Soy sauce originated over 2,000 years ago in China, making it one of the oldest and most reliable condiments out there. You may have also seen bottles of a soy sauce-like condiment labeled "tamari" and wondered how it differs from regular old soy sauce, so here’s the real differences between the two.

Tamari is actually a type of soy sauce that is mainly produced in Japan. The biggest difference between tamari and other soy is that most soy sauces are brewed with wheat or other grains, which adds some gluten content to the final product, but tamari is either entirely gluten-free or contains trace amounts under 10%.

Both tamari and standard soy sauce are made from soybeans, but tamari is actually a byproduct of miso paste, and is mostly derived just from the beans. The higher concentration of soybeans in tamari gives it a slightly smoother taste and darker color, and it's more salty, since it's missing the subtle sweetness offered by wheat.