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Does Tofu Cause Dementia?

The solution to the mystery behind the headlines.

December 14, 2010 |
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Supplementary Info

Does Tofu Cause Dementia?, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Sources Cited

Tofu ‘may raise risk of dementia.’ BBC News, (July 4, 2008). Accessed 08.08.11.

E. Hogervorst, T. Sadjimim, A. Yesufu, P. Kreager, & T.B. Rahardjo. High tofu is associated with worse memory in elderly Indonesian men and women. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord, 26(1):50-57, 2008.

Acknowledgements

Transcript

Is this fact, or fiction?
It is not only fiction, but the opposite is probably true. Studies have shown soy improves cognition.
But the study says… No—the study title says that, but what does the actual study say? The study found tofu to be harmful, but tempe to be protective, so it can’t be the soy itself since tempe is actually a more concentrated source of soy than tofu. Combined with the fact that data around the rest of the world suggests soy protects memory, this raised the question, what do they put in their tofu in Indonesia?
If the journalists had bothered to read the study they would have seen that according to Indonesian departments of health, formaldedye is often added to tofu (but not tempe) to preserve its freshness. Formaldehyde, the neurotoxic carcinogen formaldehyde. Mystery solved.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out theother videos on dementia. Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos--please feel free to explore them as well!

For some context, please check out my associated blog posts: Alzheimer's Disease: Up to half of cases potentially preventable and Natural Alzheimer’s Treatment.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out the other videos on dementia. Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them as well!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/becochic/ becochic

    Do they add it to all tofu?

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/sara/ sara

    What about the famous report on autopsies of Japanese men who ate tofu more than twice a week? It seems that they found substantial brain shrinkage.
    Have you found anything that would explain this ?

    • Michael Greger M.D.

       You’re thinking of the Honolulu Heart Study. Brenda Davis has a new book coming out that covers that series of studies–stay tuned!

  • Zoe

    I may have a question later but I just want to thank you for this absolutely phenomenal site. Not to disparage Dr Oz but he can’t hold a candle to you. I hope everybody reading this site will inform their friends about it. 

    • Michael Greger M.D.

       Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind comment–and thanks for spreading the word!

      • Andy

         I tell all my friends about your site too!  It has been such an eye opener.  If I want to know if something is safe to eat I just come here and find the medical evidence!  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  • Michael Greger M.D.

    For some context, please check out my associated blog post Alzheimer’s Disease: Up to half of cases potentially preventable!

  • Victoriafowkes

    will green coffee beans really make me lose weight?
     

    • http://jolkapolkaskitchen.blogspot.com/ WholeFoodChomper

      Victoriafowkes, Based on this one (there are more listed) green coffee bean extract study, that I found listed on Pub Med, it seems that green coffee beans are effective in weight management.

      However, it seems to me that the more important questions to ask are how safe are green coffee bean extracts (CBE) for human consumption, what are the long term effects of CBE on the human body, how long is one expected to ingest CBEs to lose weight, does one have to keep taking CBEs to maintain the weight loss, what happens once it is no longer taken (and how does this effect the health of the human body), what are the side-effects of taking CBEs, and finally, how do CBEs interact with other medicine’s, supplements, and the like?

      It seems to me that the best, safest, healthiest, and most effective way to lose weight is by diet and exercise.

  • albert

    Thank you for clarifying this issue which definitely made me concerned. Yet in fact I still have two major reservations – can’t soy isoflavones mess up with male hormonal milleu (same regarding flax seeds BTW) – and isn’t soy (just as other legumes) known for bonding/preventing some nutrients from getting into the body? Would be so nice to clarify these indeed..

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