Tofu is an important meat substitute for vegans and vegetarians alike.
Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk to create curds, which are then pressed and compacted into a gelatinous white block.
Tofu doesn’t have many carbs, which makes it suitable for keto and low-carb diets.
What’s more, tofu is rich in protein compared to many other plant-based products. It is considered as a complete protein source because it contains all nine essential amino acids. For these reasons, many people include it in their eating plans on a regular basis.
To help you accurately plan your macronutrient intake, I want to discuss exactly how much protein tofu contains per a hundred grams. In addition, I’m going to list other health-related benefits which tofu can provide.
Tofu protein per 100 grams
Raw and regular tofu contains about 8 grams of protein per 100 grams. Along with protein, it provides 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 85 calories.
If you are looking for more calorie and protein dense products, you can opt for firm or fried tofu. A 100 gram serving of firm tofu has 14 grams protein and 144 calories. Fried tofu can provide your body with 19 grams of protein and 270 calories per 100 grams.
As you can see, tofu preparation directly affects and changes its macronutrient ratio. So always check the product nutrition label before you put it into your basket.
Does a one hundred gram portion of tofu provide enough protein?
The recommended daily protein intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for the average moderately active person. In pounds, that will be 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
With that in mind, assuming that you are a regular person who leads a moderately active lifestyle, a hundred grams of tofu alone can’t cover all your daily protein needs. In this scenario, you should consider eating many tofu portions throughout the day.
However, I advise you to follow a better approach and supplement your meals with a variety of protein products like beans, eggs, Greek yogurt, and so on. Each of them can supply your body with many other necessary nutrients and improve overall health.
Important tofu health benefits
Many people choose to go with tofu (instead of animal-sourced protein) for the various health benefits it offers. Therefore, I also want to mention some of them:
- Naturally gluten-free. If you have a gluten intolerance, tofu could be very beneficial for you.
- Helps to lower “bad cholesterol” and improve cardiovascular health.
- Can reduce the risk of some types of cancers, such as prostate cancer. However, in the case of any type of tumors, consult your physician about proper dieting.
- Could improve blood sugar control and consequently reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Supplies the body with a significant amount of minerals like manganese, calcium, and selenium.
- May slow down bone loss after menopause.
Many of those health benefits are driven by natural soybean compounds called isoflavones!
Reference
- Applegate CC, Rowles JL, Ranard KM, Jeon S, Erdman JW. Soy
Consumption and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10(1):40. Published 2018 Jan 4.doi :10.3390/nu10010040 - Lanou AJ. Soy foods: are they useful for optimal bone health?. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2011;3(6):293–300.
doi :10.1177/1759720X11417749 - Taku, Kyoko & Umegaki, Keizo & Sato, Yoko & Taki, Yuko & Endoh, Kaori & Watanabe, Shaw. (2007). Soy isoflavones lower serum total and LDL cholesterol in humans: A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 85. 1148-56. 10.1093/ajcn/85.4.1148.
- Teixeira, Sandra & Tappenden, Kelly & Carson, Lea & Jones, Richard & Prabhudesai, Mukund & P Marshall, William & Erdman Jr, John. (2004). Isolated Soy Protein Consumption Reduces Urinary Albumin Excretion and Improves the Serum Lipid Profile in Men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Nephropathy. The Journal of nutrition. 134. 1874-80. 10.1093/jn/134.8.1874.
- Tofu nutrition retrieved
from: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/
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