What is tofu? How do you cook it? Can it really replace meat? Is it as bland as they say? Tofu is an excellent source of protein, mild on the palate, and easy to prepare. Have it grilled with soy sauce or marinated and enjoy a tasty, healthy snack – oh, and gluten-free!
Firm or soft, tofu is a whitish, healthy, and multifaceted block. Although some have dismissed it as bland, those who give it a chance discover nutritious food, an invitation to Asian cuisine, and creative baking. Keep reading to discover all its benefits and delicious recipes with tofu as the protagonist.
Tofu, what is it and what does it taste like?
Tofu is a solid, more or less firm paste, 100% vegetable, and made from soy milk. It is a highly nutritious food, rich in protein, calcium, iron and low in carbohydrates. It is one of the most used ingredients in vegetarian diets to replace meat and also, or simply, to enjoy Asian cuisine through its many presentations: miso soup, tofu with vegetables, marinated tofu, tofu with soy sauce, etc.
And how is tofu made? In just four steps: you obtain soy milk, cook it, coagulate it, and press it. The coagulation step is one of the most interesting because depending on the coagulants and the time, from 10 to 30 minutes, you can obtain very different types of tofu. When the coagulant is calcium sulphate, the tofu is soft and has an extra contribution of calcium. In the case of using magnesium chloride, known as nigari in Japanese, the tofu is firmer and sweeter. The combination of both helps to produce tofu that is rich in nutrients and very pleasant to the palate.
Speaking of the palate, precisely what tofu tastes like is one of the big questions surrounding it. The flavour of tofu is neutral, and on its own we cannot classify it as sweet, sour, salty, bitter or umami. This changes completely when we decide to marinate it, coat it, cook it on the grill with soy sauce or smoke it. However, in any case, it has many benefits that we will explain a little further down.
Origin and history of tofu
Thousands of years. That’s the incredible amount of time that tofu has been consumed in China. Neighbors like Japan are almost a millennium old, and Indonesia, Vietnam, and Korea are the youngest lineages, although they have also been basing a large part of their cuisine on this firm, white block for centuries.
There are many legends surrounding how tofu came about. Some believe that 2,000 years ago, in the land of the dragon, a feudal lord, Liu An, left the soy milk he was trying to turn into nothing more and nothing less than the elixir of immortality unattended all night. From his neglect came rennet, and from there came tofu. These are fables that hide the truth since it is not difficult to imagine a peasant who, in the course of his daily life, would forget about soy milk or discover tofu in an attempt to extend the shelf life of milk, the idea that gave rise to so many cheeses.
The arrival of tofu in Japan is better documented in records. On the Japanese island, it seems to have played a relevant role in its beginnings for the community of Buddhist monks, who followed a vegetarian diet, and in the 12th century as the main food in monastic life. It is not surprising that today the main producers of tofu are China, Japan, and Indonesia and that due to the properties and nutritional value of tofu, its sales have skyrocketed throughout Europe and it has found its way into both sweet and savory recipes.
Nutritional value of tofu
Tofu is not only high in protein (did you know that 100 g of tofu contains almost the same amount of protein as 100 g of eggs?), but it is also rich in phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and iron. As an added bonus, every 100 g of tofu provides approximately 14% of the recommended daily amount of selenium, a mineral with antioxidant functions that is found in exceptional amounts in plant sources.
- Energy: 119 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 3.3 g
- Fats: 6.6 g (of which saturated 0.8 g)
- Protein: 11.5 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 7 mg
- Calcium: 200 mg
- Iron: 1.7 mg
- Magnesium: 70 mg
- Phosphorus: 190 mg
- Selenium: 8.4 mcg
Properties and benefits of tofu
- Below we look in detail at all the benefits that can come from consuming tofu in a healthy diet.
