You all are well familiar with chicken, however, tofu is a coagulated form of soy milk. This coagulated soy milk is then compressed until it takes a firm texture. The other form of tofu is bean curd. This is because it is made by the curdling method similar to the process of making cheese.
But, is tofu healthier than chicken?
Tofu is very popular among vegetarians as a source of protein. That means it is an alternative to chicken. And definitely, it’s one of the healthiest alternatives to chicken. There are a lot of plus points in tofu as compared to chicken, which makes tofu more healthy. However, it all depends on how tofu is prepared and if there are any preservatives or additives present in it or not.
The article will give you a closer look at the comparison between tofu and chicken. You will also get to know about the nutritional value of both these sources of protein.
Table of Content
Tofu Vs. Chicken Calories And Nutrition Facts
Both Tofu and chicken are rich in proteins but the number of calories per 100 gram is different in both.
Tofu is low in calories and fats as compared to chicken. This is the reason Tofu is healthier.
We can differentiate both based on Nutritional Information.
Tofu Nutritional Information:
100-gram tofu contains 76 calories.
The following table depicts the nutritional information about Tofu.
| Nutrients | % Daily Values |
| Total fat 4.8g | 77% |
| Saturated fat 0.7 g | 3% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 7 mg | 0% |
| Potassium 121mg | 3% |
| Total Crabs 1.9 g | 0% |
| Dietary fiber 0.3g | 1% |
| Protein 8g | 16% |
| Iron | 30% |
| Calcium | 35% |
| Magnesium | 7% |
Chicken Nutritional Information:
A 100-gram chicken contains 239 calories.
The following table depicts the nutritional information about chicken.
| Nutrients | % Daily values |
| Total fats 14g | 21% |
| Saturated fat 3.8g | 19% |
| Cholesterol 88 mg | 29% |
| Sodium 82 mg | 3% |
| Potassium 223 mg | 6% |
| Total carbs 0g | 0% |
| Proteins 27 g | 54% |
| Iron | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 20% |
| Magnesium | 5% |
| Calcium | 1% |
| Cobalamin | 5% |
Is Tofu Healthier Than Chicken?
A lot of people want to know whether tofu is healthier than chicken or not. They ask, ‘Is tofu better than chicken?’
So, yes tofu is more healthy as compared to chicken. There are several different reasons for this.
Tofu is low in calories as compared to chicken. This is because it has less amount of carbohydrates, whereas chicken is high in carbs.
So, what’s healthier, chicken or tofu? If you want to lose weight while preserving your muscle mass, definitely tofu is a better option.
People also ask, is tofu more fattening than chicken? If we talk about tofu vs chicken calories, tofu is not much fattening as it has less amount of calories.
Apart from being low in calories, tofu has a good amount of vitamins and minerals.
Along with the other minerals, tofu is rich in iron. This is good for people who are suffering from iron deficiency anemias or a low hemoglobin count. So, if you want to increase your iron intake along with weight loss, tofu is better than chicken.
Tofu also has some other health benefits.
For example, it is good for your heart. Tofu can lower your bad cholesterol levels making your heart healthy.
Also, it has Omega -3 fatty acids that are good for proper brain functioning. It also has more calcium compared to chicken. So, we can say tofu is healthier than chicken.
Tofu Vs Chicken Bodybuilding
No doubt, tofu is a vegetarian protein source and way better than chicken as it is more healthy.
But when it comes to bodybuilding, things get different. A bodybuilder needs to eat more protein to build muscles and maintain exercise stamina.
Protein is necessary to make the muscles strong and it doesn’t work in smaller amounts. Because if you have to work only on preserving your muscle mass, the amount of protein in tofu is enough. Also, you can lose weight in a better way by eating tofu.
But, in bodybuilding, you have to make more muscles along with preserving the muscle mass.
Hence, you need to add a lot of protein to your diet. For this purpose, bodybuilders prefer adding chicken breast to their diet.
Comparing tofu vs chicken protein: A 100 gram of tofu contains 8 grams of protein, whereas a 100 gram of chicken contains 27 grams of protein.
Because of this high protein content, bodybuilders prefer to eat chicken rather than tofu.
So, is tofu healthier than chicken breast? Yes, it is healthier if you want to lose weight, but for bodybuilding, chicken is a better option.
Tofu Health Benefits And Side Effects
Tofu is the best vegetarian source of protein. It can be a better substitute for chicken and has several health benefits. This is because it is more nutritious than chicken.
Also, it is low in calories.
Following are some common health benefits and side effects of eating tofu.
Tofu Health Benefits:
Because of the enriched nutritional profile, tofu has a lot of health benefits.
Following is the list of common health benefits of tofu.
- Tofu is high in protein and contains zero cholesterol, therefore, helping in weight loss.
- Tofu contains selenium and other antioxidant compounds that reduce the risk of cancer by combating the damage caused by free radicals.
- The high fiber content of tofu regulates normal bowel movements and also helps to ease constipation.
- Tofu is high in phytoestrogen, so it eases the symptoms in menopausal women.
- Tofu contains a good amount of calcium that maintains bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
- Tofu can increase the blood flow to muscles to preserve muscle mass, therefore it is best to eat after a workout.
- Tofu can lower bad cholesterol levels, hence lowering the risk of atherosclerosis.
- Tofu contains a lot of healthy nutrients that can preserve the elasticity of the skin and prevents the skin from aging.
- Tofu is good for diabetics as it maintains blood sugar levels and aids in the proper production of insulin hormones.
All these benefits combine to make tofu a good source of protein that you can add to your diet. So, tofu is healthier than chicken due to all these health benefits.
Side Effects of Eating Tofu:
Although tofu is beneficial for health, it has a few side effects observed in some people.
Following are the common side effects of eating too much tofu.
- Eating tofu can increase the risk of breast cancer in women.
- Tofu can cause digestive problems such as diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
- Tofu is more processed as compared to meat and the preservatives can be harmful to health.
- Eating tofu can stimulate allergic reactions in some individuals.
- Eating too much tofu in pregnancy can lead to abnormal development of fetuses.
All of these are the harmful consequences of eating tofu in large quantities.
However, these side effects are not very common. A moderate quantity of tofu is good to eat as it boosts overall human health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much tofu is equivalent to chicken?
If we compare the amount of protein in both tofu and chicken, A 100-gram of chicken contains 27 grams of protein, so almost 170 grams of tofu will be carrying the same amount of protein. And talking about the overall nutritional value 280 grams of tofu will be equivalent to 140 grams of chicken.
Is tofu or chicken better for weight loss?
Tofu is better than chicken when it comes to weight loss. As for weight loss, you need to eat a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein. When it comes to chicken, it has high protein but it is also high in carbohydrates. On the other hand, tofu is low in carbs. The protein is a bit lower as compared to chicken but it is fine for weight loss.
Is tofu more filling than meat?
How much filling the food is, depends on the number of proteins it contains. As meat is high in protein as compared to tofu, the meat is more filling. Also, it depends on how much tofu or meat you’re eating. The more protein you will consume, the more you will feel full.
Bottom Line
Is tofu healthier than chicken? Yes, it is!
There are certain conditions in which tofu is a better option as compared to chicken. For example, for weight loss, tofu is the best protein option to include in a healthy diet.
Especially, if you’re following a low carbohydrate diet, nothing can be better than adding tofu as a protein source.
But if you’re a bodybuilder, you must go for adding chicken to your diet to make sure your muscles get a good amount of protein.
