Seitan vs Tofu: Diet, Style, and Recipes

Have ever questioned in regards to the dietary advantages of seitan vs tofu? Possibly you want some inspiration on easy methods to use them? You’ve come to the proper place! On this put up, I’ll provide you with a dietitian’s tackle the dietary variations between the 2 in addition to style, texture, cooking strategies, and recipes.

Though seitan and tofu haven’t been carried in American grocery shops till the final 100 years or so, they’ve an extended historical past as an ingredient in Asian delicacies. As the recognition of plant-based diets within the West has grown and extra folks wish to cut back their meat consumption, you is likely to be attempting out tofu or seitan for the primary time.

In case you might have ever questioned in regards to the dietary advantages of seitan and tofu or possibly you want inspiration on easy methods to use them – you’ve come to the proper place! As a plant-based dietitian, I like the comfort and flexibility of each of those elements.

What’s Tofu?

• Tofu is a soy product made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant equivalent to nigari, magnesium chloride, calcium sulfate, or magnesium sulfate after which urgent the solids right into a block and cooling it. The longer the curds are pressed, the extra agency the tofu. The method is definitely similar to making a dairy-based cheese.
• The various kinds of tofu you discover within the retailer have completely different ranges of firmness from silken tofu to additional agency. You wish to take note of what kind of tofu a recipe requires since they don’t seem to be all the time interchangeable. 
• If you’re involved in a deep dive into the historical past of tofu, I discovered this historical past of tofu put up to be fascinating.
• Look: Tofu is often bought in a delicate, creamy white block packed in water. You’ll be able to often discover tofu within the fridge on the retailer. Nonetheless, it may also be bought in shelf steady containers.
• Style: Tofu has little to no taste which suggests it may be dressed up in any variety of methods with marinades, sauces, and many others.

What’s Seitan?

• Seitan (ie. “wheat meat”) is a well-liked meat substitute made out of gluten, which is the protein contained in wheat. To isolate the gluten, wheat flour is washed to take away the starch in order that solely the gluten is left behind.
• Seitan dates again to the sixth century in historic China the place Buddhist monks created it as an alternative choice to meat. This meat different was launched to the West within the Nineteen Sixties by George Oshawa the founding father of the macrobiotic weight loss program. 
• Look: Seitan is just not very visually interesting because it usually appears to be like like a lightweight brown lumpy mass however it may be formed or manipulated in quite a lot of methods like slices, grounds, and many others. 
• Style: Seitan has a yeasty and delicate nutty taste that works nicely in savory recipes. It has a chewy texture that may mimic the feel of meat, making it fashionable as a vegan meat substitute.

Diet Comparability

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the macronutrient and micronutrient composition of tofu and seitan. 

Well being Advantages

Coronary heart Well being

• Each tofu and seitan are nice sources of protein but in addition low in saturated fats, sodium, and include zero ldl cholesterol. Changing meals excessive in saturated fats and ldl cholesterol like pink meat with meals like tofu and seitan might decrease danger of coronary heart illness. 

Blood Sugar Administration

• The carbohydrate content material of each tofu and seitan is low which makes them an incredible choice for many who want to watch their carbohydrate consumption. 

Wealthy in Antioxidants

• Tofu and different soy meals are wealthy in isoflavones, that are highly effective phytonutrients with antioxidant and estrogen-like properties. There was plenty of analysis into isoflavones as there was concern it might enhance estrogen-receptor constructive breast most cancers danger. Nonetheless, analysis has ruled out any concern about breast most cancers and notes that there could also be diminished danger of most cancers in those that commonly eat soy meals like tofu.

Bone Well being

• Tofu is an efficient supply of protein and plenty of manufacturers are a great supply of calcium, each of which assist bone well being. Select tofu that has been “calcium-set” if you wish to embrace extra calcium into your weight loss program.

Is Seitan or Tofu More healthy?

If you’re trying to incorporate extra plant-based protein into your weight loss program, each tofu and seitan are nice vegan protein sources!

Tofu does supply some extra advantages as an entire protein supply in addition to calcium, phosphorus, and antioxidants. Nonetheless many individuals love seitan attributable to its excessive protein content material – twice as a lot per serving than tofu. 

Generally, I like to recommend consuming a plant-based weight loss program that includes a lot of selection so eat each tofu and seitan! The one group that I’d counsel keep away from seitan is anybody with a gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity. The identical goes for tofu, anybody with a soy allergy ought to keep away from tofu.

My solely grievance with tofu and seitan is that they’re low in dietary fiber, however they’re simple to make use of in meals that embrace different excessive fiber meals like grain bowls and stir fry.

The best way to Incorporate into Your Eating regimen

Tofu

There are numerous methods to incorporate tofu in your weight loss program from tofu pudding & smoothies to stir fry and sandwiches. Experiment with all of the completely different textures of tofu which are bought: silken, delicate, medium, agency, and additional agency. Every can be utilized in several methods in recipes. 

Since tofu is actually flavorless, you’ll wish to add tons of taste with completely different sauces and spices. You’ll discover tofu within the fridge part of the grocery retailer or in vacuum sealed shelf steady packages within the worldwide aisle. 

Seitan

The meaty texture of seitan makes it a great substitute for rooster or beef in recipes. Seitan might be served in quite a lot of methods equivalent to steaks, strips, chunks, or floor.

Seitan has little or no taste so be sure that so as to add a lot of spices or sauces so as to add extra taste. We love utilizing floor seitan as different to floor beef in dishes like these seitan tacos.

You could find seitan within the grocery retailer within the refrigerated part, often with the tofu and different plant-based meals. Many merchandise like plant-based chick’n can be made out of seitan, however will not be labeled as such.

You’ll be able to often inform if a product is seitan when you see important wheat gluten within the ingredient record. It’s also comparatively easy to make your individual seitan. Here’s a information on easy methods to make seitan.

Storage

• Tofu:
  • Fridge: Retailer unopened tofu within the fridge and use it by the expiration date listed on the bundle. Opened tofu might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days after opening. Cooked tofu might be saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
  • Freezer: Tofu may also be frozen, however it fully adjustments the feel from clean to chewy. The chewy texture of thawed frozen tofu makes it an incredible choice for plant-based rooster like nuggets or tenders.
• Seitan:
  • Fridge: Retailer unopened seitan within the fridge and use it by the expiration date listed on the bundle. Opened seitan might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days after opening. Cooked seitan might be saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
  • Freezer: You may as well freeze seitan if you wish to hold it for as much as 3-4 months. Simply thaw within the fridge the night time earlier than you propose to cook dinner it.

FAQs

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