Tofu vs. Tempeh vs. Seitan: Differences and Health Benefits
More women are rethinking their diet due to the increasing popularity of plant-based protein sources — not to mention sustainability. The famous trio — tempeh, tofu and seitan — are frequent subjects in nutritional debates, delving into which one gives the most benefit. Decide the best for you in this matchup between tempeh vs tofu vs seitan nutrition profiles.
Differences Between Plant-Based Alternatives
If you're a vegan or vegetarian, know your sustainable alternatives on a deep level to help you make a healthier food choice. Here are three distinctions.
Processing Ingredients
While tempeh and tofu are processed soy products and top plant-based alternatives for protein, differences exist in their ingredients.
Tofu is made from soy milk and water coagulated to form its soft and firm structure. It's blended with calcium sulfate or magnesium chloride brine agent during the process, causing the milk to curdle.
Meanwhile, tempeh is traditionally made from legumes and grains, but fermented soybeans, nuts and seeds are also options. These are soaked and cooked, then mixed with particular microorganisms to initiate the fermentation.
Seitan is made from wheat gluten, prepared by removing the starch and rinsing the wheat dough.
They're all nutritious and provide an excellent source for a wide array of essential compounds the body needs for proper functioning. As sought-after ingredients, they're often the main hero in many vegetarian dishes.
Tempeh vs Tofu Which Is Healthier
Tempeh is healthier as it has a better dietary number. A 3-ounce tempeh has 16 grams of protein, 7 grams of fibre, 6% of daily calcium, and 10% of iron requirement. Meanwhile, a similar serving of tofu only contains 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of fibre, 15% of the daily value of calcium and 8% of the daily iron needs.
Although the latter has richer calcium, tempeh wins in other numbers, including calories and carbs.
Tempeh vs. Tofu vs Seitan Nutrition Numbers
A plant-based diet has a lot of benefits for the body as plants contain compounds like polyphenols and isoflavones, the latter of which are found in high amounts in soybeans. These nourish the body and ease many women's conditions like PCOS.
Besides them, a rising star in non-animal protein is seitan. It has a dense brown colour and tastes chewy and savoury. You can buy them in cubes, slices or strips.
A 3-ounce or 85-gram serving of seitan, tofu and tempeh has the following nutrition.
TOFU
Calories - 80
Protein - 8g
Carbs - 2g
Fibre - 2g
Fat - 5g
Calcium - 15% of the DV
Iron - 8% of the DV
Potassium - 4% of the DV
Sodium - 10mg
SEITAN
Calories - 120
Protein - 21g
Carbs - 5g
Fibre - 1g
Fat - 2g
Calcium - 2% of the DV
Iron - 8% of the DV
Potassium - 0% of the DV
Sodium - 380mg
TEMPAH
Calories - 140
Protein - 16g
Carbs - 10g
Fibre - 7g
Fat - 5g
Calcium - 6% of the DV
Iron - 10% of the DV
Potassium - 8% of the DV
Sodium - 10mg
Putting each side by side, you’ll see that tempeh has a higher dietary content, so it’s not surprising that many choose it.
Health Benefits
Moving on to their health merits, each stands out in their own way.
Tofu takes the lead in bone health, apparent for its higher calcium composition. It's the best option to include in your diet to keep your bones healthy. Impressively, calcium-set tofu rivals the amount of calcium and bioavailability of animal milk. Bioavailability refers to the amount of calcium — or other substances — absorbed by the body. Dairy products have about 30% absorption. Ingesting a cup of milk with 300 mg of calcium will absorb about 100 mg. Overall, tofu is an excellent calcium source.
Tempeh contains an identical nutritional profile as tofu, so you're basically getting the same health benefits but with varying strengths. Both have what's called phytoestrogens, which are natural compounds in plants that mimic the function of the female hormone estrogen. Phytoestrogens can help balance hormonal levels in the body, essential for pregnant and menopausal women. If you start experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disturbances, natural hormone replacement therapy through a tempeh diet may help. Since it packs higher protein, it’s a staple in keto diets.
On the other hand, seitan may be a plant substitute, but it doesn't suit a gluten-free diet. However, its high protein and low carb content make it a top choice for people allergic to soy products. Since they're also versatile, they're integrable in many diet patterns. Some of its notable advantages include decreased risk for heart disease and diabetes. It may act as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the body and improves gut health.
Unless you strictly follow a specific diet to maintain a health condition, you're free to incorporate all three in your meals. The more sustainable selections you have, the better your food variations will be.
Choose Which Elevates Your Health and Palate
Foods have a healthy purpose, but there's nothing wrong with savouring and enjoying them. Each person has different preferences for flavour and texture, so pick whatever option feels right for you. There are distinctions between tempeh vs. tofu vs. seitan nutrition content, but they all pack a punch of multi-minerals. Have fun incorporating these three into a balanced diet.
_
Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.
