Why Tofu Isn’t Just For Vegetarians

Tofu. The very word can make a lot of people get the creepy crawlies on their skin; if they don’t know anything about it that is. But it’s not just some white gelatinous food item that exists for the consumption of vegetarians. There are loads of reasons why tofu should be consumed by everyone, and there are some awesome recipes that can make tofu tastes out of this world as well. Read on to be wowed by this protein that (no matter hard he tries) just can’t get no respect in the-meat eating world.

Healthy-heart protein: Tofu is known primarily as a meat replacement because of its protein properties. On a daily basis, humans should eat around 150 g of lean meat, so in order to get this amount of protein from tofu, you have to eat a bit more overall (around 290 g). But the difference, you’re getting a much healthier source of protein because it’s low in cholesterol. It can even lower your cholesterol..

If you have high cholesterol problems, getting to be best friends with tofu is a good idea. And after eating tofu for awhile, your triglycerides levels and lipoprotein levels will lower (this is bad cholesterol). Also, unlike animal based proteins, tofu can lower your risk of atherosclerosis, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Eating two grams of it daily can even help your body reduce the cholesterol it absorbs by more than 10% from other unhealthy foods. And don’t forget, tofu also has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.

Benefits for the ladies: Tofu is supremely healthy for the ladies and this is because of the isoflavones compounds it has. They’re known to directly effect scavenge free radicals, which means they can help prevent premature aging. Also, phytoestrogens are found in soy products, which have been known to help neutralize human estrogen (and are linked to decreasing bone loss during menopause).

Also, tofu is rich in B-vitamins, iron and it contains a ton of calcium. Calcium of course helps prevent of osteoporosis. And another boon for the ladies, it helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and breast cancer. It’s a win-win situation all because of a little tofu. You can’t beat that.

Great for digestive problems: And if you’re one of those people who has ongoing digestive problems, tofu is a wonderful thing to eat. Since, during its manufacturing process the soybean’s fiber is removed, this makes tofu incredibly easy to digest and therefore a very friendly food item for your digestive system.

Unbelievably delicious tofu recipes: Now that you know the health benefits of tofu, the next step is making it yourself, and one of the most popular ways to make tofu tastes really good – frying it up. Getting it a bit crispy is a great way to make it seem more like an animal protein. The recipe, Crispy marinated tofu cutlets, is one you’ll definitely want to write down. Also, another awesome way to eat tofu is on a sandwich. A TLT: Tofu, lettuce, tomato sandwiches can be delicious, especially if you use a unique spread, like a zesty mayo.

And remember, fresher is always better when cooking with tofu. Try checking out local Asian grocery stores to see if they have tofu that’s been made in the last few days. It will have more flavor and will cook loads better.

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