Is Tofu Good for You? The Health Benefits Revealed

Tofu (also called bean curd) is made from soy beans, water and a coagulation agent - more specifically, soy beans ground into soy milk.

To make tofu, fresh soy milk is curdled so that the proteins become coagulated, pressed into solid blocks and then cooled down in a very similar process to how dairy cheese is made from curdled milk (see our guide on dairy health benefits here).

Though the vast majority of tofu produced in the United States isn't fermented, a large amount of international tofu is fermented before eating. Recent scientific research has shown that the free radical- scavenging activity in fermented tofu might be healthier to eat than regular coagulated varieties [1].

Today, the worldwide tofu industry has grown enormous, with over 200,000 tofu manufacturers worldwide. The biggest factories are located in Japan where they make over fifty tons of the bean curd every day.

Tofu is a perfect food option for diabetics because of the low fat and low calorie content.

Eating at least 200 grams of tofu a day can help to significantly reduce your risk of developing diabetes, and eating a diet filled with a range of soy foods is a proven way to reduce the risk that your blood develops insulin resistance.

Best of all, the sky-high levels of protein and other essential nutrients in tofu means that the blood sugar levels in diabetics will be better controlled at safe levels. Check other sources of protein for diabetics here.

Tofu contains lots of selenium, which is a mineral that the body needs to run its antioxidant-processing system and help prevent colon cancer.

In fact, studies have shown that men can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by eating tofu and women that eat plenty of it every week are over 60% less likely to develop the kinds of risky breast tissue that often cause breast cancer [4].

Genistein, a phytonutrient found in soy, has been studied extensively to try to understand the role it places in cancer prevention. The evidence shows that increases the quantities of a protein called p53 that is responsible for suppressing tumor growth, especially in the breasts and prostate.

Once it becomes activated, this protein compound can trigger pre-programmed cell death, called apoptosis, in cancer cells, which prevents the cancer from spreading throughout your body. To get the best benefits from genistein, it's important to eat many forms of fermented soy, as the protein compound is much more prevalent there.

Human hair is made out of protein, and the primary protein used in the process is called keratin. Thankfully, this soy product is a natural way to provide it for your body.

By eating tofu regularly, you'll be providing the required keratin levels to your body which will help your body produce more hair while the selenium levels in tofu are useful by helping your scalp hold on to the hairs you already have.

Sakel Ahmed, health and wellness consultant, further explains that tofu improves hair growth because it includes an adequate supply of iron, protein, and vitamins which are the essential ingredients for healthy hair.

It might seem like a small diet change to switch out some meat in your daily diet in exchange for tofu, but this little behavior change can make a big difference for the overall health of your body.

Whether you suffer from diabetes, heart disease or a simply struggling through the first signs of menopause, a diet filled with tofu might be part of the natural health solution for you.

Aside from tofu, there are other foods that can promote hair growth. Emma Sothern, founder of Lady Alopecia, suggests adding eggs, spinach, and anti-inflammatory foods like ginger and turmeric to one’s diet to help facilitate hair growth.

For reasons not well understood, soybeans are one of the eight most common forms of allergen in the United States, and for some people even a little exposure can be fatal [7].

At this point, about 93% of the soybeans grown in the US are GMOs, which is one of the reasons why soy is so cheap. However, this lower price point might come at a high cost [8].

There is lots of controversy about the effects of eating GMO foods because not enough research has been conducted to prove that they are completely safe. At this point it's been noted that soy allergies increase with GMO soy and that there are potential negative impacts to the liver (at least in mice and rats).

For this reason, many people prefer to avoid soy products completely unless they can be sure that they have been grown organically.

There are long held beliefs and plenty of anecdotal evidence that consuming soy can cause men to 'feminize' through the loss of a sex drive and the growth of breasts due to the increased estrogen activity in the body.

However, the medical literature on this topic doesn't seem to reach this conclusion and instead regulates the feminizing qualities of soy products to myth status.

The research that HAS shown feminization in men due to soy only occurred when men drank soy milk every day.

Clearly, there's a lot to like about tofu.

Rich in protein and low in calories, tofu is a healthy food option for any occasion and its versatility means that it can be cooked in a wide variety of ways for optimal flavor.

Whether you are trying to eat less meat or are simply trying out some new, lower-calorie cooking options, adding tofu to your diet is a smart way to stay healthy and try new flavors.

As professional chef Sylvia Fountaine professional chef puts it, tofu is what you make it.

Understanding that tofu is a blank canvas is the key to achieving great flavor.

Fountaine, who is also the founder of Feasting at Home, adds that food really can be healthy and delicious, and consuming tofu is an easy way of bringing more plant-based protein into our diet.

Whether you're a man or woman, tofu can be a healthy part of your diet, so long as you eat it in moderation.