Tofu vs Seitan – Which is Healthier?

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Our Verdict

When comparing tofu to seitan, we picked the tofu.

Why?

This one is not close!

In terms of macros, seitan does have about 2x the protein, but it also has 6x the carbs and 6x the sodium of tofu, as well as less fiber than tofu.. So we’ll call it a tie on macros. But…

Seitan is also much more processed than tofu, as tofu has usually just been fermented and possibly pressed (depending on kind). Seitan, in contrast, is processed gluten that has been extracted from wheat and usually had lots of things happen to it on the way (depending on kind).

About that protein… Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it has all of the essential amino acids. Seitain, meanwhile, is lacking in lysine.

When it comes to vitamins and minerals, again tofu easily comes out on top; tofu has 5x the calcium, similar iron, more magnesium, 2x the phosphorous, 150% of the potassium, and contains several other nutrients that seitan doesn’t, such as folate and choline.

So, easy winning for tofu across the board on micronutrients.

Tofu is also rich in isoflavones, antioxidant phytonutrients, while seitan has no such benefits.

So, another win for tofu.

There are two reasons you might choose seitan:

  • prioritizing bulk protein above all other health considerations
  • you are allergic to soy and not allergic to gluten

If neither of those things are the case, then tofu is the healthier choice!

Want to learn more?

You might like to read:

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  • The Anti-Stress Herb That Also Fights Cancer

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    What does Rhodiola rosea actually do, anyway?

    Rhodiola rosea (henceforth, “rhodiola”) is a flowering herb whose roots have adaptogenic properties.

    In the cold, mountainous regions of Europe and Asia where it grows, it has been used in herbal medicine for centuries to alleviate anxiety, fatigue, and depression.

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    Well, let’s just say the science is more advanced than the traditional use:

    ❝In addition to its multiplex stress-protective activity, Rhodiola rosea extracts have recently demonstrated its anti-aging, anti-inflammation, immunostimulating, DNA repair and anti-cancer effects in different model systems❞

    ~ Li et al. (2017)

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    Let’s first look at the science for the “traditional use” trio of benefits:

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    Please don’t just take our word for things! Reading even just the abstracts (summaries) at the top of papers is a very good habit to get into, if you don’t have time (or easy access) to read the full text.

    Reading the abstracts is also a very good way to know whether to take the time to read the whole paper, or whether it’s better to skip onto a different one.

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      • The fact is, while we found mountains of evidence for rhodiola’s anxiolytic (antianxiety) effects, they were all small and/or animal studies. So we picked a human study and went with it as illustrative.
    • Perhaps you noticed that the paper we cited for fatigue pertained mostly to stress-related fatigue.
      • This, we think, is a feature not a bug. After all, most of us experience fatigue because of the general everything of life, not because we just ran a literal marathon.
    • Perhaps you noticed that the paper we cited for depression said it didn’t work as well as sertraline (a very common pharmaceutical SSRI antidepressant).
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    Bonus features

    Rhodiola also putatively offers protection against Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebrovascular disease in general:

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    It may also be useful in the management of diabetes (types 1 and 2), but studies so far have only been animal studies, and/or in vitro studies. Here are two examples:

    1. Antihyperglycemic action of rhodiola-aqeous extract in type 1 diabetic rats
    2. Evaluation of Rhodiola crenulata and Rhodiola rosea for management of type 2 diabetes and hypertension

    How much to take?

    Dosages have varied a lot in studies. However, 120mg/day seems to cover most bases. It also depends on which of rhodiola’s 140 active compounds a particular benefit depends on, though salidroside and rosavin are the top performers.

    Where to get it?

    As ever, we don’t sell it (or anything else) but here’s an example product on Amazon.

    Enjoy!

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    For more about actually making habits stick quickly and reliably,enjoy:

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    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

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