Love this series! I was watching a video Miyoku Schinner did on air frying tofu and Miyoku commented that she prefers Trader Joe’s tofu. We were just talking about their tofu in our fun Trader Joe’s get together. The recipe looked good. Sometimes I am very content to either fry regular tofu and eat it with soy sauce or have warm or cold silken tofu with soy sauce. (Japanese style-depending upon season)
TJ tofu is very good. Hannah Che and I agree with Miyoko (I think her company private labels TJ's vegan butter!). Fried tofu is versatile. I go back and forth on air-frying, though. Yes to tofu and shoyu!
However, I believe you are misleading your readers about the benefit of tofu by misinterpreting the two studies you cited.
The Chinese study did not show that eating more soy "actually reduce[d] breast cancer risk." Instead, the study used a meta-analysis of prospective studies to suggest that higher soy consumption "was associated with a 3%... reduced risk of breast cancer."
We all know that meta-analysis is junk science. Also three percent association is not at all meaningful.
More importantly, the study did not control for diets and lifestyles. The women who ate more soy also ate more fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, chicken, dairy, and more calories. They had higher household income. They were more educated. And more of them lived in urban areas. In short, these women were wealthier and healthier. Yet, they didn't have lower risks of cancer!
The other study specifically said "the current evidence offers no substantial support for the hypothesis that women of Asian ethnicity experience distinct effects from soy isoflavones in breast cancer risk."
It also concluded that different ethnic groups with different lifelong diets is "the most important determinant of beneficial health effects from soy foods."
I like soy and tofu. I eat it on a regular basis. I'm not against tofu. Do I think it's a healthy food? Yes, but no more or less than other proteins.
I think with your large platform and dedicated readership, you can be more responsible with your advocacy.
You make a good point about meta-studies. Primary research is costly so people crunch existing data. I referenced the article because of its longitudinal perspective and large N number.People are self-selecting when it comes to taking part in studies so I always keep that in the back of my mind.
What was promising about the 3% claim was this statement from the abstract, "... each 10 mg/day increment in soy isoflavone intake was associated with a 3% (95% CI 1–5%) reduced risk of breast cancer." I considered the use of the term "reduced" in my language and chose it after consideration. And, yes to having a well-rounded diet of other foods. The cMIND study included that statement, also.
Regarding the other 2019 study referenced, you're correct. The study I referenced looked into poor studies in the past and aims to establish a neutral position on it. What gets my head scratching is how there were observational stating that there may be a link. I'm clearly not a data research scientist because I failed to correctly interpret the study. But why didn't someone just come out and say, observational studies aren't sufficient.
Soy is strangely a hot-button issue. LIke you, I regularly eat it tofu. It's delicious, healthy, food. But when I'm trying to help others become more familiar with soy, the issues of health risks come up. It's difficult.
So, I appreciate your correcting me and watching out for my back! Thank you!
Thrilled for this series! I eat and love tofu in all its forms and it’s one of my regular sources of protein. Plus, I am lucky to know my neighborhood tofu maker (Jenny Yang of Chicago’s Phoenix Bean / Jenny’s Tofu) so I can get the freshest yummiest tofu!
You know Jenny???? That makes me utterly happy, Martin. I wish I had a tofu maker like her nearby. I interviewed her for the tofu NYT story way back. She has so many good products.
Yes! I helped set up a neighborhood farmers' market just as she was starting to get out there and sell, and she would usually be at the market herself. I lived 3 blocks from her facility for many years. I adore the sign in front of one of her storefronts: It's simply a white cube. Jenny is fantastic.
Hi, I have my old and lovingly battered copy of Asian Tofu.
I just learned you have another book: Making Soy Milk and Tofu at Home.
Are there (many) other tofu making recipes in the second book or should I just stick to the Asian Tofu book?
(It's not the money that's a problem but I have limited shelf space, so I'm only really interested in books I would use a lot - like my copy of Asian Tofu.)
Ah, you have the book! The making soy milk and tofu book is an excerpt of the how-to section of the main book. We originally had video in the ebook. So, no new content in there!
In your opinion, what’s a moderate amount/frequency of tofu each week? I probably have it 2-3 times any average week, but with all of these new ideas I can see myself adding it in even more frequently!
Such a good question, Erin. We have tofu on our table 2 or 3 times a week too. We're a household of 2 and go through 1, often times 2 tubs of tofu a week. It depends on the type of tofu too. I was looking at research studies about this and -- surprise! -- no conclusive guidelines are provided. It's because it depends on how the soy was processed and what kind of soy is consumed.
So, my personal approach is to keep things natural and simple. Some weeks we eat tofu only one time. Most often, we have it twice because there are leftovers. Other times, it's 3x a week. Granted, sometimes, I panfried tofu and use it for different dishes throughout the week so 1 or 2 pounds of tofu goes a long way!
