Egg or tofu: one single-meal trial, no long-term comparison

Egg against tofu is really animal protein against soy, and the best evidence here compares protein sources, not these two foods. In a meta-analysis of 29 randomized trials with 2363 adults over 50, plant protein, mostly soy, and animal protein gave the same lean mass and grip strength. Plant protein had a marginal edge on total cholesterol (Hedges g -0.31, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.00). The authors warn that 79% of those trials used protein isolates, and the animal side was mostly milk protein. One trial put eggs and tofu on the same table. In 56 young adults, 8 per food, a single ounce-equivalent portion of egg raised whole-body protein balance more over 8.5 hours than tofu did, and that comparison was by portion, not by gram of protein. Per 100 g, USDA measured 12.4 g protein and 411 mg cholesterol in whole egg, and UK tables give steamed tofu 8.1 g protein and no cholesterol.

How much is actually in it

• NIH lists tofu among US foods fortified with calcium and puts calcium absorption from fortified foods at about 30%. — general population Evidence E source
  Calcium absorption about 30% from dairy and fortified foods
• USDA measured whole Grade A eggs at 12.4 g protein, 411 mg cholesterol and 335 mg choline per 3.5 oz (100 g), with cholesterol ranging 371 to 451 mg across 24 samples. — USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods, Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole, release 2026-04-30 (n = 24) Evidence E source
  Protein 12.4 g (11.6-13.2); cholesterol 411 mg (371-451, 24 samples); choline total 335 mg (287-404, 24); iron 1.67 mg (1.42-2.09, 22); calcium 48 mg (44-54, 22)
• UK CoFID 2021 lists boiled whole egg at 143 calories, 14.1 g protein and 360 mg cholesterol per 3.5 oz (100 g), and steamed tofu at 73 calories, 8.1 g protein and no cholesterol. — CoFID 2021 codes 12-940 Eggs, chicken, whole, boiled and 13-570 Tofu, soya bean, steamed Evidence E source
  Egg 143 calories, protein 14.1 g, fat 9.6 g, cholesterol 360 mg, iron 1.97 mg, calcium 55 mg; tofu 73 calories, protein 8.1 g, fat 4.2 g, cholesterol 0, iron 1.20 mg

What a real portion looks like

• In the USDA survey food table one whole egg weighs 1.8 oz (50 g), while a typical piece of tofu weighs 4.2 oz (120 g) and a cup of cubes 248 g. — USDA FNDDS, Egg, whole, raw (food code 31101010) and Soybean curd (food code 41420010) Evidence E source
  Egg 1 egg 50 g; tofu 1 piece 120 g, 1 cup cubes 248 g, quantity not specified 62 g

What your body absorbs

• In an RCT of 56 young adults, ounce-equivalent portions of eggs, beef or pork produced a larger gain in whole-body net protein balance than the same portions of tofu, beans or nuts. — 56 healthy young adults (n = 8 per group); 8.5-h metabolic study (n = 56) Evidence B source
  Greater whole-body net protein balance with animal sources (P < 0.01); egg also suppressed protein breakdown vs plant sources (P < 0.01)
• In a 60-day crossover trial in 14 vegetarian women eating 6.1 oz (173 g) tofu a day, adding 303 mg vitamin C raised hemoglobin more than tofu alone, with no difference in ferritin. — 14 lacto-ovo vegetarians, premenopausal women; two 30-day periods (n = 14) Evidence B source
  Greater hemoglobin increase with tofu + vitamin C (p = 0.036 and p = 0.009 by period); serum ferritin change not different

What cooking and storage change

• In 123 egg-allergic children given oral challenges with boiled egg yolk, 93.4% tolerated it and went on eating egg yolk at home. — 123 patients with a median age of 12 months, diagnosed with egg allergy (n = 123) Evidence C source
  115 of 123 (93.4%) tolerant to boiled egg yolk
• By the USDA retention table, hard-cooking eggs keeps about 80% of choline, 75% of folate and 85% of vitamin B12, and all of the iron and zinc. — USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, group Dairy and Egg Products, Retn_Code 105 Evidence E source
  Choline 80%, folate 75%, vitamin B12 85%, thiamin 85%, riboflavin 95%, iron 100%, zinc 100% retained

