How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Some say it has the "slippery texture of seal skin." Others say it is like, "biting into a sponge." One student says, "It reminds me of a scrambled egg consistency."

The word tofu literally means "bean" in Japanese. Soy is an ancient crop from East Asia that was domesticated as early as 6-7,000 B.C., almost 9,000 years ago!

Tofu is made from ground soybeans. They are ground in water, heated, and curdled with minerals like calcium or magnesium salt. The result is a tofu-like gel. The liquid is then extracted to make the tofu firm. The whole process is similar to paneer or cheese curds. This is how tofu gets its uniquely smooth, moist, and mushy texture.

Tofu is famous because of its popularity in Asia, and among vegetarians who use it for meat replacement. 1lb of soybeans contains as much protein as 2lbs lean meat!. Tofu is attractively economically as a reasonably priced protein source.

But why curdle the beans? Because curdling denatures the bean proteins, making soy easier to digest. The tofu can also be fermented, making it even easier to digest.

Connoisseurs will notice a slight sweetness and bitterness to tofu. Even though tofu is smooth, one student noted, "The astringency / dryness dried out my mouth. I had a dry, rough sensation after eating the tofu."

Footnote: The information for this article was in part gathered from a 2019 study and survey of 50 students of Ayurveda who experimented with tofu. During the study, students ate tofu for 3 days and journaled the pharmacological effects. This study was sponsored by the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, and the Mastering Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition certification course.

Anti-Aging

Tofu moisturizes the skin and joints. The dull, cooling properties make it useful for hot, fiery or dry skin conditions. Tofu improves elasticity of skin, reducing wrinkles. Its estrogenic properties make it ideal for dryness due to menopause. Vatas should exercise caution: tofu moisturizes skin but it is also a diuretic, which can dry out a sensitive Vata constitution.