You're welcome. There's so much confusing information to get through and I've had such a time with it, I figure I may spare other people.
Regarding microwaving tofu: Pour off the water, cut the tofu however you need it to be, then microwave it in say 1 minute increments. I've seen instructions to microwave a block of tofu but that takes a while. You can always quarter the block of tofu, microwave it, then cut it into smaller pieces for your recipe. It may be easier to handle that way. I hope I was clear... sorry for any confusion.
Love this post! As a vegan I eat tofu all the time and although it’s gone up in popularity, it’s still so misunderstood. Many people don’t know what to do with it, but there are endless possibilities with this super-versatile ingredient.
Nice discussion, Andrea. I lean heavily on tofu in my quest to become more plant based and always have some in my 'frig. IMO great stuff!
A question: On a few occasions I've had "sesame tofu" at Japanese restaurants. Wow, so creamy and delicious, but I don't really know what it is -- sesame "milk" mixed with coagulant? Can tofu be made from any nut plus coagulant?
Sesame tofu (gomadofu) is made from finely ground sesame seed, water, and a thickener (not a coagulant). I've only had it at a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant in Kyoto. I've never made it but here's some information and a worthy recipe: https://justhungry.com/goma-dofu-sesame-tofu-not-tofu
In Honolulu, I had peanut tofu so I suppose you could. use peanut butter instead of tahini.
You have really hooked me with when you started this Mediterranean /MIND /beMINE /tofu thread. Tofu specific now though, will you get to the instructions, pros & cons of air-drying tofu?
Sadly the "gift link" does not allow the recipe for the Crispy Tofu. And although I have a news subscription I still cannot access the recipe. The NYT sometimes really sucks!! Even gifts only get the reader part of the article, and a subscription is meaningless.
Congrats on PTFS being a well deserved 2X Featured Publication! It’s great to see how many people have commented on this post. Clearly there is a lot of interest! It makes me sad when I hear people say they don’t like tofu. There are so many different and delicious ways to enjoy it. Thank you for sharing Kim’s method for freezing tofu. I’ve only tried it once, but silly me froze an entire block in its liquid and it took so long to thaw I don’t think I ever even used it.
OMG I finally got around to reading this and Andrea, I am so honored to be featured in your writing, by name no less! This is going on my Wall Of Life Achievements :-D
I love love love Eric Kim and have tried his frozen crispy tofu recipe, with great success. Could you specify why you make an exception to your no-freeze rule for this specific recipe? What would happen were we to use other water removal methods and throw, say, microwaved tofu on a piping hot sheet pan? I guess I should give it a try but I have just moved to a small village in the French countryside and there is no tofu anywhere. Guess I'm going to have to make my own! They don't have soybeans either. Guess I'm going to have to grow my own soybeans!! If you need me I'll be in the garden!
I love tofu. It’s a far cry from “flavorless” so many people still tag it with. My granddaughters and son are celiacs (like myself) and were unable to eat eggs or chicken. And of course the children longed for nuggets. I made them “un-chicken” nuggets made with tofu and a vegan batter. My fryer was busy for a long while that night. I did freeze my tofu, and then soaked it in a vegan “chicken” bullion. They were almost ready to give it a pass, but I managed to get them to try one bite. They didn’t know or trust tofu. Sigh, however that is the only way I can get them to even try tofu. They are very picky eaters and live happiest in junk food land. Which shocks me as son grew up with junk food being a treat now and then, not a constant.
But this really should not surprise me as I seen so many grocery carts filled with sugary cereal, chips, cookies, frozen nuggets and soda, with small children in tow. How and when did our country’s diet go so wrong?
Love this series! I was watching a video Miyoku Schinner did on air frying tofu and Miyoku commented that she prefers Trader Joe’s tofu. We were just talking about their tofu in our fun Trader Joe’s get together. The recipe looked good. Sometimes I am very content to either fry regular tofu and eat it with soy sauce or have warm or cold silken tofu with soy sauce. (Japanese style-depending upon season)
TJ tofu is very good. Hannah Che and I agree with Miyoko (I think her company private labels TJ's vegan butter!). Fried tofu is versatile. I go back and forth on air-frying, though. Yes to tofu and shoyu!
Hi Andrea,
Love your posts!
However, I believe you are misleading your readers about the benefit of tofu by misinterpreting the two studies you cited.
The Chinese study did not show that eating more soy "actually reduce[d] breast cancer risk." Instead, the study used a meta-analysis of prospective studies to suggest that higher soy consumption "was associated with a 3%... reduced risk of breast cancer."
