Eggs or tofu: equal over months as protein powders, eggs ahead in one meal

A meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials in 1,893 adults found that 6 months or more of plant protein supplements, largely soy, gave no significantly different lean mass, strength, blood lipids, blood pressure or glucose than animal protein supplements. The trials tested protein isolates and concentrates. None of them fed people tofu or whole eggs, and the result holds when total protein is adequate. The only trial that put eggs and tofu side by side was short. In 56 healthy young adults, 8 per food, eggs served as US Dietary Guidelines ounce equivalents raised whole-body net protein balance more than the same equivalents of tofu over 8.5 hours. Ounce equivalents are not equal grams of protein, and it was a single meal. Per 100 g in the UK food table, boiled egg has 143 calories and 14.1 g of protein, steamed tofu 73 calories and 8.1 g.

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g, boiled egg gives 143 calories, 14.1 g protein and 360 mg cholesterol, while steamed tofu gives 73 calories, 8.1 g protein and no cholesterol. — CoFID 2021 records 12-940 Eggs, chicken, whole, boiled and 13-570 Tofu, soya bean, steamed (n = 2 CoFID records) Evidence E source
  Egg: 143 calories, protein 14.1 g, fat 9.6 g, saturated 2.70 g, cholesterol 360 mg, vitamin B12 2.0 ug, vitamin D 3.2 ug, iron 1.97 mg. Tofu: 73 calories, protein 8.1 g, fat 4.2 g, saturated 0.50 g, cholesterol 0, B12 0, vitamin D 0, iron 1.20 mg

What a real portion looks like

• The US food survey counts one whole egg as 50 g, and it has no plain tofu record at all, only tofu inside mixed dishes. — USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Egg, whole, raw (code 31101010) and search for tofu (n = 1 FNDDS record) Evidence E source
  1 egg 50 g, 1 cup 245 g. Tofu appears only in 8 mixed-dish records (soups, stir-fries, tempura)

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized trial in 56 young adults, US Dietary Guidelines ounce equivalents of eggs raised whole-body net protein balance more than the same equivalents of tofu, beans or nuts over 8.5 hours. — 56 healthy young adults, 8 per protein food group, 3 days of dietary control then an 8.5-h stable isotope metabolic study (n = 56) Evidence B source
  Greater gain in whole-body net protein balance with beef, pork and eggs than with tofu, kidney beans, peanut butter and mixed nuts (P < 0.01), response correlated with essential amino acid content (P < 0.001)

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials in 1,893 adults found that 6 months or more of plant protein supplements, largely soy, gave no different lean mass, strength or cardiometabolic markers than animal protein. — 18 RCTs, 1,893 adults aged 18 and older, plant vs animal protein supplementation for at least 6 months (n = 1,893) Evidence A source
  No statistically significant differences in lean body mass, fat mass, strength, physical performance, lipids, blood pressure, glucose, insulin or HOMA-IR
• An umbrella review of 14 meta-analyses rated all links between eggs and health as very weak, with egg intake tied to higher LDL cholesterol (weighted mean difference 7.39, units not given in the abstract) and no link with cardiovascular outcomes or all-cause mortality. — 14 meta-analyses published since 2020 (10 observational, 4 interventional) on egg consumption and health outcomes (n = 14 meta-analyses) Evidence C source
  LDL cholesterol WMD 7.39 (95% CI 5.82 to 8.95), heart failure RR 1.15 (1.02 to 1.30), HDL WMD 1.37 (0.49 to 2.25). No association with cardiovascular outcomes or all-cause mortality

Safety, limits and interactions

• Among 123 egg-allergic children given a boiled egg yolk challenge at a median 12 months, 115 (93.4%) tolerated it and went on eating yolk at home. — 123 children with egg allergy undergoing oral food challenge with boiled egg yolk, 2019-2022 (n = 123) Evidence C source
  93.4% tolerant. Non-tolerant group had higher egg white-specific IgE, 28 vs 4.2 kU/L, p<0.01
• In one reported case, a 70-year-old man stable on warfarin developed subtherapeutic INR after starting soy milk, which returned to range within 2 weeks of stopping it. — one 70-year-old man on long-term warfarin (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Subtherapeutic INR with soy milk, back to therapeutic within 2 weeks of stopping; causality rated possible to probable

What people believe that the data does not support

• A meta-analysis of 15 placebo-controlled treatment groups found that soy foods and isoflavones did not change testosterone, SHBG, free testosterone or free androgen index in men. — adult men consuming soy foods, isolated soy protein or isoflavone extracts, 15 placebo-controlled groups plus 36 treatment groups in simpler models (n = 15 placebo-controlled groups) Evidence A source
  No significant effect on T, SHBG, free T or FAI regardless of statistical model