- Source of Protein
- Tofu is high in protein and contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Depending on how it is prepared, the value ranges from 11 g to 17 g per 100 g of tofu. For an average adult weighing around 60 kg, 100 g of tofu would provide almost 30% of the recommended daily protein requirement.
- Cardiovascular health
- The consumption of soy, the bean from which tofu is made, helps reduce cholesterol, alleviate hypertension and regulate blood sugar. These three elements are key to cardiovascular health since an excess of any of them is closely related to the development of coronary diseases, diabetes, etc. The consumption of tofu as a derivative of soy acts as a cardiovascular protector.
- Strong bones
- Osteoporosis is the weakening of bones due to loss of density. It is very common in peri- and post-menopausal women and everything points to the fact that soy consumption could help prevent it. The most extensive studies have been carried out with dietary supplements based on soy isoflavones, showing that it contributes to increasing bone density and preventing osteoporosis. Tofu is also rich in calcium, which helps doubly to maintain good bone health.
- Antioxidant
- Oxidative stress is linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cellular aging, and some types of cancer. The isoflavones in tofu, one of its most thoroughly researched components, together with selenium, have an antioxidant action that helps reduce free radicals and contributes to extending cell life.
Contraindications of tofu
- Tofu is a healthy food, low in carbohydrates and rich in proteins, minerals, and isoflavones. Its consumption in the West is especially recommended for peri- and post-menopausal women because it is beneficial for bone health and in vegetarian diets because of its high protein and calcium content. Even so, it is true that there are certain reservations about its action on the endocrine system. Does tofu and soy affect female hormonal health, yes or no? We try to clarify this.
- Soy isoflavones have been studied in depth by science in order to analyze their effect on female hormonal health. Recent reviews such as the one published in the Journal for Nutritional Studies in 2022 found that soy, soy-based products, and supplements did not significantly affect the menstrual cycle or the hormonal system. However, it was observed that they could induce an improvement when there were previous fertility problems.
- Another study, published in Nutrients in 2020, showed that the results could vary depending on the level of consumption, age, ethnicity, and the initial health status of the woman. They detected that it could have goitrogenic effects, disrupting the proper functioning of the thyroid, when consumed by children with hypothyroidism. On the other hand, they confirmed the positive results in the case of menopause.
- The research work carried out in 2019 for Scientific Reporton its effect on the thyroid gland concluded that in healthy people, soy consumption could have an effect on the hormone that activates the thyroid, TSH, and not so much on the hormones produced by the thyroid, T3, and T4. Therefore, they deduced that although there was some type of interaction, it did not influence the proper functioning of the hormonal system.
- In conclusion, clinical research is still open and seeks to delve deeper into the effects of soy isoflavones, although it is considered a safe food for healthy people, adults, and without previous pathologies.
- Tofu recipes and uses in the kitchen
- Ideas for recipes with tofu? Grab a pen and paper. Asian cuisine invites us to include it in good ramen, in a miso soup, and in a consommé with wakame seaweed. There is always the possibility of cooking tofu grilled with vegetables, marinated with soy sauce, smoked, crispy or baked. You can check out the best recipes with tofu here.
- Still Asian but consumed a little further south, a juicy, healthy, and almost unmissable recipe is tofu curry with basmati rice and vegetables. Aromatic, rich in fats (the good kind), and bursting with flavour. Oh, and easy to prepare!
- Among the vegetarian options, three dishes stand out: poke bowl with tofu(you can try adding tofu marinated in soy sauce), tofu, tomato, and avocado fajitas, and vegan burgers. And if we add the keywords “appetizer” and “delicious” along with vegetarian, we hit the nail on the head with the recipe for fried tofu fingers. But did you think that tofu was only found in the savoury recipe book?
- No way. The silken tofu version is one of the most used ingredients in vegan baking, it imitates cheeses for cake toppings, and in combination with cashews, agave syrup, and lemon juice it results in an unforgettable vegan and lactose-free cheesecake. Tell me, do you want to get your hands on a block of tofu?