We all know that meta-analysis is junk science. Also three percent association is not at all meaningful.
More importantly, the study did not control for diets and lifestyles. The women who ate more soy also ate more fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, chicken, dairy, and more calories. They had higher household income. They were more educated. And more of them lived in urban areas. In short, these women were wealthier and healthier. Yet, they didn't have lower risks of cancer!
The other study specifically said "the current evidence offers no substantial support for the hypothesis that women of Asian ethnicity experience distinct effects from soy isoflavones in breast cancer risk."
It also concluded that different ethnic groups with different lifelong diets is "the most important determinant of beneficial health effects from soy foods."
I like soy and tofu. I eat it on a regular basis. I'm not against tofu. Do I think it's a healthy food? Yes, but no more or less than other proteins.
I think with your large platform and dedicated readership, you can be more responsible with your advocacy.
Hi Khai,
You make a good point about meta-studies. Primary research is costly so people crunch existing data. I referenced the article because of its longitudinal perspective and large N number.People are self-selecting when it comes to taking part in studies so I always keep that in the back of my mind.
What was promising about the 3% claim was this statement from the abstract, "... each 10 mg/day increment in soy isoflavone intake was associated with a 3% (95% CI 1–5%) reduced risk of breast cancer." I considered the use of the term "reduced" in my language and chose it after consideration. And, yes to having a well-rounded diet of other foods. The cMIND study included that statement, also.
Regarding the other 2019 study referenced, you're correct. The study I referenced looked into poor studies in the past and aims to establish a neutral position on it. What gets my head scratching is how there were observational stating that there may be a link. I'm clearly not a data research scientist because I failed to correctly interpret the study. But why didn't someone just come out and say, observational studies aren't sufficient.
Soy is strangely a hot-button issue. LIke you, I regularly eat it tofu. It's delicious, healthy, food. But when I'm trying to help others become more familiar with soy, the issues of health risks come up. It's difficult.
So, I appreciate your correcting me and watching out for my back! Thank you!
This is the most comprehensive summary review of studies done on soy that I've seen:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/soy/
And the conclusion of the review? There is no conclusion :)
What's not in dispute is soy is rich in nutrients and is a complete plant protein.
I"m glad you like that article, too! It's already listed under "More Tofu Health Info", right below my Summary.
Thanks again, Khai! 🤜 🤛
Thrilled for this series! I eat and love tofu in all its forms and it’s one of my regular sources of protein. Plus, I am lucky to know my neighborhood tofu maker (Jenny Yang of Chicago’s Phoenix Bean / Jenny’s Tofu) so I can get the freshest yummiest tofu!
You know Jenny???? That makes me utterly happy, Martin. I wish I had a tofu maker like her nearby. I interviewed her for the tofu NYT story way back. She has so many good products.
Yes! I helped set up a neighborhood farmers' market just as she was starting to get out there and sell, and she would usually be at the market herself. I lived 3 blocks from her facility for many years. I adore the sign in front of one of her storefronts: It's simply a white cube. Jenny is fantastic.
This was so interesting! I love tofu and keep some small blocks in my fridge for stir frys
Yay!!! I was concerned that I was covering too much but said to myself, "Heck, it may be help to others!"
Hi, I have my old and lovingly battered copy of Asian Tofu.
I just learned you have another book: Making Soy Milk and Tofu at Home.
Are there (many) other tofu making recipes in the second book or should I just stick to the Asian Tofu book?
(It's not the money that's a problem but I have limited shelf space, so I'm only really interested in books I would use a lot - like my copy of Asian Tofu.)
Ah, you have the book! The making soy milk and tofu book is an excerpt of the how-to section of the main book. We originally had video in the ebook. So, no new content in there!
Yes, I saw after I asked my question that the other book had 30-something pages, so I assumed I wouldn't really need it.
Thank you for replying so quickly though.
In your opinion, what’s a moderate amount/frequency of tofu each week? I probably have it 2-3 times any average week, but with all of these new ideas I can see myself adding it in even more frequently!
Such a good question, Erin. We have tofu on our table 2 or 3 times a week too. We're a household of 2 and go through 1, often times 2 tubs of tofu a week. It depends on the type of tofu too. I was looking at research studies about this and -- surprise! -- no conclusive guidelines are provided. It's because it depends on how the soy was processed and what kind of soy is consumed.
So, my personal approach is to keep things natural and simple. Some weeks we eat tofu only one time. Most often, we have it twice because there are leftovers. Other times, it's 3x a week. Granted, sometimes, I panfried tofu and use it for different dishes throughout the week so 1 or 2 pounds of tofu goes a long way!
I hope I've not confused you!
That makes sense to me!! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
I want to learn more about tofu skins and tofu noodles please!
