September 1, 2023

Tasty Tofu! And it’s good for you, too!

Tofu for me, tofu for you  Substituting plant-based protein for meat may sound like a modern idea, but tofu was used as a meat substitute in China at least as far back as the year 965. –smithsonianmag.com

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine. 

Tofu was first known as an ancient Asian dish made from soybeans. But it’s so much more than that! Many people use it to replace meat in their diet. It’s one of the more versatile foods. Did you know you can fry it, bake it, and even freeze it for later?  On its own, tofu has a rather bland taste, but another nice thing about it is that it will take on the flavor of the spices you are cooking with, making it taste very good in any dish.

For those who have never had it, the texture is very much like scrambled eggs formed into chunks or blocks; kind of soft and chewy, but it’s made like cheese, by coagulating soymilk and pressing most of the liquid out. There are five main types of tofu, silken (which is most popular), extra soft, medium, firm and extra firm. Not only is it good for main dishes, but desserts can be made from it as well! 

Tofu is known as one of the superfoods, which means it’s great for you. It even passes up meat in nutritional value.  “Tofu is HIGH in fibre, protein, minerals like zinc and calcium and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins A, B1, B2, E, and mineral salts and can LOWER cholesterol. The health benefits of tofu are wide-ranging and well documented.”

Eating tofu often will help protect against diabetes, cancer, bone problems and heart problems. It is free of chemical toxins with none of the pesticides and herbicides found in different meats.”

The very first diet contained no meat products, but consisted of herbs of the field and every fruit from the trees. Only after the flood did people begin eating great amounts of meat until they could get their gardens producing again. A plant-based diet was the norm for people and animals alike. 


Tofu is one of the more healthy foods you can eat today. Another interesting fact is that the United States grows half of the soybeans produced in the world! So, the next time you want to try a meat substitute, try tasty tofu. Its popularity has grown throughout the centuries! Put your chef’s hat on, ask your mom or dad for help, and try out these intriguing recipes!

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Enjoy!