Serious Eats
You ever think about substitutes, you might think of substitute teachers you’ve had when your teacher is out sick or even substitution in math class putting a number in place of a variable. The very concept of substitution is to use something in place of another thing which is what tofu does for certain groups of people. It allows them to get have a source of protein the same way someone who eats fish, meat eggs, etc would. A light alternative that is flexible to suit your preferences and much more.
Tofu originated all the way back in ancient China during the Han Dynasty from around 206 – 220BC, when legend has it a Chinese chef curdled some soy milk accidentally which created what we know as tofu. Since this tofu has evolved which has led it take on many different shapes and forms which include: soft tofu, silken tofu, firm tofu, extra-firm Tofu, Super-firm Tofu, Smoked Tofu, Dried Tofu, Fermented Tofu, Tofu skins, Tofu puffs, and Tofu Pockets. Takes on so many different variations which allows for so much variety in the way you eat it. This is what I mean by flexibility most foods can be added to other foods but themselves cant be changed that much but tofu can.
So just what is Tofu you may ask? Tofu is made from soybeans which are very easy to grow all over the world. You get soybean seeds and plant them in warm soil either in a garden or in a container. They grow to about 2 feet and are ready for harvest after about 80 days. From there tofu is made from those soybeans which are ground in water, heated, and coagulated with minerals like calcium or magnesium salt. From there the curds are pressed into a block and then sold as tofu. The way soybeans are grown can be sustainable because they provide a lot of value not just economically but also being grown in such abundance and being able to almost provide for itself makes it such an accessible product. Dovring (1974) wrote a very interesting article on soybeans and how they changed the game when it comes to crops, their value and the sheer positives with soybeans and growing them.
Mahendra Pal, Mridula Devrani and Yodit Ayele (2019) wrote a piece on Tofu which touched on the health benefits and nutritional value that tofu has. Tofu is a good source of proteins with Vitamins A,C,D,E,K, and B vitamins, has minerals such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. In addition to that they also are rich in Omega 3s. Health benefits from tofu include strengthening muscle and bone health, reducing bad cholesterol level, improves brain health, boosts immunity, etc.
I’ve actually tried tofu before my brother made it for me and my mom to try and it was honestly really good. It was very squishy and it’s honestly pretty bland if you eat it by itself but if you add it in say I think you will like it and it will definitely help enhance the flavor. I had soft tofu which is only one of many. Hopefully I can get my brother to make me more. I’m pretty curious about tofu puffs. I’ve never heard about them but they sound good. I wouldn’t go as far as cutting meat out of my diet completely for it because meat is one of the best sources of protein but I was glad I got to try a food foreign to where I was born with a lot of history behind it. Tofu is used in tons of recipes and tofu is a very flexible ingredient meaning because of its texture it can be used to make variations of so many different meals/desserts.
Blog post by Xavian Williams
EASY CHOCOLATE PUDDING
Yummyhealthyeasy
3 servings
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Preparation time: 5 minutes
12 oz. soft silken tofu, drained
1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa (such as Ghirardelli)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 tsp. grated dark chocolate
Process all the ingredients, except the grated dark chocolate, together in a blender until smooth. Pour into individual dessert dishes, cover, and refrigerate for several hours until thick. Sprinkle each serving with grated dark chocolate.
Bibliography
TofuBud. (n.d.). Who invented tofu: the ultimate meat substitute.
TofuBud. https://tofubud.com/blogs/tips/who-invented-tofu
Migala, J., & Anderson, K. R. (2022, August 29). All about tofu: nutrition Facts, health Benefits, and how to use It. EverydayHealth.com. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/tofu-how-its-made-its-good-you-how-prepare-it/
Reinfrank, A. (2020, December 3). How tofu made it to America, was disparaged for decades but went mainstream when 1960s counterculture exploded. South China Morning Post. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3109515/how-tofu-made-it-america-was-disparaged-decades-seized-moment
Home grown soybeans for snacking. (2018, September 10). Jodi Torpey. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.finegardening.com/article/home-grown-soybeans-for-snacking#:%7E:text=Soybeans%20are%20an%20easy%2Dto,just%20like%20other%20garden%20beans.
Poynter, B. (2021, August 24). The History & Health Benefits of Tofu. Timoti’s. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from http://www.timotis.com/news-1/history-health-benefits-tofu#:%7E:text=The%20Origin%20of%20Tofu&text=Tofu%20has%20been%20around%20for,we%20now%20know%20as%20tofu.
Recipes. (2010). Diabetes Forecast, 63(7), 36. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A231021838/HRCA?u=txshracd2555&sid=bookmark-HRCA&xid=da0cfb44
Dovring, F. (1974). Soybeans. Scientific American, 230(2), 14–21. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24950002
Pal, M., Devrani, M., & Ayele, Y. (2019). Tofu: A popular food with high nutritional and health benefits. Food & Beverages Processing. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mahendra-Pal-9/publication/332343856_Tofu_A_Popular_Food_with_High_Nutritional_and_Health_Benefits/links/5caef2caa6fdcc1d498c22dc/Tofu-A-Popular-Food-with-High-Nutritional-and-Health-Benefits.pdf