Tempeh vs Tofu – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing tempeh to tofu, we picked the tempeh.

Why?

Per 100g, tempeh has about 1.5x as many calories, about 2x as much protein, about 3x as much fiber, and about 4x the carbohydrates.

Which latter sounds like a lot, but really, the amounts here are small—tempeh is under 12% carbohydrates, and most of that is treated by the body as fiber (e.g. it’s a resistant starch).

Both have no sugar, and both have more or less the same (tiny) amount of fat.

Micronutrients, you ask? As they’re both made from soybeans, the micronutrient profiles are similar, but exact amounts will depend on the method used, so by all means check labels if comparing products in store. By and large, there’s usually not much difference, though.

You can see sample stats here:

Tempeh | Tofu

In summary

Both are great, and/but tempeh is the more nutrient-dense of the two.

Therefore, tempeh is the healthier option, unless you are on a very strictly calorie-controlled diet, in which case, tofu will give you more quantity per calorie.

Enjoy!