Putting them on my tofu-to-do list, Maria!
Thank you for your "commonsensical" post about tofu. You are such a good writer, you summarized perfectly my feelings about tofu.
Question: can you clarify how to microwave tofu? drain then microwave (how long?) or keep in its water and microwave? Thank you.
You're welcome. There's so much confusing information to get through and I've had such a time with it, I figure I may spare other people.
Regarding microwaving tofu: Pour off the water, cut the tofu however you need it to be, then microwave it in say 1 minute increments. I've seen instructions to microwave a block of tofu but that takes a while. You can always quarter the block of tofu, microwave it, then cut it into smaller pieces for your recipe. It may be easier to handle that way. I hope I was clear... sorry for any confusion.
Ngoc Tran, are you my mother or are you another Ngoc Tran?
Yes Elise this is your mom. Funny to see you here. I must have raised you right if you know to appreciate PTFS!
This is all too amazing. Thank you both for making my week!
Love this post! As a vegan I eat tofu all the time and although it’s gone up in popularity, it’s still so misunderstood. Many people don’t know what to do with it, but there are endless possibilities with this super-versatile ingredient.
Hooooray, Sascha! Tofu yearns to be in every kitchen. Let's spread the bean curd word!!!
Nice discussion, Andrea. I lean heavily on tofu in my quest to become more plant based and always have some in my 'frig. IMO great stuff!
A question: On a few occasions I've had "sesame tofu" at Japanese restaurants. Wow, so creamy and delicious, but I don't really know what it is -- sesame "milk" mixed with coagulant? Can tofu be made from any nut plus coagulant?
Sesame tofu (gomadofu) is made from finely ground sesame seed, water, and a thickener (not a coagulant). I've only had it at a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant in Kyoto. I've never made it but here's some information and a worthy recipe: https://justhungry.com/goma-dofu-sesame-tofu-not-tofu
In Honolulu, I had peanut tofu so I suppose you could. use peanut butter instead of tahini.
Elizabeth Andoh has a recipe for gomadofu. I can’t remember which book it’s in. She’s got a traditional recipe and a shortcut one. It is so delicious!
You have really hooked me with when you started this Mediterranean /MIND /beMINE /tofu thread. Tofu specific now though, will you get to the instructions, pros & cons of air-drying tofu?
Lee -- I will discuss air-frying tofu pros and cons. I've been playing with it and... have feelings! Thanks for the AFT interest.
Awesome, thanks! I have an adversion to frying.
Sadly the "gift link" does not allow the recipe for the Crispy Tofu. And although I have a news subscription I still cannot access the recipe. The NYT sometimes really sucks!! Even gifts only get the reader part of the article, and a subscription is meaningless.
NYT is tricky. I added a separate gift link for the recipe. Thanks for flagging that Pam!
Works perfectly now. Thanks
Congrats on PTFS being a well deserved 2X Featured Publication! It’s great to see how many people have commented on this post. Clearly there is a lot of interest! It makes me sad when I hear people say they don’t like tofu. There are so many different and delicious ways to enjoy it. Thank you for sharing Kim’s method for freezing tofu. I’ve only tried it once, but silly me froze an entire block in its liquid and it took so long to thaw I don’t think I ever even used it.
OMG I finally got around to reading this and Andrea, I am so honored to be featured in your writing, by name no less! This is going on my Wall Of Life Achievements :-D
I love love love Eric Kim and have tried his frozen crispy tofu recipe, with great success. Could you specify why you make an exception to your no-freeze rule for this specific recipe? What would happen were we to use other water removal methods and throw, say, microwaved tofu on a piping hot sheet pan? I guess I should give it a try but I have just moved to a small village in the French countryside and there is no tofu anywhere. Guess I'm going to have to make my own! They don't have soybeans either. Guess I'm going to have to grow my own soybeans!! If you need me I'll be in the garden!
I love tofu. It’s a far cry from “flavorless” so many people still tag it with. My granddaughters and son are celiacs (like myself) and were unable to eat eggs or chicken. And of course the children longed for nuggets. I made them “un-chicken” nuggets made with tofu and a vegan batter. My fryer was busy for a long while that night. I did freeze my tofu, and then soaked it in a vegan “chicken” bullion. They were almost ready to give it a pass, but I managed to get them to try one bite. They didn’t know or trust tofu. Sigh, however that is the only way I can get them to even try tofu. They are very picky eaters and live happiest in junk food land. Which shocks me as son grew up with junk food being a treat now and then, not a constant.
But this really should not surprise me as I seen so many grocery carts filled with sugary cereal, chips, cookies, frozen nuggets and soda, with small children in tow. How and when did our country’s diet go so wrong?