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 29 cohort articles links the highest soy intake with 13% lower cardiovascular risk, and 0.94 oz (26.7 g) of tofu a day with 18% lower risk. — 29 articles with 16,521 T2D and 54,213 CVDs events; follow-up 2.5-24 years Evidence C source
  CVD TRR 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.94); T2D TRR 0.83 (0.74-0.93); tofu 26.7 g/d CVD TRR 0.82 (0.74-0.92)
• A meta-analysis of 19 cohorts with 1.7 million people links each extra egg a day with 8% higher all-cause mortality, at very low certainty. — Nineteen prospective cohort studies, involving 1 737 893 participants (n = 1737893) Evidence C source
  Per 1 egg/d: all-cause HR 1.08 (95% CI 1.01-1.15); CVD mortality HR 1.07 (0.97-1.18); cancer mortality HR 1.16 (1.04-1.30); GRADE very low
• In a crossover RCT in 16 healthy men, a soya preload before white rice gave a lower early glucose peak and insulin response than a chicken preload. — Sixteen healthy Chinese male adults (n = 16) Evidence B source
  Lower incremental peak and iAUC 0-60 min glucose and lower insulin iAUC 0-180 min after soya + rice vs chicken + rice; higher GLP-1 and GIP

Safety, limits and interactions

• A European meta-analysis of 93 studies puts challenge-verified egg allergy at 0.8% and soy allergy at 0.3%. — 93 studies, all age groups, Europe Evidence C source
  Challenge-verified point prevalence egg 0.8% (0.5-1.2), soy 0.3% (0.1-0.4); self-reported lifetime egg 2.4%, soy 0.5%

What people believe that the data does not support

• A meta-analysis of 14 mostly case-control studies links the highest tofu intake with 22% lower odds of breast cancer. — 14 studies (2 cohort studies, 12 case-control studies) Evidence C source
  OR 0.78 (95% CI 0.69-0.88) highest vs lowest; each 10 g/d tofu OR -10% (95% CI 7%-13%)
• A scoping review of 38 systematic reviews for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations concludes that one egg a day is unlikely to adversely affect overall disease risk. — 38 systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2011 and 30 April 2022 Evidence C source
  RCT syntheses: higher egg intake may raise total cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratio; observational: no strong support for harm up to 1 egg/day
• An umbrella review of 14 meta-analyses links egg intake with LDL cholesterol 7.39 mg/dL higher, but rates all significant associations as very weak evidence. — Fourteen meta-analyses (10 observational, 4 interventional studies) Evidence C source
  LDL WMD 7.39 (95% CI 5.82-8.95); TC WMD 9.12 (7.35-10.89); heart failure RR 1.15 (1.02-1.30); no association with CVD outcomes or all-cause mortality
• US labeling rules still carry the model claim that diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol with 25 g of soy protein a day may reduce heart disease risk. — 21 CFR 101.82, current eCFR Evidence E source
  Authorized health claim text; FDA proposed revoking it in 2017, not finalised
• The EU register lists the claim that crushed egg shell nourishes bones and is a suitable calcium source as non-authorized. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, snapshot 2026-09-21 Evidence E source
  Status Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In a meta-analysis of 29 RCTs with 2457 postmenopausal women, unfermented soy products lowered total cholesterol by 9.46 mg/dL and triglycerides by 10.86 mg/dL, with no significant LDL change. — Twenty-nine RCTs involving 2,457 participants; postmenopausal women (n = 2457) Evidence A source
  TC -9.46 mg/dL (95% CI -15.04 to -3.89); TG -10.86 mg/dL (95% CI -19.70 to -2.02); HDL +2.32 mg/dL; LDL -4.55 mg/dL (95% CI -10.90 to 1.80), ns
• In a meta-analysis of 29 RCTs with 2363 adults over 50, plant protein (mostly soy) and animal protein had similar effects on lean mass and grip strength, with a marginal total cholesterol benefit for plant protein. — Twenty-nine RCTs involving 2363 participants; adults aged 50 years and older (n = 2363) Evidence A source
  No difference in lean mass, handgrip strength, most blood indices; total cholesterol Hedges g -0.31 (95% CI -0.62 to -0.00), I2 86%

