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Tofu vs. Whey — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison

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Differences between tofu and whey

  • Tofu has more iron, calcium, manganese, copper, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc, while whey has more vitamin B12, vitamin B2, and vitamin B5.
  • Tofu's daily need coverage for iron is 66% higher.
  • Whey contains 605 times less Manganese than tofu. Tofu contains 0.605mg of Manganese, while whey contains 0.001mg.
  • Tofu has a lower glycemic index. The glycemic index of tofu is 15, while the glycemic index of whey is 43.

The food types used in this comparison are Tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate and Whey, sweet, fluid.

Infographic

Tofu vs Whey infographic
Infographic link

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Tofu
9
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 21% 105% 11% 201% 64% 22% 42% 0.91% 79% 49%
Whey
1
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 5.7% 14% 14% 2.3% 1.3% 3.5% 20% 7% 0.13% 10%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +275%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +644.7%
Contains more IronIron +8833.3%
Contains more CopperCopper +4725%
Contains more ZincZinc +515.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +110.9%
Contains less SodiumSodium -87%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +60400%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +368.4%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +33.1%

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Tofu
8
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0.33% 5.1% 0.2% 0% 20% 12% 3.7% 4.1% 11% 0% 6% 11% 16%
Whey
3
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0.33% 0.72% 0% 0% 9% 36% 1.4% 23% 7.2% 35% 0% 0.75% 8.7%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +608.3%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +125%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +163.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +51.6%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +∞%
Contains more FolateFolate +1400%
Contains more CholineCholine +80%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +203.8%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +463.2%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +∞%
~equal in Vitamin C ~0.1mg
~equal in Vitamin D ~µg

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Tofu
3
8% 5% 2% 85%
Protein: 8.08 g
Fats: 4.78 g
Carbs: 1.87 g
Water: 84.55 g
Other: 0.72 g
Whey
2
5% 93%
Protein: 0.85 g
Fats: 0.36 g
Carbs: 5.14 g
Water: 93.12 g
Other: 0.53 g
Contains more ProteinProtein +850.6%
Contains more FatsFats +1227.8%
Contains more OtherOther +35.8%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +174.9%
Contains more WaterWater +10.1%

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Tofu
2
16% 24% 61%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.691 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 1.056 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 2.699 g
Whey
1
67% 29% 3%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.23 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.011 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +956%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +24436.4%
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -66.7%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Tofu Whey
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Tofu Whey Opinion
Calories 76kcal 27kcal Tofu
Protein 8.08g 0.85g Tofu
Fats 4.78g 0.36g Tofu
Vitamin C 0.1mg 0.1mg
Net carbs 1.57g 5.14g Whey
Carbs 1.87g 5.14g Whey
Cholesterol 0mg 2mg Tofu
Magnesium 30mg 8mg Tofu
Calcium 350mg 47mg Tofu
Potassium 121mg 161mg Whey
Iron 5.36mg 0.06mg Tofu
Sugar 0.62g 5.14g Tofu
Fiber 0.3g 0g Tofu
Copper 0.193mg 0.004mg Tofu
Zinc 0.8mg 0.13mg Tofu
Phosphorus 97mg 46mg Tofu
Sodium 7mg 54mg Tofu
Vitamin A 85IU 12IU Tofu
Vitamin A 3µg Whey
Vitamin E 0.01mg 0mg Tofu
Manganese 0.605mg 0.001mg Tofu
Selenium 8.9µg 1.9µg Tofu
Vitamin B1 0.081mg 0.036mg Tofu
Vitamin B2 0.052mg 0.158mg Whey
Vitamin B3 0.195mg 0.074mg Tofu
Vitamin B5 0.068mg 0.383mg Whey
Vitamin B6 0.047mg 0.031mg Tofu
Vitamin B12 0µg 0.28µg Whey
Vitamin K 2.4µg 0µg Tofu
Folate 15µg 1µg Tofu
Choline 28.8mg 16mg Tofu
Saturated Fat 0.691g 0.23g Whey
Monounsaturated Fat 1.056g 0.1g Tofu
Polyunsaturated fat 2.699g 0.011g Tofu
Tryptophan 0.12mg 0.013mg Tofu
Threonine 0.402mg 0.054mg Tofu
Isoleucine 0.435mg 0.047mg Tofu
Leucine 0.713mg 0.078mg Tofu
Lysine 0.452mg 0.068mg Tofu
Methionine 0.108mg 0.016mg Tofu
Phenylalanine 0.428mg 0.027mg Tofu
Valine 0.446mg 0.046mg Tofu
Histidine 0.221mg 0.016mg Tofu

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Tofu Whey
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
7%
Tofu
9%
Whey
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
59%
Tofu
8%
Whey

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Whey
Whey is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.461g)
Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Tofu
Tofu is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 2mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Tofu
Tofu is lower in Sugar (difference - 4.52g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Tofu
Tofu contains less Sodium (difference - 47mg)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Tofu
Tofu is lower in glycemic index (difference - 28)
Which food is cheaper?
Tofu
Tofu is cheaper (difference - $3.6)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Tofu
Tofu is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Tofu
Tofu is relatively richer in vitamins

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Tofu - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172476/nutrients
  2. Whey - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171282/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.