Tempeh is a hearty-tasting staple food used in Indonesia for over 2000 years. Made by fermenting soy beans, this food is high in nutritional value.

Tempeh is rich in proteins, and hence makes a tasty meat replacement for vegans or vegetarians. Since this fermented food is rich in dietary fiber, it also makes a good source of protein for those with diabetes, some of whom have problems dealing with animal proteins. The antibiotic agents and enzymes that tempeh contains also help make the food more easily digestible.

Tempeh also contains isoflavones and soy saponins that can help reduce your risk of heart diseases and cancer. For those who believe that unfermented soy products are harmful to health, tempeh is an alternative way of getting your nutrients from soy, without the problems associated with unfermented soy.

Tempeh is also a good source of minerals like manganese and magnesium.

References
[1] Collins, Elise Marie. An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods: A Shopper’s Companion. San Francisco, California: Conari Press, 2009. Print.

Cindy L. TJOL is trained in Psychology, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has several years of experience writing on natural health on the internet. Follow her on her blog and read her other articles at Insights On Health.com.