Tofu
There’s no doubt that tofu is an extremely popular food, although there are disagreements on how good it is for you. We take a closer look.
A nutrient-packed block full of history
Tofu is a white, or light coloured block made from condensed soy milk. It was originally invented in China, supposedly over 2000 years ago! It can vary in firmness, which is helpful to know so you can choose the right one for what you want to make. When I first tried tofu I was not convinced as I got some much softer versions that crumbled when I tried to fry them - now that I know a bit more about cooking I know that this might have been a great choice for scrambled tofu (a substitute for scrambled eggs) for example. Now I’ve found my favourite brand, the firm blocks from The Tofoo Company, and they’re perfect for firmer slices that are easy to gently fry and have with noodles and vegetables for a simple lunch.
Anyway, back to what tofu actually is and what it does to your body.
Most of the world’s soybeans are now actually grown in the US, and a large percentage of these are genetically modified. Research has so far not found GMOs to be harmful to humans, however, opt for an organic brand of tofu to avoid the modified beans.
There is no arguing that there are a lot of nutrients in tofu. A 100g serving contains about 8 grams of protein, which isn’t bad. It’s very low carb - which might be interesting to some. It contains a large amount of manganese, calcium and selenium, and also decent amounts of magnesium, iron and zinc to name a few. So this is a really great food when you want something low calorie but nutrient dense.
It looks like tofu can be helpful for both your heart and to reduce the risk of some cancers, as well as help bone health, menopause symptoms and skin elasticity - all thanks to isoflavones in soy.
Now, on to the potentially less favourable sides to tofu: women with estrogen-sensitive breasts can be advised to cut down on soy, due to tofu’s weak hormonal effects. Also, if you have poor thyroid function, you might be advised to avoid tofu. However, these are not definite, huge risks, and it seems that most people, unless of course you sense that your body is telling you otherwise, can consume tofu regularly without any issues. It might be worth talking to a doctor if you are unsure.
Tofu is super versatile and can be bought in water, packed dry, freeze-dried or dehydrated. You can even make your own tofu from scratch! Maybe that’s the next step here on The From Scratch Body. I will certainly do plenty of recipes using tofu in many different ways in the future.
Do you like tofu? How do you feel after eating it? Message me on Instagram @TheFromScratchBody!
