Nutritional value of tofu: Tofu, extra firm, prepared with nigari
Tofu is a soy bean product made by curdling fresh soymilk. It is also known as bean curd or soy cheese, perhaps because it looks like cheese.
Tofu is rich in protein, unsaturated fat, and a good source of calcium, iron, phytoestrogens.
The protein in tofu or soybean is complete with all the amino acids, which makes soybean products comparable to animal protein.
Table: List of nutrients and their content in tofu.
| Nutrient | Units | Nutrient content per 100 grams |
|---|---|---|
| Water |
g
|
81.28
|
| Energy |
kcalorie
|
91
|
| Energy |
kj
|
382
|
| Protein |
g
|
9.89
|
| Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
5.83
|
| Ash |
g
|
1.00
|
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
2.00
|
| Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
0.4
|
| Sugars, total |
g
|
0.50
|
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium, Ca (2) |
mg
|
175
|
| Iron, Fe |
mg
|
1.84
|
| Magnesium, Mg (2) |
mg
|
53
|
| Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
136
|
| Potassium, K |
mg
|
132
|
| Sodium, Na |
mg
|
8
|
| Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
1.10
|
| Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.191
|
| Manganese, Mn |
mg
|
0.759
|
| Selenium, Se |
mcg
|
13.0
|
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
0.5
|
| Thiamin |
mg
|
0.048
|
| Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.045
|
| Niacin |
mg
|
0.288
|
| Pantothenic acid |
mg
|
0.453
|
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.063
|
| Folate, total |
mcg
|
17
|
| Folic acid |
mcg
|
0
|
| Folate, food |
mcg
|
17
|
| Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE
|
17
|
| Vitamin B-12 |
mcg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin A, IU |
IU
|
0
|
| Vitamin A, RAE |
mcg_RAE
|
0
|
| Retinol |
mcg
|
0
|
| Fatty acids (Lipids) | ||
| Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.542
|
| 8:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 10:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 12:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 15:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 17:0 |
g
|
0.542
|
| 20:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 22:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 24:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
4.338
|
| 14:1 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 15:1 |
g
|
2.169
|
| 13:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 17:1 |
g
|
1.085
|
| 20:1 |
g
|
1.085
|
| 22:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.542
|
| 20:2 n-6 c,c |
g
|
0.000
|
| 20:3 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
| 20:4 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
| Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
| Amino acids | ||
| Tryptophan |
g
|
0.154
|
| Threonine |
g
|
0.404
|
| Isoleucine |
g
|
0.490
|
| Leucine |
g
|
0.751
|
| Lysine |
g
|
0.651
|
| Methionine |
g
|
0.126
|
| Cystine |
g
|
0.137
|
| Phenylalanine |
g
|
0.481
|
| Tyrosine |
g
|
0.331
|
| Valine |
g
|
0.499
|
| Arginine |
g
|
0.657
|
| Histidine |
g
|
0.288
|
| Alanine |
g
|
0.406
|
| Aspartic acid |
g
|
1.093
|
| Glutamic acid |
g
|
1.709
|
| Glycine |
g
|
0.386
|
| Proline |
g
|
0.533
|
| Serine |
g
|
0.466
|
Tofu nutritional fact source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 19 (2006)
Footnotes:
1 Descriptive terms (soft, firm, extra firm) vary in usage between manufacturers as there are no standards for the various types of tofu.
2 Manufacturers use either magnesium chloride (nigari), calcium sulfate, or both in varying quantities to precipitate the protein. Calcium and magnesium contents will vary accordingly.
Related articles:
Tofu health benefits, recipes
Soy phytoestrogen and osteoporosis in menopausal women
Protein: Health benefit, Digestion, and Deficiency
Food Protein Sources: Animal and Vegetable Sources High or Low in Protein
L-Arginine: Food Sources, Health Benefits and Side Effects