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Tofu vs Meat


m_p_w
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Hi I am new here.

I have some questions concerning Tofu and other soy products.

Is it true that people can eat Tofu and other soy products to get all the essential amino acids?

Normally bodybuilders get 1g of proteins from meat per 1kg(or 1 pound, it depends) of their weight (so they eat form 1 pound to 1kg of meat depends on their body weight) and it is safe to do this with tofu?

And is it a good idea to get all the essential amino acids from tofu to build muscles (or it does not work this way)?

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soy is a very complete protein ( it's what tofu is made from), from my knowledge it has a very balanced amino acid profile

 

as for relying on tofu for a good deal of protein intake, i probably wouldnt, some have a good amount of fat (less than beef i think??) and from my memory, i don't believe tofu is very calorie dense, meaning you would have to eat alot more tofu to get the same amount of calories ( and therefore protein ) as from say, beef

 

just from checking nutritiondata.com, the best tofu i could find, came in at 6g of protein per 84g serving, whereas sirloin beef (i have no idea what that means, i was looking for mince) for an 84g portion of it, it would be 17.7g protein, approximately 3x as much

 

if you wanted to replace beef in a bodybuilders diet, you would have to feed them 3x as much tofu, so it's not too viable, i like to add it to stir fries and stuff, for a decent protein hit, but i wouldnt be relying on it heavily for protein because i'd have to eat too much of it

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Tofu has a pretty good amino acid score because it's made from soybeans, about 105-120 depending on how it's processed. But make sure you are eating Organic tofu because in non-Organic tofu they use hexane, an environmental toxin, to separate the bean curd from the liquid.

 

I personally try not to focus a lot on tofu, I eat maybe 1/2 to 3/4 block a day.

 

Dried split peas, white/black/kidney and garbanzo beans have an amino acid score about about 105. I tend to eat a lot of these in large quantities, up to 1lb dry a day on lifting days.

 

Remember protein quality is as important as quantity.

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If you are in the US, and have access to Trader Joe's, they sell an organic super-firm high-protein tofu in 1 lb blocks. In an 85 gram serving, it packs 130 calories, 7 grams fat, 3 grams carbs, and 14 grams protein. I alternate between this and Trader Joe's organic 3-grain tempeh as part of my daily meals. I also eat a lot of rice and beans, which make up a large percentage of my daily protein.

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