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Can I eat tofu while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Tofu shows Check in Doola Scan in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, because it meets Doola Scan's soy rule. What these countries' bodies say is about amounts: the US NCCIH says soy "may be unsafe in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods", such as supplements. The same bodies count soy as a pregnancy food: MyHealthfinder lists soy among the protein foods, and Health NZ recommends calcium-fortified soy milk and tofu.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Tofu, firm or fried (tokwa)

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Silken tofu

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Raw tofu, straight from the pack

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Tofu puffs

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Fermented or stinky tofu

    CheckIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Tofu while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on tofu, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • Doola has no source from Canada, Australia and Ireland on this yet; their answer comes from the other countries' guidance.

  • United States

    Check
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)Soy is listed among recommended protein foods and fortified soy milk or yogurt among dairy options in pregnancy.Source
    • NCCIH (NIH)Soy may be unsafe in pregnancy only in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods.Source
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)Soy and fortified soy milk or yogurt are listed as healthy pregnancy foods with no limit.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSSoya drinks and yoghurts are fine in pregnancy; choose unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.Source
    • NHSSoya drinks and yoghurts are fine in pregnancy with no amount limit; choose unsweetened, calcium-fortified.Source

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZCalcium-fortified soy milk and tofu recommended as calcium/protein sources in pregnancy.Source
    • Health NZFortified soy milk and tofu recommended with no amount limit.Source
What to check

Before you eat tofu.

  1. Eat soy as food, not as a supplement

    The NCCIH says the use of soy during pregnancy "may be unsafe in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods". It notes that soy is also sold as dietary supplements, which may contain soy protein or isoflavones. NCCIH

  2. Count tofu as one of your protein foods

    MyHealthfinder lists soy among the plant-based protein foods for pregnancy, next to beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. The NHS asks for some protein-rich foods every day. MyHealthfinder

  3. Choose calcium-set tofu

    The NHS lists calcium-set tofu among the good sources of calcium for vegans, and Health NZ recommends calcium-fortified soy milk and tofu as calcium and protein sources in pregnancy. NHS

  4. Pick unsweetened, calcium-fortified soya drinks

    If you have soy milk or soy yoghurt alongside tofu, the NHS asks you to go for unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions in pregnancy. NHS

Questions

About tofu
in pregnancy.

Tofu shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries, from its soy rule. The US, UK and New Zealand bodies behind that check list soy as a pregnancy food; the US NCCIH's caution is only about amounts greater than those commonly found in foods.

Tofu meets Doola Scan's soy rule. In the US, the NCCIH's caution is about soy in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods, such as supplements, so the check is how much and in what form. The US, UK and New Zealand guidance lists soy as a pregnancy food, and Canada, Australia and Ireland have no source of their own on soy in Doola yet, so their answer follows the US.

Health NZ recommends calcium-fortified soy milk and tofu as calcium and protein sources in pregnancy. MyHealthfinder lists soy among the plant-based protein foods, and the NHS lists calcium-set tofu among the good sources of calcium for vegans.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. The soy rule and its check apply from the first weeks of pregnancy to the last.

None of these six countries' pregnancy food lists names raw or uncooked tofu separately. Doola Scan shows Check for it, from the same soy rule as cooked tofu.

Silken tofu and tofu puffs show Check, like all tofu, from the soy rule. None of these countries gives different advice for silken, firm or fried tofu.

None of these six countries sets a limit for tofu. The NCCIH's caution is about soy in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods.

Tokwa is tofu, and it shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries, from its soy rule. MyHealthfinder in the US lists soy among the protein foods for pregnancy.

None of these six countries' pregnancy food lists names raw tofu. Doola Scan shows Check for tofu, raw or cooked, from its soy rule.

Yes. Take a photo of the plate, the menu or the label, and Doola Scan checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance, including the sauce, egg or meat cooked with the tofu. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
Doola Scan

Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.