If you arent a vegetarian now and havent been one in the past, you probably also havent eaten tofu many times. In fact, the only time most people hear about tofu it is in jokes aimed at vegetarians.
So why is it that vegetarians eat this stuff all the time? Is is it simply because they have no other choice?
The answer is both yes and no.
Being a vegetarian doesnt mean you have to eat tofu. In fact, there are many vegetarians who never eat tofu or any popular meat-replacement dishes–such as “veggie burgers” or “tofurkey”–for that matter.
As long as they research and create meal plans, vegetarians can maintain a healthy diet eating traditional meals or ethnic dishes.
Tofu is often cited as something exclusively vegetarian because it is a versatile, highly-nutritional, and can be used to replace meat dishes.
Not only can it be created in textures, consistencies, and flavors that simulate a range of meats–from turkey to hamburg–but it can also actually replace and far exceed the nutritional value of similar meat dishes.
While vegetarians do not actually need to consume tofu, doing so...