Can you eat tofu raw? Tofu is a plant based protein that is common among vegetarians or vegans. It is one of the alternative ways of how vegan and vegetarians obtain their protein food source. The idea of eating tofu raw is kind of strange because tofu honestly is already a cooked food. There would be no reason to try eating tofu raw if it is cooked already.
Can you eat tofu raw? Photo credit: iStock-etienne voss
If you did eat raw tofu, it poses minimal risk of any type of food borne illness. And that of course depends on how it is being prepared if it is safe to eat. Obviously if you eat anything raw there will always be some risk of contamination or getting sick. The best way of reducing the risk is to make sure it is cooked.
Some of the common symptoms of foodborne illness are diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, gas, nausea, headache, etc. Some of the individuals that are at high risk for foodborne illness is:
- People over the age of 65
- Pregnant women
- People that have autoimmune conditions
What Is The Best Way To Eat Tofu Safely?
Drain any excess liquid from the packaging and store the tofu in moderate temperatures to prevent germs from storing. A temperature that isn’t ideal is from 40 degrees to 140 Fahrenheit which is known as the danger zone.
Some of the different ways that tofu can be cross contaminated:
- Restaurants
- During the manufacturing process
- At the farm
- During the processing phase
Some of the different varieties of tofu food are the following:
- Prepared– Which can be served with salads and sandwiches.
- Firm-This can be used for grilling and broiling and is the most versatile.
- Soft/Silken– This is a good alternative to dairy and eggs that can be blended with smoothies.
Tofu is a plant alternative to eating animal meats and is common for vegans and vegetarians.
The Nutrients Facts of Tofu are:
A 3 ounce of Tofu contains about 70 calories and 8 grams of protein. And it contains nutrients such as copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. It also contains all of the nine essential amino acids which are important for building and maintaining lean muscle mass.
Those nine essential amino acids are:
- Valine
- Lysine
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Histidine
- Tryptophan
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
“The idea of eating tofu raw is kind of strange because tofu honestly is already a cooked food.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike
The Bottom Line is tofu is always typically cooked when you purchase it so eating it raw isn’t even an option. Tofu is a popular alternative plant-based meat for vegetarians and vegans that don’t want to consume animal meat.
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References
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- Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Dec;116(12):1970-1980. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025. PMID: 27886704.
- Leonard MM, Sapone A, Catassi C, Fasano A. Celiac Disease and Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity: A Review. JAMA. 2017 Aug 15;318(7):647-656. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.9730. PMID: 28810029.
- Bascuñán KA, Vespa MC, Araya M. Celiac disease: understanding the gluten-free diet. Eur J Nutr. 2017 Mar;56(2):449-459. doi: 10.1007/s00394-016-1238-5. Epub 2016 Jun 22. PMID: 27334430.
- Saturni L, Ferretti G, Bacchetti T. The gluten-free diet: safety and nutritional quality. Nutrients. 2010 Jan;2(1):16-34. doi: 10.3390/nu20100016. Epub 2010 Jan 14. PMID: 22253989; PMCID: PMC3257612.
- Hollon JR, Cureton PA, Martin ML, Puppa EL, Fasano A. Trace gluten contamination may play a role in mucosal and clinical recovery in a subgroup of diet-adherent non-responsive celiac disease patients. BMC Gastroenterol. 2013 Feb 28;13:40. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-13-40. PMID: 23448408; PMCID: PMC3598839.
