When it comes to health foods, something a lot of people have been hearing and thinking about lately is "tempeh", an increasingly popular high-protein product. For those only vaguely in-the-know, here are the essentials.
What is tempeh?
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made by fermenting soybeans or peanuts with ‘rhizopus oligosporus’ fungus, resulting in a unique taste, aroma and texture. Most importantly, it has great nutritional value, especially protein. This makes commercially available tempeh a popular alternative source of protein for those who don’t eat meat or restrict themselves to a vegetarian or vegan diet. In appearance, tempeh is a bit like tofu, insofar as it is angular, but with a stickier texture. Also like tofu, tempeh can be used in a wide variety of dishes.
How to make tempeh
The process of making tempeh starts with soaking soybeans or peanuts in water for 16-18 hours to allow the beans to absorb the water to their full capacity. Then you peel off the beans and boil or steam them until cooked. After that, leave them to cool down until the temperature is around 30-35 degrees Celsius. Then add the Rhizopus Oligosporus inoculum and mix thoroughly. When finished, wrap in banana leaves or a plastic bag. Make holes for the fungi to grow and incubate at a temperature of 30-32 degrees Celsius. In around two days, it will form a white mycelium covering the beans.
As for preparing dishes, we can thinly slice tempeh and cook in an air-fryer to create crispy sheets that make great snacks. For more flavor, season with salt and pepper or paprika. Tempeh can also be used to make stir-fry dishes such as stir-fried tempeh with basil, stir-fried tempeh with chili and salt, and many more. For those who don’t like to cook or don’t have time, processed and unprocessed tempeh can be found at health food stores or obtained from online outlets.
Nutritional value of tempeh
- Tempeh is high in protein and is higher in protein than tofu: 84g of tempeh contains 15g of protein whereas the same amount of tofu has 6g of protein.
- Tempeh contains isoflavones that help lower cholesterol levels.
- Tempeh contains nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
- Tempeh is a good source of calcium for people who don’t drink cow's milk. One cup (166 grams) of tempeh contains about two-thirds the protein content of one cup (244 milliliters) of milk.
- Tempeh contains other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, vitamin B12, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, and others.
Benefits of tempeh
- Tempeh has a good effect on the heart
- Tempeh has no cholesterol
- Tempeh helps control weight
- Tempeh lowers blood pressure
- Tempeh helps maintain insulin balance
- Tempeh helps reduce menstrual pain
- Tempeh reduces inflammation
- Tempeh enhances digestive system functioning
Precautions when eating tempeh
Although tempeh is classified as a healthy food, some people suffer negative effects from eating it. These include those who are allergic to soybeans or peanuts who may experience itching, rashes, swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea. In some severe cases, allergic reactions can be life-threatening.
Tempeh contains goitrogens that may inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis and reduce the efficiency of absorption of thyroid medication in those with thyroid disorders. Those with a congenital disease or health limitations are advised to consult a doctor before eating tempeh to ensure that it brings benefits rather than endangerment.
Tempeh is a good source of protein and calcium that offers many health benefits. This makes it an ideal option for health lovers, including non-meat eaters.
Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers interested in health care can check out other health articles at https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-advisories.
References
· Pobpad website
https://bit.ly/3Gi2Zht
· Food Network Solution
https://bit.ly/3Gjindr
· WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tempeh-health-benefits
· MedThai
https://medthai.com/amino-acid/
· US Department of Agriculture
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174272/nutrients