What is still unknown

• The authors of a 2026 meta-analysis of 29 RCTs warn that their plant-versus-animal protein results come from protein isolates and do not show that whole foods are equivalent. — Twenty-nine RCTs in adults aged 50 years and older (n = 2363) Evidence A source
  Evidence gap named, no effect size

The bottom line

A real portion is one egg of 1.8 oz (50 g) or a piece of tofu of about 120 g in the USDA survey table. Tofu varies with density and with the setting agent, and the UK row prints no calcium figure for it. NIH lists tofu among calcium fortified foods and puts absorption from fortified foods at about 30%. Egg gives 48 mg calcium per 3.5 oz (100 g). In 14 vegetarian women eating 6.1 oz (173 g) of tofu a day for 30 days, adding 303 mg of vitamin C raised hemoglobin more than tofu alone but made no difference to ferritin, and the authors conclude iron uptake improved. Fourteen women is a very small trial. Hard boiling keeps about 80% of an egg's choline and 75% of its folate by the USDA retention table. Eggs and long-term health is genuinely contested. A dose-response meta-analysis of 19 cohorts with 1.7 million people linked each extra egg a day with 8% higher all-cause mortality (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.15), and its own authors rated that very low certainty. An umbrella review linked eggs with LDL 7.39 mg/dL higher and graded every association as very weak, partly because the meta-analyses it pooled were of critically low quality. A review of 38 systematic reviews for the Nordic recommendations concluded that one egg a day is unlikely to raise overall disease risk. The answer stays unclear because the harm signals come from observational data, the lipid rise varies widely between people, and data above one egg a day are thin. For soy the trial evidence is narrower than the headlines. In 29 trials with 2457 postmenopausal women, unfermented soy products such as isolates, soy drinks and tofu lowered total cholesterol by 9.46 mg/dL. Cohort data, mostly from Asia, link 0.94 oz (26.7 g) of tofu a day with 18% lower cardiovascular risk (TRR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.92), which is association. In 16 healthy Chinese men, a soya preload eaten before white rice gave a lower early glucose peak and insulin response than chicken did, across single meals. The fear that tofu feeds breast cancer finds no support in this evidence. A meta-analysis of 14 studies, 12 of them case-control, linked the highest tofu intake with 22% lower odds of breast cancer (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.88). Odds from case-control studies are weaker than risk from trials. A US label claim still allows saying that 25 g of soy protein a day may reduce heart disease risk. FDA proposed revoking it in 2017 and has not finalised that, and 25 g is roughly 11 oz (300 g) of tofu. Crushed egg shell as a bone-building calcium source was refused in the EU, and that claim was about shell, not egg. Who should be careful. Allergy is the documented risk. Across 93 European studies, egg allergy confirmed by food challenge affected 0.8% of people (95% CI 0.5 to 1.2) and soy allergy 0.3%. In one clinic, 115 of 123 egg-allergic children with a median age of 12 months tolerated boiled egg yolk at a supervised oral challenge. That was a retrospective study of yolk only, and the challenge was done by doctors. It does not show that an egg-allergic child can safely try yolk at home. We found no randomized trial comparing whole eggs with whole tofu.

