Tofu Vs Eggs: Which Is Healthier?

With egg prices making breakfast considerably more expensive, some shoppers may already be reconsidering what lands in their morning scramble. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recently tackled the issue on its popular YouTube channel, looking at both nutrition and the rising cost of eggs.

In the video, Dr. Vanita Rahman argues that tofu delivers more nutritional benefits while avoiding some potential drawbacks associated with eggs. The tofu vs eggs comparison, she suggests, becomes particularly revealing once protein, fiber, and cholesterol enter the picture. Rahman is a board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician, as well as a certified nutritionist and personal trainer. She serves as clinic director at the Physicians Committee’s Barnard Medical Center and has written several books about plant-based nutrition. Her conclusion in the video is clear: people seeking protein do not necessarily need to crack an egg to get it.

Read more: The Hidden Anti-Cancer Power Of Tofu And Soy Foods

Why have eggs become so expensive?

Rahman begins by addressing the steep increase in egg prices. She says bird flu was one of the major reasons prices initially climbed. “The prices soared because of the bird flu,” Rahman says, adding that the outbreak “unfortunately killed over 150 million chickens.” The loss of such a large number of birds affected egg production and contributed to higher prices.

But Rahman says prices did not simply return to previous levels once the immediate effects of bird flu eased. “Even after the bird flu passed, the prices of eggs continued to stay high,” she says. She then points to the practices of major egg producers as another reason consumers continued paying more.

According to Rahman, three egg producers in the United States were “continuing to work together to keep the prices of eggs high.” She says this coordination helped drive prices upward. “Shady industry practices are not the only reasons to ditch eggs,” Rahman adds, shifting the discussion from economics to nutrition.

For Rahman, the price of eggs is only the beginning of the comparison. She says many people continue buying them because eggs are widely viewed as a convenient protein source. The question, she argues, is whether they are actually the strongest nutritional choice.

Tofu provides more protein and also contains fiber

Rahman next compares one egg with half a cup of tofu. She begins with calories, where the two foods are relatively similar. “They both have about 70 to 80 calories,” she says. Once protein enters the comparison, however, Rahman says tofu moves ahead.

“Tofu actually has more protein per serving,” Rahman says. She puts the figure at around 10 grams of protein for half a cup of tofu. One egg, by comparison, contains about six grams in the example she provides.

That difference is central to her argument because protein is one of the main reasons people choose eggs. Rahman challenges the idea that eggs should automatically be considered the stronger protein option. In the portions she compares, tofu delivers more protein without significantly increasing calories.

The difference does not stop with protein. Rahman also highlights something tofu contains that eggs lack entirely. “Tofu has fiber and eggs have no fiber,” she says.

That makes the tofu and eggs comparison broader than protein alone. Rahman’s point is that tofu provides protein while also supplying another component of plant foods that eggs do not offer. For people looking to increase protein while getting additional nutritional value from the same food, she presents tofu as the stronger choice.

What about the cholesterol in eggs?

Rahman also focuses on the amount of cholesterol found in eggs. “The other problem with eggs is that each egg contains nearly 200 mg of cholesterol,” she says.

She argues that consuming foods containing cholesterol can raise cholesterol levels in the body. “When we consume foods with cholesterol, our cholesterol levels go up,” Rahman says. She then links higher cholesterol levels with several long-term health concerns.

Rahman says this “increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, strokes, and many other things.” Her comparison therefore extends beyond calories and protein. She asks viewers to consider what else comes with the protein source they choose.

In Rahman’s framing, tofu offers a different nutritional package. It provides more protein in the serving she compares, while also supplying fiber. Eggs, meanwhile, contain no fiber and provide a significant amount of cholesterol.

That combination forms much of her case for replacing eggs with tofu. Rather than looking at a food simply because it contains protein, Rahman encourages people to consider its wider nutritional profile.

Read more: Many US Adults Incorrectly Think Meat And Eggs Reduce High Cholesterol Risk

Tofu may offer additional health benefits

Rahman finishes the comparison by discussing research on tofu consumption and breast cancer. She says the potential benefits of tofu extend beyond its protein and fiber content.

“Research has shown that women who consume greater amounts of tofu have a lower rate of breast cancer risk,” Rahman says. She also discusses tofu consumption among women who have already received a breast cancer diagnosis.

“Even in women who’ve already been diagnosed with breast cancer, their risk of recurrence is lower with tofu,” she says.

These points contribute to Rahman’s overall argument that tofu offers benefits beyond serving as a simple protein replacement. Throughout the video, she repeatedly contrasts what people expect from eggs with what tofu can provide instead.

Her final recommendation is direct. “If you’re looking to boost your protein intake with foods that not only give you protein but also nourish you, reach for tofu,” Rahman says.

For viewers weighing up tofu and eggs, Rahman’s case rests on several straightforward comparisons. Tofu has more protein in the serving she uses, while also containing fiber. Eggs contain less protein in her comparison, no fiber, and nearly 200 milligrams of cholesterol each. Combined with the recent increase in egg prices, Rahman believes there are plenty of reasons to reconsider what belongs on the breakfast plate.

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