The benefits of eating raw tofu and the risks that need to be known

You must be familiar with the source of tofu protein, also known as tofu. This food is very often consumed by Indonesians. Usually, tofu is fried, sautéed, or added to soup before eating. However, what if you eat raw tofu? What are the benefits and risks of eating raw tofu?

Can you eat raw tofu?

Tofu is a food made with soybeans as the base ingredient. To make tofu, soybeans are soaked, boiled, and made into milk. Then, the soy milk is boiled again and a thickening substance called a coagulant is added to form the tofu.

Thus, no one knows which is completely raw. The tofu that you buy at the supermarket or at the market is actually ripe because the process of making it is through boiling. So, can you eat the newly purchased tofu? The answer, of course, is okay.

Benefits of eating raw tofu

Tofu contains a variety of nutrients that are good for the body. Based on Indonesian Food Composition Data published by the Ministry of Health, the following are the kinds of nutrients in 100 grams of raw tofu:

Water: 82.2 grams
Calories: 80 calories
Protein: 10.9 grams
Fat: 4.7 grams
Carbs: 0.8 grams
Fiber: 0.1 grams
Calcium: 223 mg
Phosphorus: 183 mg
Iron: 3.4 mg
Sodium: 2 mg
Potassium: 50.6 mg
Copper: 0.19 mg
Zinc: 0.8 mg
Beta Carotene: 118 mcg
Vitamin B1: 0.01 mg
Vitamin B2: 0.08 mg

Reporting from Healthline, eating raw tofu is a quick way to add vegetable protein to your diet. Raw tofu is also a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and copper.

In addition to getting nutrition from tofu quickly, eating raw tofu also reduces the extra fat you get from cooking, such as frying. Thus, raw tofu is a low-calorie food so it is suitable for those who are losing weight.

Risks of eating raw tofu

Even though tofu can be eaten just like that, consuming raw tofu has risks that need to be watched out for. The reason is, tofu can be contaminated with bacteria during the manufacturing process.

Bacterial contamination can occur from other raw foods, such as chicken, beef, etc., unclean manufacturing sites, or contamination from someone who makes them if they sneeze, cough, or don't wash their hands before making the tofu. In addition, dirty water in making tofu can also contaminate tofu.

Eating raw tofu that is contaminated with bacteria can cause diseases of the digestive system. Symptoms that may occur when eating contaminated raw tofu include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence. More severe symptoms may also occur, such as bloody diarrhea, fever, or diarrhea that lasts for several days.

Although it is risky for anyone, consuming raw tofu is most risky for someone with weak immunity, such as infants, elderly people over the age of 65, pregnant women, and people with autoimmune conditions.

Reducing the risk of consuming raw tofu

To be safe and avoid the risks of consuming raw tofu, there are several things that need to be done. Here are the steps that need to be taken before eating raw tofu:

Discard any remaining liquid in the tofu package.
Rinse or clean the tofu with boiled water.
Use clean utensils, like a knife, to cut the tofu.

If you don't eat it immediately after buying it, you can store it. Reporting from eatfresh.org, raw tofu can be stored in the refrigerator and in this condition tofu can last up to a week so you can still eat it at a later date. To make it more durable, tofu can also be frozen inside freezer and can last up to five months.