The Skinny on Tofu Fat

Today, aging baby boomers who became aware of tofu in the ‘70s are giving it a second glance for health reasons. Morinaga Nutritional Foods Inc., which markets under the brand name Mori-Nu, jumped on the bandwagon in 1993 with a “lite” tofu, a 4-ounce serving of which contains 1 gram of fat and 47 calories as opposed to regular tofu’s six grams and 120 calories.

Other manufacturers joined in with booklets on fast and easy low-fat recipes, point-of-sale information and toll-free hotlines.

In terms of fat, Felando says, even four ounces of regular tofu has less saturated fat than an equal portion of a skinless chicken breast. Additionally, it contains to cholesterol. Tofu is an excellent source of complete protein with all essential amino acids.

Four ounces of firm tofu contain 120 calories and 6 grams of fat and no cholesterol, according to the Composition of Foods, United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutritional Information Service. While 50% of the calories in tofu come from fat, it is low in saturated fat. Generally, the softer the tofu, the lower the fat content. By comparison, 4 ounces of silken tofu contain 72 calories and 2.4 grams of fat.