Despite having the same density as common varieties, it is yellow in color and generally a little bit firmer. The first thing to do to make this food is to clean, soak and then grind soybeans in water to create soymilk. The soymilk then coagulated to form tofu curds. This is the most important as well as complicated step in making this food since it depends on various variables such as the percentage of protein used, coagulation temperature, and many others.

Once the coagulation finished, the coagulated bean curds are then poured into a mold and pressed to remove the liquid. It is then left to cool and this food will be firm and finished. The finished products usually taste a little bit tart. However, a sour taste and cloudiness in the storing liquid mean this food has been spoiled due to bacterial growth.

NUTRITION CONTAINED

Since it was made of soybean, this food also known for its high protein content. Therefore, it is also a great plant-based protein source for vegetarian. It provides all essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fats which makes it a great food for diet.

This food also contains other important nutrients such as carbohydrate, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, folate, DFE, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, choline, manganese, and selenium. It also contains isoflavones that have antioxidant properties good to fight the free radicals.

THE BENEFIT OF CONSUMING THIS FOOD

A plant-based diet is good for overall health and wellbeing, and this food is one of the great alternative sources for a protein that usually comes from dairy animals. Here are some of the benefits of consuming this food for your overall health.

1. Reduces the risk of osteoporosis; Osteoporosis is a condition when the bone loses its density and usually occurs in post-menopausal women. This occurs in women because of the sudden estrogen decline after menopause. The isoflavone in tofu helps to prevent bone loss due to osteoporosis because of its pseudo-estrogenic action.

2. Reduce the cholesterol levels; Saponins also found in tahu that is great to reduce the LDL levels. These compounds promote the usage of blood lipids by removing the bile acids from the body. In returns, this will improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, isoflavone also found in this food which helps to reduce inflammation and maintain the vessels elasticity. This is helping the heart further by reducing complication due to blood pressure elevation and as a protector for the heart.

3. Keeps the kidney healthy; For some time, protein has been accused as one of the causes of kidney failure. On the contrary, protein actually helps to maintain the kidney function. Moreover, the protein sourced from plants like soy appears to better-supporting kidney health than other protein types.

4. Reduce the risk of anemia; This dish is rich in iron which is great for people suffering from anemia that is usually caused by iron deficiency. This iron will help your body to build more blood that is good to fight anemia. However, you still need other important vitamins and minerals to correct this condition. This dish alone will not make anemia disappear.

5. May prevent cancer; Since this food rich of isoflavones, it may help to prevent cancer. A study in 2012 suggests that higher isoflavones intake such as those found in this food helps to prevent endometrial cancer in post-menopausal women. Moreover, it also reduces the risk of breast, lung, and prostate cancer.

6. Help to keep the brain health; It is also found to contain lecithin which promotes the formation of phospholipids phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylserine (PS). These two compounds help the normal function of neurons which lead to improving the cognitive function for women.

HOW TO STORE THIS FOOD

There are certain things you need to pay attention to when you are going to consume or store this food. First, you need to rinse it before consume or cook it. After you open one container, make sure to put it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and preserved. You can also change the water inside the container. This will help to ensure it stays fresh.

Those are some nutrition and benefit you can get from eating tahu. It almost tasteless therefore it is great to be cooked as sweet or savory dishes. The rich nutrient contains in this food will keep you healthy and fulfill all your needs.