Does eating fermented bean curd cause cancer? Is it a health "killer"? Don't miss these unexpected benefits~

Fermented bean curd is a condiment invented in my country. There are many varieties of fermented bean curd, such as red fermented bean curd, white fermented bean curd, and sauce fermented bean curd. It can be eaten alone as a side dish for porridge; it can also be used as a condiment to cook dishes with unique flavors.

However, there are many rumors about this kind of pickled and fermented product: some people think that it is a fermented food and should be good for health; others think that it is fermented by mold and will have toxin residues, and it also contains nitrite that can cause cancer?

So can this fermented bean curd still be eaten?

Fermented bean curd has a history of more than a thousand years in China. It is a fermented soy product made by fermenting tofu with specific molds and then pickling it with salt and various spices.

1 piece of fermented bean curd is equivalent to 12 grams of salt?

It's not that exaggerated.

The high salt content of fermented bean curd is indeed its shortcoming, but it is not as exaggerated as the rumors on the Internet. Usually, a piece of fermented bean curd weighing about 10 grams contains about 0.3 grams of salt.

Generally speaking, it is acceptable to consume no more than one piece per day. You can also choose low-salt fermented bean curd as much as possible to control your sodium intake.

In addition, the fermentation process of fermented bean curd does not produce nitrite, but it may appear during the storage process, so it is best not to buy fermented bean curd produced by some small workshops to avoid risks. It is recommended to buy fermented bean curd products produced by regular manufacturers in supermarkets and markets.

2Does fermented tofu contain aflatoxin, is it harmful to health?

Fermented bean curd is made by first turning soybeans into tofu → growing mold on the tofu → adding salt to marinate → adding brine to bottle → sealing and marinating. “Mold growing on tofu” is part of the normal process.

On the one hand, manufacturers will directly inoculate "beneficial mold species" into tofu during the production process, which will not produce aflatoxin and will not cause disease; on the other hand, these molds are mainly used to break down the protein in tofu and produce additional nutrients such as amino acids and B vitamins, which is somewhat similar to brewing soy sauce and soybean paste, so there is no need to worry about a threat to health.

Don’t be fooled by its unremarkable appearance, the nutritional content of fermented bean curd is quite impressive.

In addition to the high-quality protein, isoflavones, oligosaccharides, saponins and other nutrients inherent in tofu, many other beneficial ingredients are produced and increased during the fermentation process.

1. Increased isoflavone activity helps prevent coronary heart disease. In unfermented soy products, isoflavones mainly exist in the form of flavonoid glucosides; after fermentation, they become free isoflavone aglycones, which have broader and stronger antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, estrogen activity and other biological activities.

A study in the United States found that free isoflavone aglycones are more effective in preventing and treating coronary heart disease and are easier to be absorbed by the human body.

2 Newly produced vitamin B12 helps prevent pernicious anemia. During the production process of fermented bean curd, due to the action of microorganisms, the originally non-existent vitamin B12 is synthesized. The content of vitamin B12 in every 100 grams of fermented bean curd is about 10 micrograms.

If people lack vitamin B12 in their diet, it is easy to cause megaloblastic anemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly can also lead to memory loss, insomnia, depression and other problems.

3. Inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase, which may prevent Alzheimer's disease. According to research by Japanese scholars, fermented bean curd can significantly inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase. The acetylcholinesterase produced by the human body is an enzyme that decomposes substances transmitted by nerve endings, and its presence is related to the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

4. Improved protein utilization, helping to lower cholesterol. There is some plant fiber in soybeans, which is difficult for the human body to digest and hinders protein absorption. However, after being hydrolyzed by microbial enzymes, a low-molecular polypeptide mixture is generated, which is easy to digest and absorb, increasing the protein digestibility in fermented bean curd from 65.3% to 96%.

Numerous studies have shown that the amount and properties of protein in fermented bean curd are comparable to those of animal foods, and it does not contain cholesterol. In addition, animal experiments have also shown that the hydrophobic protein components in fermented bean curd can bind to bile acid, reducing the absorption of cholesterol and the reabsorption of bile acid in the body.

① Good fermented bean curd tastes smooth and fragrant, while bad fermented bean curd tastes sour, smelly or has other strange smells. If the fermented bean curd is black, it is not suitable to buy it.

Notice

White fermented bean curd does not contain any auxiliary ingredients and is its natural color; red fermented bean curd is made with red yeast rice and is red in color; green fermented bean curd is bean green in color because bitter water and salt water are added during the pickling process.

② Fermented bean curd should be placed in a glass bottle, sealed, and stored in a cool and dry place, or it can also be placed in the refrigerator's fresh-keeping room.

③ Fermented bean curd contains high salt and purine. Patients with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, gout and gastrointestinal ulcers should not eat it.

④ Fermented bean curd can be used as a condiment to replace part of the salt in daily cooking; it can also be spread directly on steamed bread slices or flatbreads; in addition, people with a strong taste can replace the pickles served with porridge with half a block of fermented bean curd, which is relatively healthier.

Source: The Great Doctor Teaches You How to Eat