Plain tofu is not ultra-processed. Under the NOVA food classification system, which is the most widely used framework for categorizing foods by processing level, tofu falls into Group 3: “processed foods.” That places it two full categories below ultra-processed foods (Group 4), which include things like sugary drinks, packaged snacks, and ready-to-eat meals loaded with industrial additives. The confusion often arises because some soy-based products, like meat alternatives and flavored soy milks, do qualify as ultra-processed, and people assume tofu belongs in the same bucket.
How Tofu Is Actually Made
Tofu production is remarkably simple and has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Dried soybeans are soaked overnight in water, then blended into a smooth mixture and simmered to make soy milk. A coagulant is added to separate the soy milk into curds and whey (similar to cheesemaking), and the curds are pressed into a block. The whole process uses two to three ingredients: soybeans, water, and a coagulant.
The coagulants used in tofu are straightforward mineral salts or natural acids. The most traditional options are nigari (magnesium chloride, derived from seawater) and gypsum (calcium sulfate). These are the same coagulants that have been used since tofu was first made in ancient China. Some producers use glucono-delta-lactone, a naturally occurring acid, to create silken tofu. None of these are the kind of industrial additives you’d find in a list of ultra-processed food ingredients.
About 85% of the protein from the original soybeans makes it into the finished tofu. Some nutrients, particularly fiber and isoflavones, are lost when the soy pulp (called okara) is strained out during the soy milk stage, but the final product retains the bulk of what makes soybeans nutritious.
Where the Confusion Comes From
The mix-up happens because “soy products” covers a huge range of foods with very different processing levels. Tofu sits comfortably in NOVA Group 3, alongside foods like canned vegetables, simple cheeses, and freshly baked bread. But soy-based meat alternatives, like plant-based burgers and sausages, land in Group 4 (ultra-processed) because they rely on heavily refined ingredients like soy protein isolate and soy protein concentrate. These are extracted and reconstituted proteins that bear little resemblance to the whole soybean.
Tempeh, another traditional soy food, is arguably even less processed than tofu. It’s made from whole fermented soybeans compacted into a dense cake, with the fiber and bean structure still intact. Textured vegetable protein (TVP), on the other hand, is made by extruding defatted soy flour at high heat and pressure, placing it firmly in the ultra-processed category. The spectrum runs wide.
Why NOVA Categories Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Even for soy products that do land in the ultra-processed category, some nutrition researchers argue the label is misleading. A perspective published in Advances in Nutrition pointed out that none of the typical criticisms of ultra-processed foods (poor nutrient density, excess sugar, harmful additives) actually apply to soy-based meat and dairy alternatives. The paper argued that the NOVA system is “simplistic and does not adequately evaluate the nutritional attributes” of these foods, and that lumping plant-based soy products in with candy bars and soft drinks could discourage people from adopting more plant-forward diets.
Mark Messina, a soy nutrition researcher, has noted that nutritional quality doesn’t depend solely on how intensely a food is processed but on the final composition of the food itself. A soy-based burger made with protein isolate may technically be ultra-processed, but it delivers a very different nutritional package than a bag of chips.
For tofu specifically, though, the debate is mostly academic. Its short ingredient list, minimal processing steps, and centuries-old production method keep it well outside ultra-processed territory by any reasonable definition.
What to Watch For on the Label
Not all tofu at the grocery store is created equal. Plain, traditional tofu (the kind listing soybeans, water, and a coagulant) is straightforward. But some flavored, pre-marinated, or smoked varieties add preservatives, thickeners, or flavor enhancers that inch the product closer to higher processing levels. If keeping processing minimal matters to you, check the ingredient list. Three to four recognizable ingredients is typical for standard tofu. If you see a long list with unfamiliar additives, you’re looking at a more processed version.
Silken tofu, firm tofu, and extra-firm tofu all use the same basic process. The difference in texture comes from how much water is pressed out and which coagulant is used, not from additional processing steps or ingredients.