In a group of people, we all can find at least one person who is recently turned into a vegan. And if you are one of them, you will understand how different is your diet from a non-vegan. In case you are confused with the term ‘Vegan’, it means a person who avoids animal fats and includes more greens and veggies to their diet like berries, legumes etc.
And tofu is another popular vegan food, which made from soy milk. It also resembles cottage cheese or paneer and is used in preparing several dishes. But according to a recent research, this popular vegan food has various harmful effects on your health. So, in this article, we have shared some reasons why tofu is harmful to your health.
1. Genetic modification
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Tofu is a very popular vegan food product which is prepared by genetically modifying soybeans to obtain the flavour, texture, and softness. There several chemicals used in the process of this conversion which can have harmful effects on your health in you consume it on a regular basis. And according to various research studies, genetically modified foods like tofu can increase the chances of getting affected by serious liver and kidney diseases.
2. Hypothyroidism
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As we all know, tofu is made with soybeans which contain a harmful compound, isoflavone genistein which can block your thyroid glands and restrict it from producing enough hormones. Thus, it increases the chances of causing hypothyroidism in people who consume tofu regularly.
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3. Can lead to digestive problems
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Regular consumption of tofu can cause digestive problems like leaky gut, bloating etc. if not consumed with enough amount of fiber as it takes a lot of time to digest and also contain some compounds that can cause acidity.
4. Makes your bone weak
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Tofu can affect the capacity of your bone tissues to absorb vitamin D from the consumed food and sun rays. Furthermore, it can also lead to a deficiency of vitamin D in your body, which later can make your bones brittle and weak.
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5. Leads to nutritional deficiency
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It contains a compound known as phytate which provides tofu its firm texture. And this compound can prove to be hazardous to your health because it blocks your tissues from absorbing the essential nutrients like zinc, iron, calcium etc. Thus, causing nutritional deficiencies.
6. Causes breast cancer
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Earlier we discussed who tofu is prepared by a genetic modification which can further lead to various ailments which include breast cancer. According to science, breast cancer is a disease which is commonly associated with tofu because it contains phytoestrogens which can develop cancerous cells in your breasts.
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7. Heart diseases
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Usually vegan food is considered as healthy for the heart.But tofu is that one food that can affect your heart badly by making the your heart muscles thick, thus making it difficult to pump enough blood. Researches also believe that tofu also contains some compounds that can trigger this health condition.
8. Cognitive diseases
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According to various research studies, regular consumption of tofu is linked to degenerative cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia because of the presence of phytoestrogen which can stimulate degeneration of brain cells at a quick rate.
So, these were the few reasons why tofu is harmful to your health.
