Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food made by thickening soy milk and then pressing the curds into soft white blocks. It is commonly used in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines. Tofu can be soft, firm, or extra firm.
Some facts and benefits of eating Tofu
Nutritional highlights
Tofu is a great source of protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. It is also an excellent source of iron and calcium and the minerals like manganese, selenium and phosphorous. Moreover, tofu is a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1.
Cancer fighter
A team of researchers at the School of Radiation Medicine and Public Health at Soochow University in Suzhou, in China based on analysis of 28 previously published studies found that intake of soy foods in the form of tofu (and soy miso) reduced the risk of at least one cancer type (stomach cancer) than intake of soy in general.
Cardiovascular Benefits
The whole food soy products provide better cardiovascular support than dietary supplements containing isolated soy components. Intake of whole soy foods has been associated with improved levels of blood fats in numerous research studies.
The most consistent effect of soybean intake on blood fats has been a moderate lowering of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol).
Studies show that regularly eating tofu provides an equal amount of energy, protein, total fat, carbohydrates and fiber. The main health benefits of tofu, as mentioned above, will show up in lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density bad cholesterol for you if you eat tofu regularly instead of meat.
Eating about 100 g provides 9 percent of daily fat requirement, which is 3/4 lower than pork, for example. However, when cooking tofu, it absorbs liquids (such as oil) much more than cooking the meat. So be careful when cooking it, do not use much oil or rather use a bit of coconut oil.
Read more about benefits of tofu here. You can also get ideas how to replace it with meat.
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 200 grams tofu, firm
- 100 grams mushrooms, brown
- 150 ml coconut milk, canned
- 2 tsp turmeric
- pinch salt & pepper
- 2 cups basmati, rice cooked
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into cubes and slice the mushrooms. Set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil on a pan, add cubed tofu and fry for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir and stew for 2-3 minutes.
- Add pepper, salt and turmeric. Add coconut milk at the end and let it simmer on a low temperature for about 8-10 minutes.
- Meantime cook the rice as usual. When you have rice cooker, perfect! When not, simply cook it in the pot. I always use half of vegetable stock and half water to add a nice flavour to the rice.
Source: Fit Quick Recipes
