Okinawa prefecture is renowned as the prefecture of longevity.
In the past, a survey was conducted to see the types of protein the people of Okinawa ate. This survey revealed that the protein ingestion ratio was two parts tofu to one part fish and one part meat.

Protein is a vital nutrient

Protein is needed for cell growth and maintenance as well as for muscular activity. Genes, hormones, digestive enzymes and antibodies responsible for the immune system are all made up from proteins. In other words, protein is vital to our survival.

In many cases, you may find that when you think about consuming proteins, you think about eating meat. However, meat also contains high levels of cholesterol and fat, and eating too much meat can be bad for the health.
In the daily diets of the people of Okinawa, more protein is ingested from tofu than from meat or fish. This does provide some food for thought when considering our own efforts to lead healthy lives.

The benefits of isoflavones

Other than protein, there are other beneficial nutrients found in tofu.
Of these, constituents known as isoflavones have recently come under spotlight. Isoflavones have been found to prevent osteoporosis in menopausal women with lowered levels of female hormones.

Tofu also contains antioxidant constituents that act in a similar way to saponin by preventing cell oxidization and can consequently assist in the prevention of hardening of the arteries and cancer.

Muscular contraction can deteriorate as a result of calcium and magnesium deficiency, and this can have an adverse effect on the movement of the heart and increased blood pressure. Additionally, potassium discharges excess salt in the body and lowers blood pressure.

As you can see, tofu can assist in the prevention and alleviation of lifestyle related diseases.