Tofu is considered a staple in the vegan diet and it’s often touted as the primary source of protein as it’s super versatile and can essentially be used in a wide variety of recipes— you can even make some scrambled eggs out of it with the right ingredients.
But the pressing question remains— Is tofu really vegan? While tofu is almost always vegan, it is very common, at least in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam, for tofu to also contain eggs.
That was my experience upon visiting both countries— whenever we went tofu shopping, sometimes they only had egg-containing tofu, which made me realize that unlike in the West, it isn’t usually considered as a meat substitute, but rather just another source of protein.
What Exactly Is Tofu?
Also referred to as bean curd, tofu is a soy-based protein perceived as being made for vegans and vegetarians, but what most people don’t know is that tofu has been around for many centuries with its roots starting in China.
It’s claimed to have been invented by Liu An, a Han Dynasty prince who lived during the second century B.C., but It wasn’t until four or five centuries later that tofu and its production technique crossed the sea to Japan, and that’s where it gained tremendous popularly and eventually spread out to the rest of the world.
Interestingly, despite the age of Exploration that occurred from the 15th century to the late 18th, Tofu was only introduced to the West during the 1970s amidst a surge of interest in vegetarianism, so there it can be considered a relatively new food.
How is Tofu Actually Made?
To put it quite simply, tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing it into blocks so it gains a soft, spongy texture. However, there are a few different types of tofu— namely silken, firm, and extra-firm.
Silken tofu has a custard-like texture and can be used as a substitute for eggs or cream in recipes.
Firm and extra-firm tofu varieties are great for stir-fries, grilling, or baking as they hold their shape well when cooked.
It’s one of the few plant-based proteins that is entirely comprised of protein, unlike what you see with chickpeas and lentils which also contain carbohydrates.
Is Tofu Really Vegan?
Certainly, for those in the US or Europe, tofu is predominantly vegan. The tofu in these regions is typically crafted purely from soybeans, a contrast to parts of Asia where it might occasionally contain eggs.
In the West, tofu’s reputation as an ethical meat alternative likely explains its vegan status. It’s widely viewed as a protein-rich choice for both vegans and vegetarians.
Thus, for those residing in the US or Europe, tofu is very likely to always be vegan.
Isn’t Tofu Bad For The Environment?
Because it’s made from soy, tofu has been at the center of environmental debate.
At first glance, the carbon footprint of tofu appears minimal, for instance, a 100g serving accounts for 0.08kg of carbon emissions, equating to driving 0.4km in a gasoline-powered vehicle.
However, to get the full picture, let’s compare tofu’s footprint with other food sources:
| Food Product | Land Use, Farming, and Feed Emissions (CO2e Per Kg of Product) | Packaging, Transport, and Processing Emissions (CO2e Per Kg of Product) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 57.54kg | 1.86kg |
| Lamb | 22.35kg | 1.85kg |
| Beef (dairy) | 19.1kg | 1.8kg |
| Pork | 6.17kg | 0.92kg |
| Chicken | 4.99kg | 0.93kg |
| Farmed Fish | 4.95kg | 0.19kg |
| Tofu | 1.45kg | 1.15kg |
| Peas | 0.7kg | 0.1kg |
Tofu’s emissions are substantially lower than many meat products, but it doesn’t come without its issues.
Approximately 29% of GHG emissions due to deforestation in Brazil arises from soy production. However, it’s important to reference that 75 to 80% of the global soy yield is used as livestock feed, with just 6% dedicated to human consumption like tofu and soy milk.
Also, producing soy milk requires a significant amount of water, with 300 liters needed for just one liter of soy milk. Mass soy farming methods also have an adverse effect on soil compaction, impeding water absorption.
Additionally, if you consume tofu twice a week that adds up to 12 kg of CO2 yearly – which is akin to driving 32 miles in a car. Yet, dairy or beef consumption exceeds this significantly.
However, I know, one cannot simply overlook the negative impacts, such as the significant deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado Basin, which affects its rich biodiversity.
Still, some passionately argue that tofu is bad for the environment, but It’s evident that plant-based foods have a generally lower environmental impact. For instance, deriving protein from beef compared to soy necessitates up to 32 times more land.
