What about Tofu, is it gluten-free?
Its also called bean-curd,soy-curd, it's prepared from soy milk just by coagulation,
and then filtering, and pressing the solids, to achieve this little firm, white solid called
as Tofu, as it's entirely from soy so no question about gluten arrives, its 100% gluten
free, and it's very rich in protein,(1)
It has very little of its own subtle flavor, which helps in using it for a large variety of
food dishes, savory, sweet, seasoned, marinated, with almost unlimited combinations
It has an old history, about 2000 years, where it is introduced in China, and then used
in a big way in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines.
In the west, it's introduced only recently, and that too as a substitute for meat
let's see
Typical protein content in Tofu?
It all depends on the type, firm or soft
Firm-tofu Soft-tofu
Water-content 76% 91%
Protein 10.7% 5.3%
Fats 5% 2%
FDA recommends 25-gram of soy proteins per day in the diet for those
who is having some heart problem, while 100-gram firm tofu contains
about 8.19-to-10.7-gram protein, it means about 300-gram tofu per day
in the diet,(2)
It is also referred that tofu proteins are better in benefits in comparison
with animal proteins in the cases of diets
How Tofu is produced?
The basic starting point is soy-beans
First-Stage-
Beans are soaked, grinding is done, the boiled and filtered it gives
soy-milk
Second-Stage-
Coagulation of soya-milk, by coagulants such as calcium -sulfate, magnesium chloride,
calcium chloride,citric acid,vinegar,glucono-delta-lactone(GDL),papain, to curd,
called soy-curd
Third-Stage-
Pressing of curd to remove liquid from solids, to give more a firm shape
Flavour, taste, color all depends on the type of coagulants, and others used
processes in these stages most of the time product is not completely
white but have yellow ting mostly because of isoflavones and other poly
phenols occurring in soybeans, same is true with flavor which is beany
flavored,(not a very well appreciated note), and a lot of effort goes in for
reducing these both, color as well as flavor,(3)
Nutritional value of Tofu
One 3.5-ounce (100-gram), one serving of tofu
Calories 70
Protein 8-gram
Fat 4-gram
Carbohydrates 2-gram
Fiber 1-gram
Manganese 31% RDI
Calcium 20% RDI
Selenium 14% RDI
Copper 11% RDI
Iron 9% RDI
Zinc 6% RDI
Anti-nutrients in tofu
It contains some very rare molecules which interfere in the digestion process
and these are
-trypsin inhibitors, block trypsin, an enzyme needed for digestion of
proteins
-phytates, block the absorption of minerals in the gut, their effect can be
reduced if you take tofu, along with onions and garlic,(4)
Isoflavones in tofu
A lot of health benefits of tofu is also because of isoflavones, which act as an estrogen
-tofu, 100-gram,3.5-ounce contains 20.2-to-24.7-mg isoflavone
because of isoflavones, it offers health benefits in the following cases
-weight loss, in one study it is shown to increase weight loss
-skin health, it increases skin elasticity
-menopause condition, it reduces the symptoms such as hot flashes
-bone health, reduces bone loss
-brain function, it helps in brain functions, such as memory
-lower blood sugar, so it's friendly to diabetics
-lower cholesterol, it's friendly to the heart
Tofu friendly in Cancer
It reported and indicated that tofu has protective properties against cancers
more particularly so in
-breast, prostate, digestive system cancers
Tofu friendly with Heart
It reduces weight, cholesterol, fats, increases the disposal of bile acids, all
work out to be good for the heart, tofu also contains a very rare molecule
belong to the saponin family and that too works for the heart health, it
improves blood flow, and elasticity of heart muscles also reduces
inflammation, so overall it's very good for the heart
Tofu friendly to diabetics
It's very good for someone who has sugar problems it works wonderfully well
in-
-controlling blood sugar levels
-reduces blood sugar levels
-lower insulin levels
-lower insulin resistance
-lower cholesterol and fats
What can be some negative impacts
All we have told so far are only good effects of tofu but is there any bad effects
so let's see
-Allergy, soy allergy is known and of course, tofu is not suitable because it
belongs to soy, so anyone who has a history of this allergy should avoid this tofu
-Thyroid, in cases of poor thyroid function, it can create some problem
-Breast tumors, some cases of estrogenic sensitive breast tumors it's better to avoid
-Fertility, some possibilities of interference by tofu is indicated
But, these all need more research as we don't have more research data in this area
How to best use tofu
Tofu comes in many varieties such as,
-Extra Firm
-Firm
-Soft
-Silken
-these are very wide types promoted by tofu producers, apart from them there
are very special grades, in the market which differs in taste, flavor, and color,
-firm and extra firm are more dense products and more suitable for grilling
and frying
-soft tofu works well in soups and casseroles
-silken tofu is better for pudding, dips, smoothies,
Why tofu is better than wheat?
The basic difference is in the nature and types of proteins means what type of
amino acids they have, and also in what ratios
-tofu protein is a complete protein, which means it has all essential amino acids
and that too in right amounts for humans
-wheat protein is not a complete protein means its short of amino acid lysine
means that wheat alone is not enough it has to be used with beans which are
rich in lysine
Why tofu is so special for a gluten-free diet?
Tofu works out to be a better alternative for wheat, it has complete protein also
minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and also good quantities of isoflavones, this all
means it can provide better protection from diseases than wheat, so it's good
to have tofu all the time in your food
So, in the end, what we have views from this blog,
gluten-free diet/arena?
For someone who is looking for a good replacement for wheat, tofu can be very easy and
the comfortable answer, it's very easily available today almost in all food stores, and its
adoption as food is very easy, it can be added to almost all types of food without any
the problem, we from this blog, gluten-free arena very strongly recommend this for
everyone
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