Tofu

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Breast cancer risk³

  Eating more tofu was linked to lower breast cancer risk, but scientists say more studies are needed to be sure.

• Open question

  Womb cancer risk⁴

  In postmenopausal women, eating more isoflavones was linked to fewer cases of endometrial cancer, but tofu itself showed no clear link.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol and blood pressure⁵

  In people, eating freeze-dried tofu instead of meat lowered cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure.

• Concern

  Gout and uric acid⁶

  Eating tofu raised uric acid levels slightly in healthy people and some gout patients, but not all.

• Open question

  Heart and blood sugar health⁷

  In people, eating Kori-tofu daily for four weeks changed cholesterol and blood sugar markers, but no more than the comparison food did.

• No harm found

  Muscle strength with aging⁸

  In older women, dried tofu taken with walking exercise did not boost thigh muscle strength or size.

• Benefit

  Stroke risk in women⁹

  In younger women, eating more tofu was linked to fewer bleeding strokes, but scientists do not yet know whether this is real.

• Benefit

  Anemia risk in adults¹⁰

  In a Chinese survey, people who ate more tofu were less likely to have anemia.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Essential minerals in food¹¹

  Flavoured tofu had the most sodium and iron, and eating it daily would add a lot of copper, iron and sodium.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.