Silken Tofu Soup with Crabmeat

Use silken tofu and crabmeat to make an easy, satisfying soup you can use as a main dish or appetizer. Balance hormones during menopause with Tofu Crabmeat Soup, low in carbs and rich in plant based protein and phytoestrogen.

Health Benefits of Tofu

Tofu is a soy-based food and is made by pressing curdling soy milk into a solid block. There are different textures of tofu: some are firm and some are soft. Soy is a rich source of isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogens. Despite some controversies around soy, evidence so far shows that soy has protective health effects when consumed as part of a healthful, well-balanced diet. Potential benefits include: balancing estrogen, reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, and mitigating cancer risk, and protecting bones.

Controversies around Soy and Tofu

There are four main controversies around soy.

1)Is soy a common allergen?

The true incidence of soy allergy is low, less than 1% of children or 0.1% of adults. This compares with milk or peanut allergies, each of which is 5-6 times more common than soy allergies. In addition, reactions to soy tend to be less severe compared to other food allergies.

2)Is soy anti-nutrient?

Some suggest to avoid soy due to plant phytates. Phytates can reduce absorption of minerals in the gut. But, phytates also act as natural food-preserving antioxidants and help to reduce risks of heart disease and cancer. Whole grains, beans, and seeds also contain a significant amount of phytates, but these foods are rarely a problem. Soy can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.

3)Does soy disrupt thyroid function?

Soy doesn’t disrupt thyroid function in those with normal thyroid function and adequate iodine. If you have thyroid issues, you need to consult a medical professional to figure out the underlying causes.

4)Does soy cause cancer?

Soy contains two primary isoflavones: Genistein and Daidzein. Both appear to be cancer protective.

Evidence

Evidence so far shows that soy has protective benefits when consumed as part of a healthful, well-balanced diet. Health benefits of soy seem to include:

Balancing estrogen
Alleviating menopausal symptoms
Reducing total and LDL cholesterol
Lowering blood pressure
Reducing cancer risk
Preventing osteoporosis

Look for non-GMO and organic soy products if possible. Soy comes in many different forms and is a very versatile ingredient in cooking. Find out easy recipes using soy such as tofu, tempeh, and miso.

Watch a Video about Soy

Ingredients for Silken Tofu Soup

Serving Size: 4

Onion, 1/2, thinly sliced
Carrot, 1/4, thinly sliced
Garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon
Scallions, chopped, 1 Tablespoon
Avocado oil for stir frying
Water, 2 Cups
Kelp for making a soup base(optional)
Soft or silken tofu, about 340-400 gram, cubed
Oyster sauce, 1-2 Tablespoon
Crabmeat, 1 Cup
Egg white, 1 egg
Arrowroot, 1 Tablespoon mixed with 1 Tablespoon of Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions for Silken Tofu Soup

1. Thinly slice onion and carrot and chop scallions. Mince garlic. Set aside these ingredients.

2.In a medium sized pot, drizzle avocado oil over medium heat. Stir fry garlic and scallions until soft. Add 2 cups of water and throw a few pieces of kelp to make a soup base once the water comes to a boil.

3.Put the sliced onion and carrots to the soup base. After a few minutes, take out the kelp.

4.Add soft (silken) tofu to the soup base and break it into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Put 1 Tablespoon of oyster sauce and stir. Taste the soup and if you like a richer flavor, add one more tablespoon of oyster sauce.

5.Add egg white into the soup and keep stirring. In a small bowl, mix arrowroot flour and water to make a slurry and add that to the soup. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer.

6.Once the soup thickens, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Serve with more scallions on top.