Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Tempe is a food that is widely consumed by Indonesian people. Foods with a fermentation process contain probiotics which provide health benefits. Not only is it good for adults to consume, tempeh is also considered good for consumption to increase children's immune system during the growth process.
This is also what artist Nikita Willy did, who revealed that her son, Issa Xander Djokosoetono, really likes to eat tempeh.
“We all know, right, tempeh is a typical Indonesian food, it's high in protein, good, and cheap too. When I was pregnant, I ate tempeh almost every day, I didn't know, I really wanted to eat tempeh,” said Nikita Willy, quoted from detikhot.
“When Issa started MPASI (complementary food for breast milk), I tried tempeh once. Issa could eat a lot of it. So in my opinion, tempeh is her favorite food. She can just eat rice with tempeh if she gets bored of eating anything,” added Nikita.
Benefits of tempeh for children's health
Nutrition specialist, dr. Johanes Chandrawinata, revealed that tempeh can be used as additional food for babies aged six months and over because it has almost the same protein content as animal meat.
“[Tempe] “can be a substitute for meat,” said Dr. Johanes to CNBC Indonesia.
“Tempeh's omega-3 content in the form of alpha-linolenic acid is also good for children's brain and eye development,” he continued.
Johanes said, tempeh is a healthy food high in protein, contains prebiotics, and vitamins and minerals which are good for children. Tempeh per 100 grams contains 195 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3.4 grams of saturated fat, 2.6 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 3.8 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 7.6 grams of carbohydrates , and 20 grams of protein.
“Iron in tempeh reaches almost 15 percent of daily needs, calcium 10 percent, riboflavin 20 percent, niacin 13 percent, magnesium 20 percent, phosphorus 22 percent, and manganese 56 percent,” explained Dr. John.
Even though tempeh contains ingredients that are good for children's health, Dr. Johanes emphasized that tempeh is not the only source of protein that children need. Thus, he advised parents to provide a variety of foods to their children.
“Fish and nuts, such as walnuts, also contain omega-3. So, a varied diet for babies is certainly better. Moreover, the iron in meat is much easier to absorb than tempeh,” said Dr. John.
1. Baby 6-9 Months
Cut the tempeh into thin pieces the size of two adult fingers, then cook until tender. Tempeh pieces can be eaten directly or sautéed in oil and mixed with vegetables high in Vitamin C.
“Vegetables high in Vitamin C, such as bell peppers and broccoli [baik untuk dicampur dengan] to improve the absorption of iron from tempeh,” said Dr. Johanes.
2. Babies 9-12 Months and Children 12-24 Months
Entering the age of nine months, children can begin to be given small cooked tempeh and mixed with broth.
“For babies aged 9-12 months, they can be given small cooked tempeh in one meal. Apart from that, tempeh can be processed as a substitute for minced meat or boiled in broth or coconut milk,” explained Dr. John.
Meanwhile, tempeh given to children aged 12-24 can be processed into curry, cah, salad or soup.
“Be careful of the danger of choking. To prevent choking, cook tempeh until soft then cut into sizes appropriate to the baby's age. If you are allergic, stop giving tempeh,” stressed Dr. John.
Quoting from the official website of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes RI), tempeh is the only vegetable source that contains B12. The Vitamin B12 content in tempeh ranges from 1.5 to 6.3 micrograms per 100 grams of dried tempeh consumed.
“This amount is more than enough to meet a person's daily needs for Vitamin B12,” wrote the Ministry of Health, quoted on Tuesday (25/7/2023).
According to the Ministry of Health, tempeh contains a potential source of vitamin B, namely Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), and Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin).
Following are the health benefits of tempeh, quoting from Healthline.
1. Control your appetite
A number of studies have found that a high-protein diet can increase heat production, thereby increasing the body's metabolism and burning more calories.
Apart from that, a high protein diet can also help control appetite because it has the effect of feeling full for longer so you don't get hungry easily.
According to a study published in PubMed Central, high-protein soy snacks can increase appetite, feel full, and have good diet quality when compared to high-fat snacks.
Additionally, research shows that soy protein can be as effective as meat-based protein in controlling appetite.
In a 2014 study, 20 men with obesity were given a high-protein diet containing soy-based protein or meat-based protein. After two weeks, both diets led to weight loss, decreased appetite, and increased satiety, with no significant differences between the two protein sources.
Tempeh made from soybeans contains natural plant compounds isoflavones. Isoflavones are compounds that are closely related to reducing cholesterol levels. A review of eleven studies found that soy isoflavones were able to significantly reduce total and bad cholesterol (LDL).
Compared to animal protein, soy protein can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5.7 percent and total cholesterol by 4.4 percent. Additionally, soy protein reduces triglycerides by 13.3 percent.
In a 2013 animal study, researchers found that tempeh had a protective effect on the liver and could repair damaged liver cells in a sample of mice with liver damage.
3. Reduces Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is an imbalance in free radicals and antioxidants in the body which can cause cell and tissue damage.
In the long term, oxidative stress can trigger various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer
Studies show that soy isoflavones also have antioxidant properties and can reduce oxidative stress. According to study reports, antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals.
Many studies have shown that isoflavones can reduce signs of oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant activity in the body. Meanwhile, another study found that supplementation with soy isoflavones had a positive impact on several health conditions that are closely related to oxidative stress.
Interestingly, a study published by PubMed Central in 2015 found that tempeh has greater antioxidant activity compared to other soybean preparations.
4. Maintains bone health
Tempeh plays a role in maintaining bone strength and density because it has a high calcium content. It is known that adequate calcium intake can prevent the risk of osteoporosis.
A published study PubMed Centralfound that increasing calcium intake can help bone growth and density in children and adolescents. Apart from that, calcium intake also helps minimize the risk of bone loss and weakening of bones in the elderly.
Although dairy products are the most common source of calcium, research shows that the calcium in tempeh is absorbed just as well, as is the calcium in milk. Thus, tempeh can be an excellent choice for increasing calcium intake.
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