Tofu Calories

Are you worried about calories in tofu? No need. Tofu is a great food even if you are counting your calories.

How many calories are in tofu?
In 100 grams (0.22 lb) of tofu are only about 75 calories. That sounds great. And it is.
Image via Wikipedia
 For comparison (estimates in 100g of food)
- meat (100 - 400 calories)
- fried eggs (195 calories)
- milk 2% (51 calories)
- cheese (150 - 350 calories)
- pizza  (200 calories)

You can see that if you are on diet and counting your daily calories it is the perfect food for you. That does not mean you can eat tons of it. Of course, calories are related to the amount of food you eat. The more you eat the more calories you get.


Where do tofu calories come from?
In 100g of tofu there is about 75 calories. 38 calories from fat + 33 calories from protein and only 4 calories from carbohydrates. Keep in mind that exact figures depend on the brand and the type of tofu. These are average numbers. Firmer tofu has more calories and softer less since it contains more water.


Calorie to Protein Ratio
For each 100 calorie serving, tofu contains 11 grams of protein. Except for soybean sprouts, tofu has the lowest ratio of any other known plant food. There are only 12 calories for each gram of usable protein in tofu. The only animal sources of protein with lower ratio are some fish and sea foods.

Carbs in Tofu
Tofu is also great when it comes to low carb diets. It contains less than 3 calories from carbs per 100 grams of tofu.

Other health benefits of tofu
- contains no cholesterol
- tofu is low in simple sugars
- low in sodium ( salt )
- good source of Calcium and many other nutrients

Read detailed tofu nutrition



So how do I cook tofu to get least calories?
Do not use too much oil. The best way is to eat it raw or to slightly fry it without oil. You can marinate it to make it taste better. Do not forget the most crucial thing when cooking tofu: remove water out of it before cooking or marinating.



Recipes for least calories
The best way is to eat it raw. Make smoothie with fruits and/or green veggies and you will get yourself a perfect and nutrient meal. Or prepare salad with some tofu. You don't have to use lots of tofu. Read more recipes for tofu.

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.

Tofu

Tofu is especially loved by vegetarians and vegans thanks to it's great nutritional value. It is a perfect substitute for animal proteins. It can be eaten raw, cooked, fried or whatever way you desire. Since it doesn't have strong flavour you can marinate it to fit it to your taste. You can even make a smoothie or a delicious tofu pudding.

It is a great food, thanks to Chinese who invented it more than 2000 years ago. If prepared properly it can taste great.
Image via Wikipedia


What is Tofu
Tofu is a soft cheese-like food made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant. You get a rather bland tasting product that easily absorbs new flavors through spices and marinades.

It is rich in protein and other nutrients. It is very popular in Asian cuisine and has also situated deeply into Western vegetarian and vegan cooking.

Types of Tofu
Firm tofu is dense and can be cubed and stir-fried, grilled, scrambled, pickled, smoked, baked, barbecued or served in soups.

Soft tofu is undrained tofu and contains large amount of moisture. It is more suited for recipes in which tofu needs to be blended.

Silken tofu has a creamy structure and is also used in blended dishes.

Dried tofu is an extra firm variety of tofu with large amount of moisture removed from it.


Benefits for your Health
Tofu is rich in both high quality protein and a numerous other nutrients necessary for good health. It contains all essential amino acids and therefore is a complete source of protein and an excellent substitute for meat. As opposed to soya milk, tofu contains a lot of calcium, iron and Omega-3 Fats. Calcium in tofu contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis. It reduces chances of heart disease and has multiple health benefits to the meat.


How Tofu is Made
Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds. The process is similar to the production of a cheese, but with soy milk instead of cows milk. This is 100% vegan process which means it does not contain any animal based ingredient.

Soy beans are soaked and then ground down with water. The resulting liquid after straining is the soy milk.
The soy milk is then heated up and coagulated. Less coagulant produces softer tofu, more produces harder tofu.


The History of Tofu
According to one Chinese legend, tofu was created when a cook decided to experiment by flavoring a batch of cooked soybeans with the compound nagari. Instead of flavored soybeans, he ended up with bean curd. This happened more than 2000 years ago. It soon became very popular with Buddhist monks who started the voyage of tofu all over the world.


How to Cook Tofu
Tofu does not need to be cooked at all and can be eaten raw. You can prepare it in almost any way you like. It is a very cooking-friendly food. It is a rather bland tasting product that easily absorbs the flavours of the other ingredients. The most important part of preparing tofu is to remove water that is inside it to make room for new flavours to get in. The best way to make it taste great is to marinate it. Before marinating it you should press it to remove water inside it. That way it absorbs more taste from marinade.
Another very important tip is to use as fresh tofu as possible. The best option is the one that was made the same day. Check more on how to cook tofu.
There are many types of  tofu, from soft to firm. If you want tofu to retain its shape then use firmer one, eg. for stir fry. For shakes or scrambles use softer tofu.


Nutrition
Tofu is rich in many nutrients: proteins, iron, B-vitamins, isoflavones. If made with a calcium, it is also a great source of calcium. There is no need for meat if you put tofu in your diet. Even if you are not vegan or vegetarian tofu is great and healthy alternative for meat.
On the other hand tofu contains small amount of calories. It has one of highest protein to calories ratio which means you get high amount of protein with least calories (11g of protein in 100 calories).


Tofu is low on Calories

In 100 grams (0.22 lb) of tofu there are only about 75 calories. This is less than in most foods with similar protein and nutrient values. For comparison: 100 grams of cheese contains from 150 - 350 calories. For more info read article on calories in tofu.


How much Tofu should I eat
Can you overdo the tofu? Yes, as with any food, too much tofu is not a good thing. This is particularly due to high protein content since too much ANY protein in your diet is not healthy, especially longterm. So keep everything in moderation, including the tofu!