In the past, stinky tofu was widely considered an "unhealthy" food, but nowadays it has transformed into something good. Recently, according to a report from Taiwan's "Health" magazine, stinky tofu is rich in plant-based lactic acid bacteria and has excellent effects on regulating the intestines and promoting stomach health.
The report states that stinky tofu contains plant-based lactic acid bacteria, the same kind found in yogurt. Professor Sanae Okada of Tokyo University of Agriculture in Japan, known as the "father of plant-based lactic acid bacteria research," discovered that foods like stinky tofu and kimchi contain high concentrations of plant-based antimicrobial substances, including tannins and alkaloids. Furthermore, the survival rate of plant-based lactic acid bacteria in the intestines is higher than that of animal-based lactic acid bacteria.
There are two main types of stinky tofu: dried stinky tofu and fermented stinky tofu (stinky tofu curd), both of which are very popular snacks.
Although stinky tofu is a small snack, its production process is quite complex. It generally involves several steps such as frying, brining, and fermentation. Throughout the entire process, it must be conducted under natural conditions, with very high requirements for temperature and humidity. Lu Fei, director of the Beijing Food Research Institute, told reporters that the raw material, tofu skin, is already a highly nutritious soy product with a protein content of 15% to 20%, comparable to meat, and is also rich in calcium. After fermentation, the protein breaks down into various amino acids and substances like yeast are produced, which enhances appetite and aids digestion. Fermented stinky tofu has a very low saturated fat content, no cholesterol, and also contains soy isoflavones, a unique health component of soybeans. Therefore, it is called China's "vegetarian cheese," and its nutritional value is even higher than that of cheese.
Eating stinky tofu can also play a positive role in preventing Alzheimer's disease. A scientific study has shown that once stinky tofu is made, the most significant change in its nutritional composition is the synthesis of a large amount of Vitamin B12. Every 100 grams of stinky tofu can contain about 10 micrograms. A deficiency in Vitamin B12 can accelerate the aging process of the brain, thereby inducing Alzheimer's disease. Besides animal-based foods such as meat, eggs, dairy, fish, and shrimp, which contain relatively high amounts of Vitamin B12, fermented soy products can also produce large quantities of Vitamin B12, with stinky tofu having an especially high content.
Although stinky tofu is good, it should not be eaten in excess. Lu Fei pointed out two reasons: first, the salt content in stinky tofu exceeds the standard, which is not more than 6 grams per person per day, and this is especially important for people with high blood pressure. Even healthy people should set a limit, preferably not eating more than one piece per day. Second, fried stinky tofu is often made by briefly soaking fresh tofu in "stinky brine," allowing the bacteria and molds in the brine to decompose the protein in the tofu, which relaxes its structure and produces the stinky smell before it is fried. This process reduces its nutritional value, so it should be eaten as little as possible.
When eating stinky tofu, it tastes best when served in a steamed bun or with congee. Afterwards, it is recommended to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, as the Vitamin C they contain can block the formation of nitrosamines.