Tofu, Steamed
Introduction
Tofu is a plant-based food made from coagulated soy milk that is pressed into blocks; it is not a fruit or an animal product but a versatile soy-derived protein widely used in vegetarian and vegan diets. It can be eaten raw (for example, silken tofu in smoothies or desserts) or cooked—firm and extra-firm varieties are best for frying, grilling or baking while silken tofu is suited to blending and gentle heating.
Typically pale cream to white in colour due to the colour of soy milk and the coagulation process, tofu’s neutral appearance and mild taste make it an excellent carrier for flavours and marinades.
Nutritionally, tofu is a good source of plant protein and contains all nine essential amino acids; it is relatively low in saturated fat and provides healthy polyunsaturated fats, calcium (especially calcium-set tofu), iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins (notably folate and B6), as well as trace amounts of zinc and selenium.
Introduction
Tofu is a plant-based food made from coagulated soy milk that is pressed into blocks; it is not a fruit or an animal product but a versatile soy-derived protein widely used in vegetarian and vegan diets. It can be eaten raw (for example, silken tofu in smoothies or desserts) or cooked—firm and extra-firm varieties are best for frying, grilling or baking while silken tofu is suited to blending and gentle heating.
Typically pale cream to white in colour due to the colour of soy milk and the coagulation process, tofu’s neutral appearance and mild taste make it an excellent carrier for flavours and marinades.
Nutritionally, tofu is a good source of plant protein and contains all nine essential amino acids; it is relatively low in saturated fat and provides healthy polyunsaturated fats, calcium (especially calcium-set tofu), iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins (notably folate and B6), as well as trace amounts of zinc and selenium.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.