Have you considered eating tofu to help manage type 2 diabetes? Whether you already enjoy it or you’re wondering, “Does tofu spike blood sugar?” you’re in the right place. Here’s what you need to know about tofu as a protein source for people with diabetes.

What’s Tofu?

Tofu is a soft, white food with a custard-like texture. It’s made from soybeans that have been soaked in water, seasoned, cooked, and strained. Then, a curdling agent is added, and the soy curds are pressed together to form tofu.

Tofu has been a staple food in parts of Asia since 200 B.C.E. There, it’s used in many ways — much like potatoes are in Western cuisine. Since it doesn’t have much taste but absorbs flavors well, tofu can be mashed, fried, eaten plain, or added to soups, salads, and stir-fries.

Nutritionally, tofu provides all nine amino acids — the building blocks of protein that your body can’t make on its own. Its nutritional profile also has high levels of protein, iron, and B vitamins, while being naturally low in sodium and fat and being completely free of cholesterol. Altogether, this makes tofu an excellent, diabetes friendly plant-based protein.

What’s the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index (GI) is a way to measure how quickly glucose, or sugar, in a food will raise your blood sugar level after eating. Some carbohydrates make your blood sugar spike, or go up, quickly. Other carbs enter your bloodstream more slowly, helping blood glucose levels stay more stable.

Each food is given a GI score from 0 to 100, based on how fast the carbs enter your bloodstream. Foods with higher scores raise blood sugar more quickly, while those with lower scores have a slower, steadier effect. For reference, pure glucose has a GI of 100 — the highest possible score.

Eating foods with a low glycemic index (also called low GI foods) can help you manage your blood sugar and, in turn, your type 2 diabetes. When you eat foods that don’t cause big spikes in blood sugar, you may experience fewer blood sugar-related problems overall.

When using the glycemic index to guide your food choices, try to choose foods that are in the low to medium GI range. If you do eat something higher on the GI scale, pair it with a low glycemic food. This helps balance out how the meal affects your blood sugar.

How Might Tofu Help With Diabetes?

Tofu has a glycemic index of just 15, which is considered very low. That means eating tofu won’t cause your blood sugar to spike. This makes it an excellent food for managing type 2 diabetes. If you’re looking for healthy proteins with diabetes, tofu is a great choice.

Tofu also has health benefits for the rest of your body. Eating tofu daily can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, which is especially important since people living with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of heart problems.

A plant-based diet (a vegan or vegetarian diet) that includes tofu can also support better health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes. Tofu is a great plant-based source of protein that may help:

• Lower your risk of kidney disease
• Support a healthy weight
• Reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancer
• Lower blood pressure
• Increase fiber intake

In short, there’s little downside to adding tofu to your meals — whether or not you’re living with diabetes. Just keep in mind that some cooking methods, such as deep-frying or adding sugar or heavy sauces, can diminish the health benefits of tofu.

Is There a Downside to Eating Tofu?

Tofu is a healthy, safe food. While it hasn’t always had a good reputation in Western countries, that’s based on myths. Tofu doesn’t cause infertility in men, and it can actually support heart health.

Like most things, moderation and balance are key. Soy naturally contains phytic acid, an antinutrient that can reduce the absorption of certain nutrients. However, some forms of food processing and preparation methods can help reduce phytic acid levels.

To stay on the safe side and keep your diet balanced, aim for about 15 to 25 grams of soy protein and about 50 to 100 milligrams of isoflavones per day. Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions before making major changes to your diet.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you’re interested in making lifestyle changes to help manage diabetes, talk to your healthcare provider. They can connect you with a registered dietitian or nutritionist who can help you add tofu and other healthy foods to your meal plan. You’ll be able to enjoy your meals while knowing you are supporting your health, too.

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