6 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Tofu

If you’re a meat-eater, you may have never tasted tofu. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, it might be a regular part of your diet. Tofu has become more popular over the years, especially as a reliable protein source for those who don’t eat meat. While it seems to have a reputation as a healthy food, the truth is that tofu isn’t as healthy as you might think.

What Is Tofu?

Tofu is made from soy, which is one of the most commonly genetically modified foods in the world. It’s made by curdling soy milk, then pressing the resulting curds into soft, white blocks. Tofu is great in terms of nutritional content, which is why many people consider it a healthy food. But even with the nutrients it contains, tofu is far from beneficial to your body.

This Is How Tofu Damages Your Body:

1. It Contains GMO’s

At least 90% of all soy grown in the United States is genetically modified. The majority of soy products are made from Monsanto Roundup Ready soybeans, which are genetically engineered. GMO foods are linked to numerous health problems. GMO’s kill off the good bacteria in your gut, damaging your digestive system.

2. It Contains Phytoestrogens

Tofu contains plant-based estrogens that block normal estrogen production in the body. These compounds have been linked to several health issues, including breast cancer. Some studies suggest that soy feeds certain breast cancers due to its ability to behave like estrogen.

3. It Disrupts The Thyroid

Soy contains goitrogenic compounds. These compounds block thyroid hormones and can interfere with thyroid hormone production, leading to hypothyroidism. Studies suggest that the intake of soy products can negatively affect the body, starting at a very early age. A 2004 study showed that infants who were fed soy formula had a prolonged increase of thyroid stimulating hormone, compared to infants fed non-soy formula.

4. It Can Cause Cognitive Problems

Soy tofu has been linked with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders found that eating high amounts of tofu was linked to a worse memory. Another study found a significant relationship between two or more servings of tofu per week and “accelerated brain aging.”

5. It Can Cause Digestive Difficulty

Tofu and other unfermented soy products contain strong enzyme inhibitors. These block the action of the pancreatic enzyme trypsin, along with other proteolytic enzymes that the body needs for protein digestion. Enzyme inhibitors disrupt a healthy digestive process and can cause problems with the pancreas.

6. It May Contribute To Heart Issues

Researches looked into the effect of a soy-rich diet on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. This condition makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood. While tofu is often marketed as a heart-healthy food, this study showed the opposite results. Researchers found that a soy-rich diet worsened HCM, This suggests that it may instead have profound negative effects on the heart.