Tofu is a popular source of protein for vegans all around the world. It is mostly consumed in Asia, as it originated in China. You may be wondering, “Can you eat tofu on a plant based diet?” Yes, you definitely can, and here we will explore why. This is your guide to understanding and cooking tofu.
Tofu has recently become more popular in the West because of its versatility and protein, particularly around plant-based diet fans. Despite having many health benefits, tofu remains controversial. Some health experts praise tofu for its amino acids, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Some studies suggest that soy foods, amongst which is tofu, are linked to breast cancer.
What is Tofu Made Of?
Simply put, tofu is made out of soybean curds. Soy milk is extracted from soybeans and mixed with a coagulant to create curd. This curd is then pressed to create a white block-like substance that we now know as tofu. If this doesn’t seem very natural, you’re not alone.
Taste
Tofu has received a lot of criticism since it was popularized. Many people simply don’t like it because of the taste, as tofu is quite bland. However, this makes tofu one of the most versatile foods on the planet because it easily absorbs other flavors.
Texture
Tofu’s texture can also throw some people off. Depending on the amount of water and the way it’s cooked, it can feel creamy, spongy, or even squishy. You can’t be neutral about tofu – you either love it or hate it.
Types of Tofu
Though tofu may seem boring, it actually varies a lot. There are two main categories – silken and regular, each varying from soft to firm. As you can guess, these depend on the amounts of water and vary only in texture.
Silken tofu
Silken tofu is undrained and unpressed. It is often referred to as Japanese-style tofu.
Silken tofu has the largest amount of water, which makes it the softest type. It can be soft, firm, or extra firm, depending on the amount of soy protein. It’s very creamy and can almost feel like a pudding. Silken tofu doesn’t have pores, and cannot be easily substituted for regular tofu in a recipe.
However, it can be a good substitute for eggs in some meals, like quiches. To replace one egg, blend ¼ cup of silken tofu until creamy. Tofu doesn’t add puffiness as eggs do, so you should probably add ⅛ spoon of baking soda per “egg”. Baking can be plant-based as well.
Regular Tofu
Unlike silken tofu, regular tofu is pressed. This type is called Chinese-style tofu.
It can also be soft, firm, and extra firm, though it is not as smooth as the silken tofu. Tofu is absorbent and can be marinated. It is generally very similar to silken tofu in most of its properties. Since it is firmer, regular tofu is suitable for more dishes.
You can try adding tofu into a stir fry, salads, soups, and even deserts. Whatever type of tofu you choose, feel free to experiment. It can be your new nutritional blank canvas.
Tofu Nutrition facts
An international powerhouse, Tofu is a nutritional product, rich in protein and amino acids. Its biggest advantage is that it is low calorie, while still providing energy, vitamins, and minerals.
Most tofu brands use calcium sulfate as a coagulant, which gives you an additional boost of much-needed calcium.
Tofu also provides nine essential amino acids, which your body doesn’t generate on its own. Amino acids are the compounds of protein. Thus, as you can guess, they are involved in almost all chemical reactions in your body. Most importantly, they are a source of energy.
As you can see from the chart, tofu is also an excellent source of iron. Though it doesn’t contain as much iron as lentils or beans, it is still a good plant-based source.
How Many Calories are in Tofu?
Tofu has very little calories for the amount of protein it provides. 100 grams of tofu amounts to around 145 calories. Thus, it can be great for weight loss.
Is Tofu a Protein or a Carb?
Tofu is very high in protein and low in carbs. 100 grams of raw tofu has approximately 2 grams of carbohydrates. To put in perspective, carbs-rich quinoa has 39 grams of it. Thus, tofu can definitely be considered a protein.
Is Tofu Good For You?
There are a lot of health benefits tofu can provide. Let’s review a few of them:
Heart Disease
Soy, tofu’s only component, has been found to reduce levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL). This decreases your chances of cardiovascular disease, as your vessels are less likely to block. Lower LDL also reduces blood pressure.
Some studies indicated that consuming soy may help you lose weight, which also helps with heart disease prevention.
Type 2 Diabetes
One study compared amounts of protein in the urine of those who consumed soy and animal proteins. Those who suffer from type 2 diabetes often have kidney disease. This results in excessive amounts of protein to be excreted from the body.
The study found that type 2 diabetics who ate soy protein overall excreted less protein than other participants. The point is, soy protein may be beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes. However, these studies are limited.
Kidney Disease
One research found that soy protein may support renal function, which is a benefit for people struggling with kidney disease.
Menopause
There is evidence that soy is beneficial for women before or during menopause. When hormone levels adjust as a woman approaches menopause, she often experiences hot flashes – intense sweating at night.
Researchers noticed that women in the countries of Asia experienced less hot flashes. After realizing that Asian diets are richer in soy, some studies indicated a connection between soy protein and menopause.
Aging and Mental Disorders
Studies analyzing populations revealed a correlation between regions where soy foods are popular and brain damage in older ages. There has been debate around whether these findings are true, as later studies found no connection.
