What benefits can tofu bring us, and how can it protect the heart and cardiovascular health? How to eat, how much to eat can have nourishing effect? Let's have a look!
1, studies show that isoflavones protect the cardiovascular system.
Recently, a study was published in the international journal Circulation. Researchers from Harvard University and domestic universities conducted a data survey on 200,000 participants, and found that people who eat more than 1.50 grams of tofu per week may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 1.8% compared with those who don't eat tofu! Among them, soybean isoflavone plays a major role.
1, what is soybean isoflavone?
Isoflavone is a secondary metabolite of plants, which is widely distributed in herbs. Because of its similar structure to human estrogen, it is also called "phytoestrogen". Isoflavones can affect hormone secretion, protein synthesis, growth factor activity and metabolic substance circulation.
Soybean is the main source of human isoflavones in known foods. Soybean not only refers to soybeans, but also includes mung beans and black beans.
2. Tofu is the "treasure house" of soybean isoflavone.
Every 100g soybean contains isoflavones 128mg, every 100g soybean milk contains 9.65mg, and every 100g tofu (wet) contains 27.74mg, and tofu (dry) contains isoflavones above 200mg. Tofu can be said to be the "treasure house" of isoflavone.
3. Soybean isoflavone protects cardiovascular system.
Soybean isoflavones can protect cardiovascular health in four ways:
Auxiliary prevention of thrombosis
Soybean isoflavone can reduce platelet activity by inhibiting tyrosine kinase and reducing tyrosine protein phosphorylation in platelets. This will reduce the coagulation level, and harmful substances in the blood will not be easily deposited and accumulated on the blood vessel wall, thus helping to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and thrombosis.
Reduce harmful cholesterol
Soybean isoflavone can play an estrogen-like role, promote thyroid and bile excretion, increase the metabolism of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not reduce the amount of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and maintain the stability and health of blood lipid level.
Biological antioxidation
After oxidation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, it is easy to develop into foam cells on the arterial wall, and then form atherosclerotic plaques, which is the key factor causing atherosclerosis. Soybean isoflavone has biological antioxidant effect, which can enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes, inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol and enhance the elasticity of arterial wall.
Interfere with blood sugar
Studies have shown that soybean isoflavone can inhibit the absorption of sugar in small intestine and better regulate the balance of sugar metabolism in the body. Lowering blood sugar is helpful to reduce blood viscosity and prevent atherosclerosis induced by high glucose.
2. Tofu not only protects blood vessels, but also has five benefits.
In addition to protecting the cardiovascular system and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, tofu has other benefits:
1, two-way regulation of estrogen
Studies have shown that when the level of estrogen in human body is too high, soybean isoflavone can occupy the position of estrogen receptor competitively and play the role of weak estrogen; When the estrogen level is too low, it can supplement the functional deficiency of estrogen.
2. Improve female osteoporosis.
After the decline of ovarian function in middle-aged and elderly women, the level of estrogen decreases, which leads to the negative balance of bone metabolism and the accelerated decline of bone mineral density, which is more prone to osteoporosis and fractures. Soybean isoflavones can help reduce bone loss, increase the absorption of calcium and improve bone density by exerting estrogen-like effects.
3. Supplement high-quality protein.
The content of protein in soybean and bean products is twice that of pork and 2.5 times that of eggs, and its amino acid composition is similar to that of animal protein, which is close to the proportion needed by human body, so it is easier to be digested and absorbed.
4. Supplement high-quality fatty acids
Soybean fat is also a kind of high-quality fat, which contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids. Tofu is a kind of high-quality food without cholesterol but rich in lecithin, which helps to enhance brain vitality, eliminate brain fatigue and promote the repair of brain cells, and has a certain effect on preventing Alzheimer's Harmo's disease.
In addition, lecithin can also promote gastrointestinal blood circulation and gastrointestinal peristalsis, which is helpful to prevent or improve constipation.
5, help reduce the risk of cancer.
Bean products contain five known anti-cancer factors, which are helpful to inhibit the proliferation of bad tumors and the spread of cancer cells, and can reduce the incidence of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer and skin cancer.