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials in 3,673 children under five in sub-Saharan Africa found egg-based feeding raised weight-for-age z-score by 0.33 but did not change height-for-age. — 3,673 children aged 6-59 months in 7 RCTs in sub-Saharan Africa, 2013-2023 (n = 3,673) Evidence A source
  WAZ MD 0.33 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.55), WHZ MD 0.30 (0.12 to 0.48), HAZ MD 0.05 (-0.05 to 0.14)

The bottom line

Soy did not lower testosterone in men when it was tested. A meta-analysis of 15 placebo-controlled groups of men found no significant effect of soy foods, soy protein or isoflavone extracts on testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG or the free androgen index, whatever statistical model was used. Most of those groups took isolates or supplements, and the search ran to 2008. Eggs carry 360 mg of cholesterol per 3.5 oz (100 g), and steamed tofu carries none. An umbrella review of 14 meta-analyses tied egg intake to higher LDL cholesterol (weighted mean difference 7.39, 95% CI 5.82 to 8.95, in units the abstract does not give) and found no link with cardiovascular outcomes or death from any cause. Its authors rated the quality of the underlying evidence critically low and every significant link very weak. Eggs also bring 2.0 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 3.2 micrograms of vitamin D per 3.5 oz (100 g), and the tofu record has none of either. Tofu protein and calcium vary a lot with firmness and the coagulant used, so check the label. The US food survey counts one egg as 50 g and has no record for plain tofu at all, only tofu inside mixed dishes. For small children the evidence is on the egg side only. In 7 randomized trials of 3,673 children aged 6 to 59 months in sub-Saharan Africa, egg-based feeding raised weight-for-age z-score by 0.33 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.55). Height-for-age did not change significantly (0.05, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.14). These were children at risk of undernutrition, and no comparable tofu trial exists. Two cautions. In 123 egg-allergic children given boiled egg yolk under medical supervision at a median age of 12 months, 115 (93.4%) tolerated it and went on eating yolk at home. The children who reacted had higher egg white IgE, and this was a supervised hospital challenge that is no guide to trying it at home. On the tofu side there is only a signal. One 70-year-old man stable on warfarin lost his target INR after starting soy milk, and it returned within 2 weeks of stopping. That is a single case involving soy milk, and if you take warfarin, a big change in soy intake is worth mentioning to whoever checks your INR. We have no card on soy allergy, so this page cannot tell you anything about tofu for people allergic to soy.

Sources

1. egtf-daily-r4-08 · reference dataset
   CoFID 12-940 Eggs, chicken, whole, boiled: Energy 143 kcal, Protein 14.1 g, Fat 9.6 g, Satd FA 2.70 g, Cholesterol 360 mg per 100 g. CoFID 13-570 Tofu, soya bean, steamed: Energy 73 kcal, Protein 8.1 g, Fat 4.2 g, Satd FA 0.50 g, Cholesterol 0 mg per 100 g
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England / OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-09-28
2. egtf-daily-r4-09 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2707152 Egg, whole, raw, FNDDS code 31101010 - 1 egg 50 g, 1 cup 245 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 · checked 2026-09-28
3. egtf-daily-r4-01 · randomized controlled trial
   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. ... 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 2026-09-28
4. egtf-daily-r4-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   A total of 18 RCTs involving 1,893 participants met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. In adults aged 18 years and older, long-term supplementation of PBP (largely soy protein) did not show statistically significant differences in lean body mass (LBM), fat mass (FM), total body mass (TBM), upper and lower muscle strength
   Front Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-28
5. egtf-daily-r4-03 · umbrella review
   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). ... No evidence of association was found among all cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality risk between high vs. low egg consumption.
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2025 · checked 2026-09-28
6. egtf-daily-r4-06 · 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 2026-09-28
7. egtf-daily-r4-07 · case report
   A 70-year-old white man who was stable on warfarin therapy developed subtherapeutic INR values after ingesting soy protein in the form of soy milk. ... INR values returned to therapeutic concentrations within 2 weeks after discontinuation of the soy milk.
   Ann Pharmacother, 2002 · checked 2026-09-28
8. egtf-daily-r4-04 · meta-analysis
   Fifteen placebo-controlled treatment groups with baseline and ending measures were analyzed. ... No significant effects of soy protein or isoflavone intake on T, SHBG, free T, or FAI were detected regardless of statistical model.
   Fertil Steril, 2010 · checked 2026-09-28
9. egtf-daily-r4-05 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Seven studies involving 3673 children met the inclusion criteria. Egg-based intervention significantly improved WAZ (MD: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.11-0.55) and WHZ (MD: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.12-0.48). However, no significant effect was observed on HAZ (MD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.05-0.14).
   J Nutr Sci, 2026 · checked 2026-09-28