14 Oct Eats From Your San Francisco Chinese Restaurant: Time To Try The Tofu

Han Lijun

Chinese food might be a favorite among Americans, especially people in the City by the Bay, but if there’s one thing about the cuisine that many raise their eyebrows to, it has to be tofu. Nevertheless, any reputable Chinese restaurant in San Francisco still includes a host of tofu dishes in their menu. If you know and understand the wide array of benefits that tofu can offer you, you just might realize why it’s a staple for most Chinese dishes, and why it’s always worth a try.

Tofu fights cancer.

Studies suggest that eating tofu could decrease your risk of getting cancer, as the peptides in soybean were found to slow the growth of colon cancer cells by as much as 73% and liver cancer by 70%. These same peptides may also help to block a few of the pathways of cancerous cells in the body.

Tofu is protein.

Whatever your stand on the vegetarian lifestyle may be, there’s one truth that you couldn’t refute: if they eat tofu, they get just as much protein as anyone eating meat. A mere half cup of tofu contains about 10 grams of protein. Aside from this, tofu also has a significant amount of calcium and iron.

Tofu promotes weight loss.

As SF Gate writer Erin Coleman, R.D., L.D. states in article, eating tofu can also help a lot if you’re looking to lose weight without having to consume less protein. This is because of its low calorie content:

Your overall calorie intake is most important when you’re trying to lose excess body weight. To lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages you to reduce your intake by 500 to 1,000 calories every day. Weight-loss diets generally contain 1,000 to 1,600 calories per day, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Regular tofu prepared with calcium sulfate contains only about 94 calories in each 1/2-cup portion.

Tofu helps combat skin aging.

Soy beans help fight aging. It slows down the signs of skin aging by helping you keep the elasticity of your skin and it even tones the muscles on your face. If you want to go the extra mile, take it from others who don’t just eat the tofu, they make a paste out of it and apply it on their skin, too!

So the next time you’re visiting the best Chinese restaurant in San Francisco , be sure to ask for their tofu dishes! Places like Chili House SF always have some on the menu for you to enjoy. Unless you have soybean allergy, there’s no reason for you not to try their nutritious and tasty tofu dishes.

(Source: Tofu & Weight Loss , SF Gate)