but what am I supposed to do with the tofu?
By Susan Fekety
2007-04-25
You probably know that better health with nutrition is spelled "EAT MORE PLANTS," but Extreme Spring may have diverted your attention away from the fact that April is National Soy Month. (Henry Ford had a suit made of soy-fiber cloth!) So, let¹s consider tofu, since it is a plant food about which many are curious.
Soy foods like tofu contain all the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) you need to make strong body parts. Research suggests that soy
protein can prevent heart disease, osteoporosis and breast and prostate cancers. The FDA says that 25 grams of soy protein daily (about half a tub
of tofu) will help your heart (especially if it replaces red meat or fried clams.) My patients lament, "How the heck do I cook a half a tub of tofu?
And I heard it's bad AND good? How can that be?"
Soy is rich in isoflavones (primarily genistein and daidzein), plant chemicals that structurally look like human estrogens. This appeals to menopausal women wanting to get the feel of estrogen without using Prempro.
But then what about little babies? Or women who have had breast cancer, since estrogen acts like fertilizer on some tumors? But wait isoflavone molecules can also block the action of estrogen, perhaps why there's less
breast cancer in places where soy foods are consumed regularly. Soy can block thyroid hormones too, so be conservative with soy if you have thyroid issues. The research does not line up handily; smart people become insane zealots as they argue about soy. Either way, remember that soy is a bean food and for some people hard to digest. Others love it. (Hear us gnash our teeth.)
Truly, we don't know yet what we need to know about soy and smart people treat their hormones with respect. In Asian cultures, soy foods have been consumed without ill effects, and probably some benefits, for many years.
'Til we know more, refined, high-isoflavone foods (like soy powders, bars and pills) should be treated like medicines, but I encourage you to
experiment with whole soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soymilk and green soy beans. Get organic non-GMO extra-firm tofu in one of those white plastic tubs. (Note the expiration date freshness counts.)
Initially, you may find your tofu inscrutable. It just sits there, a white lump in the bowl, silent. Fear not. Tofu is the Zelig of the food world; it cooks quickly and absorbs other flavors readily. There are several great
tofu cookbooks on the market. You can grill, broil, marinate, steam, fry, bake or roast it, for starters. First, however, you'll want to press and drain it: gently remove the tofu from the tub and slice it into slabs.
Arrange the slabs flat between two clean dishtowels and then place a cookie sheet and some kind of weight on top to press the excess water out. A half
hour will do it. You can cook these slabs just as you would a thin chicken breast (quick!) or you can try this fun and easy breakfast dish.
Susan Fekety is a Yale-educated advanced practice nurse with special expertise in nutrition and dietary therapies. She provides women's health
care and coordinates the First Line Therapy program at True North Health Center in Falmouth. Contact her at sfekety@truenorthhealthcenter.org.
Soy foods like tofu contain all the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) you need to make strong body parts. Research suggests that soy
protein can prevent heart disease, osteoporosis and breast and prostate cancers. The FDA says that 25 grams of soy protein daily (about half a tub
of tofu) will help your heart (especially if it replaces red meat or fried clams.) My patients lament, "How the heck do I cook a half a tub of tofu?
And I heard it's bad AND good? How can that be?"
Soy is rich in isoflavones (primarily genistein and daidzein), plant chemicals that structurally look like human estrogens. This appeals to menopausal women wanting to get the feel of estrogen without using Prempro.
But then what about little babies? Or women who have had breast cancer, since estrogen acts like fertilizer on some tumors? But wait isoflavone molecules can also block the action of estrogen, perhaps why there's less
breast cancer in places where soy foods are consumed regularly. Soy can block thyroid hormones too, so be conservative with soy if you have thyroid issues. The research does not line up handily; smart people become insane zealots as they argue about soy. Either way, remember that soy is a bean food and for some people hard to digest. Others love it. (Hear us gnash our teeth.)
Truly, we don't know yet what we need to know about soy and smart people treat their hormones with respect. In Asian cultures, soy foods have been consumed without ill effects, and probably some benefits, for many years.
'Til we know more, refined, high-isoflavone foods (like soy powders, bars and pills) should be treated like medicines, but I encourage you to
experiment with whole soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soymilk and green soy beans. Get organic non-GMO extra-firm tofu in one of those white plastic tubs. (Note the expiration date freshness counts.)
Initially, you may find your tofu inscrutable. It just sits there, a white lump in the bowl, silent. Fear not. Tofu is the Zelig of the food world; it cooks quickly and absorbs other flavors readily. There are several great
tofu cookbooks on the market. You can grill, broil, marinate, steam, fry, bake or roast it, for starters. First, however, you'll want to press and drain it: gently remove the tofu from the tub and slice it into slabs.
Arrange the slabs flat between two clean dishtowels and then place a cookie sheet and some kind of weight on top to press the excess water out. A half
hour will do it. You can cook these slabs just as you would a thin chicken breast (quick!) or you can try this fun and easy breakfast dish.
Susan Fekety is a Yale-educated advanced practice nurse with special expertise in nutrition and dietary therapies. She provides women's health
care and coordinates the First Line Therapy program at True North Health Center in Falmouth. Contact her at sfekety@truenorthhealthcenter.org.