The ‘Other’ White Protein: Old Curds Revived as the Next Big Thing
You can steam it. You can bake it. Grill it or fry it. Marinate it or smoke it. It takes on the flavour of what it is cooked with and it can be used to make anything from main dishes to desserts, whether soft or firm. It can even be rendered into any functional shape, from sheets to burgers. No this is not some cutting edge, lab-contrived, 3D-printed revolutionary food product; it’s one of the oldest in the book.
World Tofu Day is annually observed on July 26 to honour this ancient plant-based alternative to meat. It was created by the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) Canada to offer an opportunity for people to celebrate plant-based diets and to encourage them to bring animal-friendly foods onto their menus. The first World Tofu Day was marked in Montreal, 2014, with at least 12,000 people attending a vegan barbecue on the inaugural fete. This date celebrates the many alternatives to animal products and the many advantages of living a cruelty-free lifestyle. It's also a day to get people to try tofu and to view it in a new way, as a tasty, versatile food that can easily replace many animal-derived products.
Tofu originated in Eastern Asia and is made from 'ta-fou' meaning 'great beans' or soybeans which were first discovered in China and are one of the oldest crops in the world. Although technically a legume, soybeans are known in China as one of the '5 sacred grains'. Consumption of tofu dates back to the Han Dynasty in China from around 200 BCE where soybeans were widespread and the tofu was easy to make and an affordable option as an alternative to meat and poultry. As a good source of protein it was already associated with healthy eating back at this far-flung time.
Explorers from the West came across tofu in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but it wasn't until the early twentieth century, when Asian immigration to the West expanded, that tofu reached the broader culture. The Book of Tofu, a seminal work, published in 1975, did much to help introduce tofu to the Western world as well as to encourage plant-rich diets.
Today tofu is at peak performance in the Japanese market and it’s likely to stay dominant across the Asian Pacific. Each Japanese province has its distinct method of producing tofu, reflected in the wide range of ways it is consumed. World Tofu Day seeks to highlight the numerous ways tofu has influenced people around the world, and the promising future of this product with the multitude of ways in which it is being incorporated into completely novel products. Europe and North America have seen major growth as the number of vegan consumers has increased demand with tofu-based products now holding 30 percent of the global meat substitute market as of 2023.
Old as it is, there’s nothing passé about the famous pale curds: Tofu has seen a surge in popularity as more people switch to a plant-based diet due to its versatility and nutritional value. The global tofu market size was valued at USD 2.81 billion in 2022 and is poised to grow from USD 2.96 billion in 2023 to USD 4.43 billion by 2031, at an annual growth rate of 5.2 percent.
Tofu is a multi-purpose ingredient, made from soybeans that are curdled and then pressed into blocks. It is high in protein, relatively low in calories, and low in carbohydrates. It is low in saturated fat but higher in heart-healthy fats. Tofu contains iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and calcium, and is sometimes fortified with other minerals and vitamins. The health benefits of tofu are renowned. It includes a good wallop of isoflavones, which are potent antioxidants. As a result, it reduces the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Isoflavones are natural substances found in soy. This oxidative stress plays a role in ageing and the onset of certain chronic diseases and helps retain bone density. The mix of fibre, protein, and isoflavones in tofu is good for the heart and lowers cholesterol, also reducing the risk of diabetes and alleviating menopausal symptoms. Substituting tofu for animal products like meat, eggs, and dairy also reduces the overall amount of saturated fat in the diet. According to one study, women who consume tofu frequently may be around 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Similarly, tofu may reduce the incidence of prostate cancer in men by up to approximately 50 percent.
On World Tofu Day, let us celebrate this humble yet remarkable food, arguably yet to be fully embraced by South Africans, which has nourished and delighted people across the globe for millennia.
Media Contact
ProVeg South Africa - Wikus Engelbrecht - Communications Manager: wikus.engelbrecht@proveg.org; +27 64 172 0120
About ProVeg South Africa:
ProVeg South Africa is the local branch of ProVeg International. ProVeg is an international food awareness organisation working to transform the global food system by replacing conventional animal-based products with plant-based and cultured alternatives.
ProVeg works with international decision-making bodies, governments, food producers, investors, the media, and the general public to help the world transition to a society and economy that are less dependent on animal agriculture and more sustainable for humans, animals, and the planet.