While tofu is not entirely blameless in environmental degradation, its carbon footprint pales in comparison to many meat products. Thus, the onus is on consumers to make informed choices, understanding that every food product carries its own set of environmental considerations.
But Producing Soy Also Leads to Animal Death, Right?
It’s often commented by those standing against the vegan diet that veganism is responsible for more animal deaths through the harvesting of crops and use of fertilizers and pesticides than people who choose to consume animals directly.
This begs the question— does soy or any other plant farming really cause animal death? The answer is yes… but we have to look at the full picture.
Who’s Consuming the Soy?
It’s important to note that it isn’t primarily vegans or vegetarians driving its production.
In reality, a significant majority, between 75 to 80% of soy production, is dedicated to feeding farmed animals.
Just a minuscule 6% ends up being consumed directly by humans.
Hence, those concerned about animal deaths linked to soy farming should be more critical of meat-based industries, which use the lion’s share of the soy crop.
The Scale of Animal Deaths
While it’s true that some animals might perish during crop cultivation, this number is dwarfed by the staggering number of animals directly slaughtered for food.
Annually, over 9.5 billion land animals meet this fate in the U.S. If you include marine life, the number skyrockets to 55 billion.
Comparatively, the direct casualties from meat, dairy, and egg production far exceed any unintentional deaths from crop farming.
Land Use and Agriculture
A breakdown of the U.S. agricultural landscape reveals a skewed picture.
Crops for direct human consumption occupy around 77.3 million acres, whereas a vast 127.4 million acres cater to crops for animal feed.
To compound this disparity, a whopping 654 million acres are designated for pasture.
In essence, the land allocated for animal farming overshadows that for plant farming by a factor of ten. Globally, a comprehensive analysis indicates that 83% of all agricultural land supports animal farming.
Debunking the Myths
The “Field Deaths in Plant Agriculture” study, referenced by certain critics, demands closer scrutiny.
Despite the existing emphasis on the paper’s suggestion of 7.3 billion animal deaths, even the authors themselves express skepticism about this figure.
Moreover, they highlight instances, such as a study in central Argentina, which found that although crop harvesting decreased mice populations in fields, there was no significant uptick in their mortality.
Common sense supports this finding. Think about the machinery used in farming—loud, vibrating, and disruptive. It’s unlikely that creatures like mice, with their acute sense of hearing, wouldn’t try to evade them.
Questionable Comparisons
Steven Davis’s 2003 article is foundational to many arguments in favor of omnivorous diets causing less harm.
He proposed that free-range ruminant diets lead to fewer animal deaths than plant-based ones. However, his methodology contained a major flaw: assuming equal land yields identical food quantities, whether crops or animal products.
Employing Davis’s estimates, but juxtaposing them with UN data, reveals a more nuanced reality. While one hectare can produce 1,000 kilograms of plant protein, the same quantity of grass-fed beef protein requires ten times the land.
This implies that even by Davis’s own calculations, a vegan diet results in fewer animal deaths by a factor of five.
Beyond Just Deaths
Ethical consumption isn’t solely about numbers; it’s also about the quality of life.
Animals raised for food undergo procedures like dehorning, disbudding, ear tagging, branding, and long, stressful transports to slaughterhouses.
And while some animals might die during crop production, they at least possess the freedom to flee. This liberty isn’t afforded to livestock.
To sum it up, while no diet can claim complete harmlessness, a vegan or plant-based approach significantly reduces both direct and collateral damage to animals. This is not merely a matter of death count but a broader commitment to minimize suffering.
If you’d like to learn about this in a more in-depth fashion, I would urge you to visit Surge Activism, which is the website I cited this information from.
So, What’s The Bottom Line?
Well, the bottom line is that tofu is considered vegan… unless you find yourself in Southeast Asian countries where they often manufacture tofu with egg.
Also, I wouldn’t worry too much about consuming soy if you’re worried about animal deaths because only 6% of the soy produced is consumed by humans.
If you compare that to the soy that is produced for animal feed, then it makes much more sense to consume tofu over any meat.
