Tofu Nutrition Facts

Tofu is a great vegetarian food. It has mild taste, is easy to cook with and can be used in many different dishes. But tofu is also important for it's nutritional values. It has many important minerals, vitamins and protein.
The recommended daily intake is 56 grams for most men and 46 for most women. It is a very popular food especially in Asian cuisine.

Image via WikipediaTofu Nutritional Facts
Tofu is rich in many nutrients: proteins, iron, B-vitamins. If it is made with calcium, it is also a great source of calcium.

Tofu is very low in sodium which makes it a perfect food for people on sodium-restricted diets.

Tofu also contains isoflavones, which help to prevent cancer and heart disease.

Tofu Protein Value
Tofu is an ideal protein food. It is often used as a meat substitute in vegan or vegetarian diets. It contains all the essential amino acids that human body can not produce on its own. For each 100 grams of tofu it contains about 8 grams of protein. If you put it in calories that is 11 grams in every 100 calories of tofu.

Calories in Tofu
You should not be worried about calorie intake from tofu. It has about 95 calories in a half-cup. By comparison - same amount of milk has 60 calories and one oz of cheese has 80 calories.

Fat Content in Tofu
It is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol.


Health Benefits
The soy protein and isoflavones in tofu are considered a powerful cholesterol fighters. Tofu is believed to lower LDL and triglyceride levels, strong indicators of heart disease. One serving of tofu also contains 15% of the daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids.

Tofu has high amounts of the trace mineral selenium which is very important for the proper functioning of the antioxidant system.

The isoflavones in tofu act as a form of estrogen in the body, and have been shown to be very helpful in alleviating the side effects associated with menopause. The same isoflavones can be beneficial in fending off prostate cancer in men.

Tofu is a good source of dietary calcium, protecting against bone weakness, loss, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

As a good source of iron, tofu helps in the process of energy production.


Nutritional values of Tofu in four ounces (113.4g)
note: values may vary due to different types of tofu.

source of values: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tofu-calories-in-tofu.html

Nutrient	Value
Protein	9.16 g
Dietary Fiber	0.34 g
Total Sugar	0.45 g
Total Fat	5.42 g
Cholesterol	0 g
Vitamin A	96.39 IU
Vitamin B1 (thiamin)	0.09 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0.06 mg
Vitamin B3 (niacin)	0.22 mg
Vitamin C	0.11 mg
Vitamin E	0.01 mg
Folate	17.01 mcg
Calcium	100.00 mg
Copper	0.22 mg
Iron	6.08 mg
Magnesium	34.02 mg
Manganese	0.69 mg
Phosphorus	110.00 mg
Potassium	137.21 mg
Selenium	10.09 mcg
Sodium	7.94 mg
Zinc	0.91 mg

Tofu's nutritional values  are really impressive. If you haven't tried it yet you really should consider combining it into your diet. Look for tofu made from organic soybeans. It should be available in your local supermarket.