Sources

1. egtu-daily-r3-03 · fact sheet
   In the United States, foods that are fortified with calcium include many fruit juices and drinks, milk substitutes (e.g., soy and almond beverages), tofu, and ready-to-eat cereals [1,8]. Calcium citrate malate is a well-absorbed form of calcium used in some fortified juices [3]. Calcium absorption varies by type of food. The absorption of calcium from dairy products and fortified foods is about 30% [1].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Calcium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-03
2. egtu-daily-r3-16 · food composition dataset
   Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole | Protein | 12.4 G | range 11.6-13.2, median 12.4 || Cholesterol | 411.0 MG | range 371.0-451.0, median 409.0, 24 samples, spread 19% || Choline, total | 335.0 MG | range 287.0-404.0, median 338.0, 24 samples, spread 35% || Iron, Fe | 1.67 MG | range 1.42-2.09, median 1.64, 22 samples || Calcium, Ca | 48.0 MG | range 44.0-54.0, median 48.0, 22 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-10-03
3. egtu-daily-r3-17 · food composition dataset
   12-940 Eggs, chicken, whole, boiled | Energy (kcal) 143 | Protein (g) 14.1 | Fat (g) 9.6 | Cholesterol (mg) 360.0 | Iron (mg) 1.97 | Calcium (mg) 55 || 13-570 Tofu, soya bean, steamed | Energy (kcal) 73 | Protein (g) 8.1 | Fat (g) 4.2 | Cholesterol (mg) 0.0 | Iron (mg) 1.20
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, Open Government Licence v3.0 · checked 2026-10-03
4. egtu-daily-r3-18 · survey food dataset
   Egg, whole, raw | FNDDS code 31101010 | fdc_id 2707152 | 1 egg 60710 = 50 g || Soybean curd | FNDDS code 41420010 | fdc_id 2707435 | 1 piece (2-1/2" x 2-3/4" x 1") 61718 = 120 g | 1 cup (1/2" cubes) 10207 = 248 g | Quantity not specified 90000 = 62 g
   USDA FNDDS (survey foods) · checked 2026-10-03
5. egtu-daily-r3-01 · RCT
   Following 3 d of dietary control, a total of 56 healthy young adults underwent an 8.5-h metabolic study using stable isotope tracer methodology. The changes from baseline following consumption of 1 of 7 different protein food sources were compared with the baseline value for that individual (n = 8 per group). RESULTS: Consumption of ounce equivalents of animal-based protein food sources (beef sirloin, pork loin, eggs) resulted in a greater gain in whole-body net protein balance above baseline than the ounce equivalents of plant-based protein food sources (tofu, kidney beans, peanut butter, mixed nuts; P < 0.01).
   J Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-10-03
6. egtu-daily-r3-02 · RCT (crossover)
   Following a three day pre-period, 14 lacto-ovo vegetarians were randomly divided into two experimental periods of 30 days each. For the first 30 days, one half of the subjects (n = 7) received 6 oz (173 grams) of tofu/day (T) while the other half of the subjects (n = 7) received 6 oz of tofu/day along with 303 mg of vitamin C/d (TO). ... There was no significant difference in the change in serum ferritin levels between the T and TO groups over the first and second experimental periods. In conclusion, bioavailability of iron from tofu is enhanced by supplementation with ascorbic acid.
   Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 2002 · checked 2026-10-03
7. egtu-daily-r3-13 · retrospective cohort
   The study included 123 patients with a median age of 12 months. ... Of the 123 egg yolk OFCs, 115 (93.4%) patients were tolerant and consumed egg yolk at home.
   Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol, 2026 · checked 2026-10-03
8. egtu-daily-r3-19 · nutrient retention dataset
   USDA-RETN-R6:105 EGGS,HARD COOKED, group Dairy and Egg Products: folate_total_ug 75% retained, choline_mg 80%, vitamin_b12_ug 85%, thiamin_mg 85%, riboflavin_mg 95%, iron_mg 100%, zinc_mg 100%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, 2007, Retn_Code 105 · checked 2026-10-03
9. egtu-daily-r3-06 · meta-analysis of cohorts
   A total of 1963 studies met the inclusion criteria, and 29 articles with 16,521 T2D and 54,213 CVDs events were identified by the eligibility criteria. ... A daily intake of 26.7 g of tofu reduced CVDs risk by 18% (TRR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.74-0.92) and 11.1 g of natto lowered the risk of CVDs by 17% (TRR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.78-0.89), especially stroke.
   Nutrients, 2023 · checked 2026-10-03
10. egtu-daily-r3-08 · meta-analysis of cohorts
    Nineteen prospective cohort studies, involving 1 737 893 participants, were included. The pooled hazard ratios for an increase of 1 egg/d were 1.08 (95%CI, 1.01-1.15) for all-cause mortality, 1.07 (95%CI, 0.97-1.18) for cardiovascular disease-caused mortality, and 1.16 (95%CI, 1.04-1.30) for cancer-caused mortality. The certainty of evidence for these observations was rated as very low.