Nevertheless, some studies linked lecithin, a fat found in soy, to improvements in people with Alzheimer’s. Supposedly, this is because lecithin enhances the production of particular acids that support neuron functioning. Thus, lecithin is often used to treat memory disorders.
If you are still wondering whether you can eat tofu on a plant-based diet, the answer is definitely yes!
Tofu Health Risks (Debunked)
As with most other foods, tofu has some health risks associated with it. You should keep these in mind, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you should never touch tofu again. Relatively, tofu is one of the healthier foods you can find. Compared to animal-based foods, anyway.
Soy and Breast Cancer
You must have heard about this one before. The biggest risk associated with tofu, or soy, is its presumed connection to breast cancer. Soy is full of isoflavones, which are compounds similar to estrogen, a primary female sex hormone.
While isoflavones are not a type of estrogen, it has ‘estrogenic properties’. High levels of estrogen are linked to breast cancer, hence the skepticism against soy foods, especially tofu.
However, two studies published in 2016 and 2017 seem to prove the opposite.
The 2016 study analyzed the health of more than 73,000 women in China, where soy-foods are popular. The results showed that in all cases, high soy intake was associated with lower risks of breast cancer. The decrease in risk ranged from 22 to 54 percent, depending on the circumstance.
The 2017 study looked at 6,235 women diagnosed with breast cancer who lived in Canada and the US. Researchers analyzed soy intake in relation to deaths from breast cancer. Notably, women with the highest soy intake had a “21% lower risk of death”.
Clearly, you shouldn’t worry too much about soy and its isoflavones. You can surely eat tofu on a plant-based diet.
Is Tofu Bad For Men?
Because of the estrogenic properties of compounds found in soy, many men worry about consuming it. The truth is, men shouldn’t worry about eating soy foods because, in fact, it does not hinder testosterone production.
Recent research around soy doesn’t reveal any negative effects. An analysis of 15 studies that looked at men’s health of those who consumed a lot of soy showed no change in testosterone levels.
How To Cook Tofu
Tofu is an incredibly diverse product. Its texture variety and plain taste make it an easy ingredient to work and experiment with. Though there are many interesting ways to cook tofu, you can also eat it raw.
We are not providing actual recipes. Rather, we want to explain the different ways in which tofu can be cooked, as it’s so versatile. Feel free to experiment with different foods and recipes. Often, tofu is simply an addition to the dish, rather than the main component.
Baking Tofu
You can use firm or extra-firm tofu for this one. Many people press the tofu first, to get the extra water out. Others believe this step is unnecessary, as firm or super firm types have already been pressed in the process of manufacturing.
Basically, press tofu between two layers of baking sheets or paper towels, and put something heavy on top. Leave the tofu pressed for about half an hour. If you don’t have time, remember that this step is not necessary, and feel free to skip it.
Simply cut tofu into cubes, around 1-inch each. Preheat the oven for 425 F and bake the cubes until the edges are brown. It’s super simple, and you can add these to your favorite salads, any noodle dishes, tacos, or whatever it is that you love.
Scrambled
Scrambled tofu can be a game-changer if you are just trying to cut down eggs (as you should). Feel free to use soft or firm tofu for this. Just chop the tofu into small pieces and mash it up with a fork to create a scramble-like texture.
Fry it on a pan as you would with real eggs. Most recipes suggest using nutritional yeast or turmeric to get the yellow color and a nice, cheesy taste. Use your favorite spices to enhance the flavor.
Pan-Fried or Grilled
For both of these, make sure to use firm extra-firm tofu. As always, if you got time, press your tofu to get rid of the extra water.
If you are using a pan, fry the tofu as you’d fry anything else. If you grill it, you can marinate it, and put it into a freezer for a more dense texture. Throw it onto a grill with some veggies and enjoy.
Is Tofu Gluten-Free?
Yes! Even if your body doesn’t tolerate gluten, you can still eat tofu on a plant-based diet.
Many tofu brands have gluten-free options, as unflavoured, plain tofu doesn’t contain gluten. Some types of tofu may contain gluten if they were enhanced for a particular flavor. If you are gluten intolerant, it is worth checking labels beforehand.
Notably, even plain tofu can be cross-contaminated with gluten in the manufacturing process. Tofu can sometimes be made in the same facility as products that have wheat or rye. Thus, it is worth finding gluten-free certified brands if you have a gluten intolerance.
Is Tofu Keto-Friendly?
The truth is, it depends.
Are you following a keto diet in addition to being vegan or vegetarian? In that case, tofu might be a good source of protein for you. Since you do not consume meat, tofu is among the best options for you.
Tofu contains around 1.5 grams of carbs per serving, which makes it approachable for you if you are a keto person.
If you consume animal products (which probably means you got lost in the array of blogs), tofu might be unnecessary. You can get ‘better’ protein from meat, as well as minimize you intake of carbs.
All in all, tofu is an amazing source of protein that can be useful for you on a plant-based diet. There are many fun ways to cook it, all while staying energized and healthy.
Can you eat tofu on a plant-based diet? The answer is yes!
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