What is Tofu?

Tofu is a bland but an easy to digest vegetarian food, made from soybeans, water and a curdling agent- coagulant.

Being entirely plant based, it is commonly used as a meat substitute in vegan and vegetarian eating plans and in many lactose free, low fat and low cholesterol diets, also due to its health properties.

Tofu originated in Han dynasty in China around 200 B.C and was originally eaten by Taoist priests and monks. It has been an important part of Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Korean and other Asian cuisines.

The spread of tofu coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is a great vegetarian source of protein. It has only recently became popular in Western vegetarian cooking, but it became so popular that it is now a bit like the symbol of vegetarianism and veganism

 

Although tofu may be bland and tasteless on its own, not nice looking and commonly seen as a second class meat substitute by many, it is definitely nutritious, affordable and versatile and when marinated, seasoned and prepared properly, it soaks up the flavors of foods it is cooked with very well and adds a new dimension to that dish.

It is generally available in three types: silken, soft and firm. Softer silken varieties are not suitable for frying, stir frying or roasting but it is great for blending with other foods to make dips, spread, salad dressings and cake frostings. It is even used in cheesecakes as a lower fat option to cream cheese. Firmer tofu is thicker and harder. It is best for general cooking and can be used as an alternative to meats in stir fries, soups, stews or salads.

Tofu is an extremely versatile food. It can be baked, fried, deep fried, broiled, stewed, stir fried, marinated, mashed, sauteed, simmered, added to soups, stuffed into tacos, barbecued and made into dips. But it is an unfamiliar food to many chefs and it takes a bit of time to get used to in terms of flavor and cooking as it is quite tasteless by itself with not so appealing appearance.

What is Tofu Good For? Tofu Health Benefits:

• Tofu nutritional profile: 4 ounces of firm tofu contains roughly 80 calories, 9.5g of protein, 5g of fat- of which 1g is saturated, 2g of carbohydrates, 1g of dietary fiber, 230mg of calcium, 1.8mg of iron, 14mg of calcium and zero cholesterol.

• Complete source of protein with all the eight essential amino acids.

• Low in calories but the more it is pressed to be made firmer, the more nutrient and calorie dense it becomes.

• Low in sodium.

• No animal fats or cholesterol. It reduces the risks of heart disease by lowering the level of LDL- bad cholesterol and maintaining the level of HDL- good cholesterol.

• Great source of B vitamins.

• Very easy to digest as the soybean’s fiber is removed in the manufacturing process.

• Very good source of iron.

• Good source of calcium from calcium sulfate used in the making of tofu.

• Firmer tofu is a good source of phytochemicals- especially isoflavones (35mg per 100g) that help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, menstrual and menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and mood swings as well as breast, prostate and colon cancers.

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