Tofu is good, but we should pay attention to how to eat it.
Although tofu has high nutritional value, it is not recommended to eat it without restriction, and everything should be controlled. When eating tofu or other bean products, you need to pay attention to:
1, tofu contains high purine.
Tofu is roughly divided into north tofu, south tofu and lactone tofu. Among them, the content of purine in the north bean is low, with 68mg； of purine per 100 g; South bean curd and lactone bean curd are high purine foods, which contain 96 mg of purine and 100 mg of purine, respectively.
Purine in tofu belongs to plant purine, and the absorption rate of human body is low. Patients with high uric acid gout can eat a small amount, and pay attention to avoid eating when gout attacks.
It's better to eat more than often.
Eating a lot of tofu at one time or for a long time is also a burden to the body's metabolism. First of all, excessive plant protein may hinder the body's absorption of iron and cause indigestion; A large amount of nitrogen-containing waste produced after its metabolism is easy to increase the burden on the kidneys.
Secondly, soybeans that make tofu usually contain saponin, which can promote the excretion of iodine in the human body. Long-term excessive consumption of tofu is at risk of iodine deficiency. So I suggest you eat tofu in moderation, not too much at a time. Healthy people eat no more than 400 grams a day.
3. Japanese tofu is not tofu.
The main raw materials of Japanese tofu are eggs and water, and only a small amount of soybean raw materials are added, or they are not added at all, so they cannot be used as a substitute for tofu. Moreover, the calcium content of Japanese tofu is usually less than half that of North and South tofu, but the sodium content is 53 times that of lactone tofu, so put less salt when eating.
4, simple 4 strokes to choose tofu!
Tofu and cabbage have their own tastes. You can choose according to your own taste, but you must buy fresh ones.
1 and the difference between three kinds of tofu
South tofu is generally solidified with gypsum powder, which is tender in texture and has a water content of about 90%. Beidoufu is made of brine or acid paste, which is tough and easy to cook, and its moisture content is 85% ~ 88%. Lactone tofu is formed by adding gluconic acid-δ-lactone, which is smoother and has higher water content than both.
Lactone tofu can be stored at room temperature of 25℃ for two days without deterioration, while ordinary tofu may only be stored for 5~6 hours. It is recommended to put it in the refrigerator in time when the weather is hot. However, the contents of protein and calcium in lactone tofu are lower than those in North and South tofu.
2, choose tofu to see these four.
Look at this color.
Fresh, high-quality south tofu has no water lines and impurities, and is white and delicate; Beidoufu is yellowish with a small amount of bubbles in the middle; Lactone tofu is delicate, soft and light yellow. Inferior tofu may be dull in color, uneven in texture and not delicate enough.
Look at this part
Fresh tofu is smooth and tidy, and there is less debris after cutting. If there is sand, the cut surface is pitted, hard and rough, it is not fresh.
smell
Fresh tofu has a faint bean smell, while stale tofu may have a bad smell or a bad smell in protein.
Look at the ingredient list
Many foods marked with "tofu" don't actually add much soy ingredients, such as konjac tofu and milk tofu, so pay attention to the ingredient list when buying sealed tofu.
3. "Cabbage tofu keeps you safe"
Chinese cabbage and tofu are a classic combination, simple and affordable, with high nutritional value, which is suitable for almost everyone.
Stewed tofu with cabbage
0 1 material
Kelp, Muyu flower, Chinese cabbage, tofu, dried seaweed, ginger and garlic.
02 practice
Soak kelp and Muyu flowers in a bowl of boiling water in the morning (scallops and kelp can also be used instead), and take out the ingredients at night, leaving the soup for later use; Tear the Chinese cabbage into chunks by hand, dice the tofu and blanch it with hot salt water; Boil the soup, add 2 or 3 dried seaweed, a little garlic and ginger to boil; Add tofu and cabbage and stew for 5-7 minutes; Shred the soaked kelp and put it in a pot for a little cooking. 03 efficacy
Regulating blood lipid and blood sugar is suitable for patients with three highs, obesity, fatty liver and diabetes, but not for those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold.