Legumes, soy and plant protein
Firm tofu on a GLP-1: protein, portions and how to actually eat it
About 14 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), firm, pressed, for around 130 calories. Half a block, about 150 g (5.3 oz), gives roughly 21 g of protein for 195 calories.
To reach 30 g of protein from firm tofu alone you would need about 214 g (7.5 oz). On a small appetite that is often more than one sitting allows, which is why we pair it rather than chase the whole target from one food.
How firm tofu sits on a GLP-1
Firm tofu is soft, mild and takes on whatever it is cooked in, which is a good set of properties for a GLP-1: no smell, no chewing to speak of, and none of the aversion that hits meat. It is a complete protein at about 14 g per 100 g (3.5 oz), lower in density than meat, so the serve has to be bigger for the same grams. Half a block is about 21 g, and that only works if the tofu tastes of something, which means pressing it and seasoning it properly.
When your appetite is small
Crumble it instead of cubing it. Crumbled firm tofu fried with soy, garlic and a little sesame oil becomes something like a savoury mince, takes flavour far better than cubes do, and 150 g (5.3 oz) of it in a small bowl over rice is about 21 g of protein. Add an egg stirred through at the end and it is 28.
Three ways to prepare it
Crumbled and fried like mince
Press the water out, crumble by hand, fry hot with soy and garlic until the edges brown. Serve in a lettuce cup or over a little rice.
Cubed, dusted in cornflour and baked crisp
Pressed cubes tossed in cornflour and oil, 25 minutes at 200C, about 390F. Crisp outside, soft inside, and good cold from the fridge the next day.
Simmered in a miso or curry broth
Cubes dropped into a broth for five minutes. Wet, warm, no chewing, and the broth carries the flavour the tofu lacks.
What to eat it with
Soy, ginger, garlic, sesame, chilli, peanut sauce, or a curry. Tofu has no flavour of its own, so the sauce is the meal. An egg or some edamame alongside lifts the leucine, which tofu is a little short of compared with dairy.
How it compares
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm tofu | about 14 g | 130 kcal | this page |
| Tempeh | about 19 g | 190 kcal | See the page |
| Silken tofu | about 6 g | 60 kcal | See the page |
| Paneer | about 18 g | 300 kcal | See the page |
All figures are typical values for the food as eaten, firm, pressed, not laboratory figures for a particular brand.
Australian, US and UK names
Firm and extra firm tofu in all three countries, sold in blocks of about 300 to 450 g (10.6 to 16 oz) in water. Extra firm holds together best for frying and crumbling. Tofoo and Cauldron are the UK supermarket brands, Nasoya and House Foods the US ones, and Australian supermarkets carry several local brands alongside Asian grocer imports.
Questions people ask
Is tofu a complete protein?
Yes, soy protein has all the essential amino acids. Firm tofu is about 14 g per 100 g (3.5 oz), so it takes 150 g (5.3 oz) to reach 21 g, about double the weight of chicken for the same protein. It is lower in leucine than dairy or meat, so an egg or a glass of milk in the same meal helps.
Your number comes first
Knowing what is in a food only helps once you know how much you are aiming for. The target is 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of your goal weight, not your current weight, which for most people is 90 to 140 g a day.
Work out your protein targetMore on eating well when your appetite is small: high protein foods for a small appetite, how much protein on a GLP-1, and every food we have written up. The whole system in five documents is the Keep Muscle Kit, A$47 / US$29 / £23.
EverStrong provides nutrition and strength coaching and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescribing doctor.