    Nutr Rev, 2022 · checked 2026-10-03
11. egtu-daily-r3-11 · RCT (crossover)
    Sixteen healthy Chinese male adults participated in a randomized, controlled, crossover meal trial. ... Soya + Rice treatment induced a significantly lower incremental peak and incremental area under curve (iAUC) (0-60 min) glucose level compared with Chicken + Rice. The postprandial insulin response (incremental peak, iAUC 0-180 min) was significantly lower after Soya + Rice than Chicken + Rice group.
    Eur J Nutr, 2025 · checked 2026-10-03
12. egtu-daily-r3-12 · meta-analysis
    The point prevalence of food challenge-verified allergy were as follows: cow's milk (0.3%, 0.1-0.5), egg (0.8%, 0.5-1.2), wheat (0.1%, 0.01-0.2), soy (0.3%, 0.1-0.4), peanut (0.1%, 0.0-0.2), tree nuts (0.04%, 0.02-0.1), fish (0.02%, 0.0-0.1) and shellfish (0.1%, 0.0-0.2).
    Allergy, 2023 · checked 2026-10-03
13. egtu-daily-r3-07 · meta-analysis
    A total of 14 studies (2 cohort studies, 12 case-control studies) were included in the meta-analysis. The overall OR of breast cancer for highest vs lowest intake of tofu was 0.78 (95% CI 0.69-0.88), with moderate heterogeneity (P = 0.011, I2 = 49.7%).
    PLoS One, 2020 · checked 2026-10-03
14. egtu-daily-r3-09 · scoping review
    A literature search identified 38 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on egg consumption in relation to health outcomes published between 2011 and 30 April 2022. Overall, current evidence from systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials indicates that higher egg intake may increase serum total cholesterol concentration and the ratio of low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but with substantial heterogeneity in the response. ... Based on the available evidence, one egg/day is unlikely to adversely affect overall disease risk.
    Food Nutr Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-03
15. egtu-daily-r3-10 · umbrella review
    Fourteen meta-analyses were included (10 observational, 4 interventional studies). ... The level of evidence was very weak for all the significant associations: risk of heart failure (RR 1.15; 95%CI: 1.02-1.30), cancer mortality (RR 1.13; 95%CI 1.06-1.20), higher levels of LDL cholesterol (WMD 7.39; 95%CI 5.82-8.95), total cholesterol (WMD 9.12; 95%CI 7.35-10.89), and apolipoprotein B-100 (WMD 0.06; 95%CI 0.03-0.08).
    Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2025 · checked 2026-10-03
16. egtu-daily-r3-14 · regulatory decision
    (2) Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of [name of food] provides ____ grams of soy protein.
    21 CFR 101.82, Health claims: soy protein and risk of coronary heart disease · checked 2026-10-03
17. egtu-daily-r3-15 · regulatory decision
    POL-HC-7045 Egg shell, crushed, without membrane It maintains the good condition of bonesIt protects and nourishes bones, it is a suitable source of calcium for bone restoration. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7045, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-03
18. egtu-daily-r3-04 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Twenty-nine RCTs involving 2,457 participants were included. The results showed that, compared with the control group that did not consume unfermented soy products, consumption of unfermented soy products significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) (MD, -9.46 mg/dL
    J Acad Nutr Diet, 2024 · checked 2026-10-03
19. egtu-daily-r3-05 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Twenty-nine RCTs involving 2363 participants were included; 61.3% of participants were female, with 1174 assigned to animal-protein group and 1189 to plant-protein group. ... Pooled analyses showed no significant differences between plant- and animal-protein interventions on body composition, including lean mass and handgrip strength, and on most blood indices. A marginal reduction in total cholesterol (T-CHOL) favored plant protein with substantial between-study heterogeneity (Hedges' g = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.62 to -0.00; I2 = 86.20%).
    Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2026 · checked 2026-10-03
20. egtu-daily-r3-20 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    The results should be interpreted as evidence from controlled protein-source interventions rather than as evidence of equivalence between whole-food plant and animal protein substitutions. Further RCTs evaluating diverse whole-protein foods within protein-adequate, isocaloric, and nutritionally well-characterized dietary patterns are warranted.
    Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2026 · checked 2026-10-03