sauce and other seasonings. Thickened with corn starch, the sauce is commonly served on meat and vegetable dishes. Not usually counted as a significant source of nutrition, Chinese brown sauce contains only a few calories and only minor amounts of important vitamins and minerals. The sauce can also contain high quantities of dietary sodium.
Components
The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists a total of 58 g in a 1/4-cup serving of Chinese brown sauce. Within that amount, just over 5 g consist of carbohydrates, proteins make up only 0.4 g and fats compose 0.1 g per serving. Most of the serving consists of water at about 50 g. The remainder is made of minor amounts of dietary fiber and other nutrients.
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Calories
The USDA also confirms that a 1/4-cup measure of Chinese brown sauce contains around 25 total calories, or just over 1 percent of calories recommended for the typical adult each day, factored on a 2000 calorie per day diet. Carbohydrates contain about 22 calories. Fats make up only 2 calories, with proteins following closely at just 1 calorie in the serving.
Nutrients
A 1/4 cup serving of brown sauce provides only trace amounts of vitamins. These include vitamins B6, B12, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Very low amounts of dietary vitamins, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, potassium and zinc, are found within the sauce.
Health Concerns
Information from the Mayo Clinic identifies that certain illnesses, including congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney failure, can worsen from high blood pressure caused by increased sodium in the diet. According to the Department of Agriculture, a 1/4-cup serving of Chinese brown sauce can deliver up to 380 mg or nearly over 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of the mineral.