September 1st is World Tofu Day. Tofu is a popular Asian staple and an important source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. It goes well with both rice and vegetables and mushrooms. The advantage of tofu is that it is easy to cook – just cut into cubes.
Is eating tofu really good for women and bad for men? How and from what is tofu made, what is included in the composition, what is its calorie content and nutrient content? All about what tofu tastes like and how it can be prepared.
Tofu – what is it?
Tofu is a curdled food product made from soybeans. The ingredients for its manufacture are soy milk, calcium and magnesium salts (originally in the form of sea water), as well as citric acid. After curdling, tofu is most often pressed.
Since the manufacturing process resembles the production of cheese from ordinary milk, tofu is called “soy cheese” – and in appearance it looks like mozzarella or feta. Despite this, the products differ in both taste and texture, as well as properties. For example, tofu does not contain lactose.
It is believed that tofu was invented in ancient China in the second century BC, from where it spread to Japan and other Asian countries. Today it is one of the most popular products in both Asian cuisines and in healthy nutrition (due to its low calorie content).
What does it taste like?
It is widely believed that tofu is tasteless. However, this is not quite true. Raw tofu is really almost tasteless – but the use of seasonings, sauces and additional frying in oil plays a role. Thanks to this, both the taste and the density of the product change.
In Asia, soft varieties of tofu with the addition of turmeric, paprika or sweet syrups are popular, in Europe and America – denser smoked tofu. In turn, after frying in vegetable oil with the addition of soy sauce, tofu acquires a characteristic piquant taste.
Composition, benefits and harms
It’s important to remember that tofu’s calorie content can vary depending on how it’s made, especially if it’s additionally fried in oil. Despite this, soft tofu is considered a low-calorie, high-protein, low-glycemic food:
Tofu – KBJU per 100 g:
- calories – 61 kcal
- proteins – 6.5 g
- fats – 3.7 g
- carbohydrates – 1.8 g
- glycemic index – 15 units
Vitamins and minerals
The key minerals in tofu are calcium and iron. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth, as well as for the proper functioning of the nervous system and the secretion of hormones. Iron is part of hemoglobin and is responsible for the capture of oxygen, providing the processes of cellular respiration.
Tofu – healthy nutrients, per 100 g:
- manganese – 19% of the daily requirement
- selenium – 13% of the norm
- calcium – 11%
- phosphorus – 9%
- iron – 6%
- magnesium – 7%
Health impact
Research suggests that eating tofu helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, primarily by avoiding animal fats. Also, since tofu is a soybean derivative, it contains isoflavones.
Isoflavones are plant compounds that are similar in structure to female sex hormones. However, there is no evidence that eating tofu (in reasonable amounts) can affect the hormonal levels of both women and men. In other words, it is impossible to speak unambiguously about the benefits or harms.
Tofu – how to cook?
Since tofu has a dense structure, it can not only be fried or baked, but even boiled. The neutral taste makes this product truly multifunctional – tofu is ideal for vegetable salad, pizza or even a sweet dessert.
The cooking process usually consists of pre-cutting into small cubes and frying in oil. Note that in this case, the calorie content increases significantly – it is recommended to use fresh tofu without frying in the diet.
In terms of use in soups, tofu is a typical ingredient in Japanese miso soup based on fermented pasta and dried seaweed. In this case, soft tofu is used – it is also diced and added at the very end of the cooking process.
Tofu is a processed product of soybeans. It is low in calories and high in protein. Replacing meat and animal fats with tofu can lead to normal blood cholesterol levels – however, studies do not confirm the benefit or harm of eating a small amount of phytoestrogens that make up it.