The isoflavones it contains, like other foods, would be beneficial according to a large American observational study.
Data from 200,000 participants in three studies was analyzed by researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. These studies focused on the link between diet and health. According to their results, consume tofu more than once a week was linked to an 18% lower risk of heart disease, compared with a 12% lower risk among people who ate less than once a month.
Beneficial plant proteins
These are the isoflavones, vegetable proteins, which are here pointed out for the benefit brought to a good cardiovascular health. However Qi Sun, who is one of the main authors of this study, notes that “Tofu is not a quick fix”. However, it indicates that “The quality of the overall diet remains essential, and tofu can be a very healthy component”. He recalls that in China or Japan, where populations traditionally follow diets rich in isoflavones, the risk of heart disease observed is lower than among populations following a Western diet. Isoflavones can be found in edamame soybeans, chickpeas, split peas, pistachios and peanuts. They thus constitute an alternative to animal proteins, points out Santé Log.
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