Taho, according to Wikipedia, is a Pinoy snack made of fresh soft or silken tofu, arnibal (sweetener and flavoring), and sago pearl or tapioca pearls.
Health benefits of Taho/Tofu:
- Reducing the risk of getting breast cancer. Tofu is an excellent food from a nutritional and health perspective. It is thought to provide the same sort of protection against cancer and heart disease as soya beans.
- Helps prevent Heart Disease. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of soy peptides found in fermented soy food like tofu can help protect the blood vessels from oxidative and inflammatory damage.
- Lowers Cholesterol. Soya protein (from which tofu is derived) is believed to help lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) which also helps in preventing obesity.
- Prevention of type 2 diabetes. High levels of total soy intake (approximately 200 grams per day) have also been associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes . Soy foods have been shown to lessen insulin resistance by increasing the synthesis of insulin receptors.
- Reduces menopausal side effects. During the menopause, the body’s natural production of estrogen stops and symptoms may arise. As phytoestrogens act as a weak estrogen, they may help relieve symptoms by boosting levels slightly, reducing hot flushes in some women.
- Helps your gastrointestinal tract. There is some evidence, mostly in animal studies, that soyasaponins can lessen the rate of lipid peroxidation in blood vessels, lessen absorption of cholesterol from the GI tract, and increase excretion of fecal bile acids.
Nutrients from Taho/Tofu:
Tofu is a good source of protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. It is also an excellent source of iron and calcium and the minerals manganese, selenium and phosphorous. In addition, tofu is a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1.
WARNING:
Soya can lower LDL and the risk of some cancers can also do some harm if eaten in excess. Since tofu and all soya products contain large amounts of oxalate, individuals with a history of oxalate containing kidney stones should avoid over consuming soya products. Women who have or have had estrogen-sensitive breast tumours should restrict their soya intake to no more than four servings per week.