Winter Recipes Featuring Tofu

The following recipes* will benefit patients with a cancer diagnosis, high cholesterol and heart disease, or who have milk and dairy allergies and need another way to obtain calcium from their food because of milk and dairy limitations.

• Sweet and Sour Tofu
• Tofu Teriyaki

Why is tofu good for you?

In 1990, the National Cancer Institute launched an extensive research program on the relationship between soy and cancer. Scientists identified several possible anticancer substances, (anticarcinogens), in soybeans.

Soybeans are rich in a group of compounds called phytochemicals. Phytochemicals may play an important role in lowering the risk of a wide range of cancers.

One type of phytochemicals called genistein is especially noteworthy. When genistein is added to different types of cancer cells in test tubes, such as breast, colon, lung, prostate, skin and leukemia, the growth of these cells stop. So far, soy is the only food in which genistein has been found in high concentrations.

Eating soy foods may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Most foods that are rich in protein are also too high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Soy foods are high in protein, with no cholesterol and only very low amounts of saturated fat. Soybeans are also high in fiber.

Soy is a good alternative for some food allergies, as well. One of the most common food intolerances at National Jewish is to dairy products and milk. For some time now, lactose intolerant people have turned to soy milk as a milk replacement. Tofu is a product of soy milk. It can be scrambled and can sometimes be used in baked goods as an egg replacement.

View recipes from the previous issue of Health-E-News.