Tofu vs tempeh for acne
Tofu scores 100/100 (GLOW) and tempeh scores 94/100 (GLOW) on SpotBite's Skin Score. Tofu is the safer choice by 6 points, and the gap comes mostly from inflammatory fats.
Where the gap comes from
- Inflammatory fats: Tofu has 0.7 g saturated fat and 2.2 g omega-6, Tempeh has 2.2 g and 3.8 g.
Evidence: Caperton 2014 double-blind RCT (n=14): one dose of 100% cocoa increased acne lesions by day 4 (study). All 13 sources.
Score breakdown, side by side
| Tofu | Tempeh | |
|---|---|---|
| Glycemic (of 50) | GL 0.3 −0.5 | GL 1.4 −2.4 |
| Dairy (of 25) | 0 g 0 | 0 g 0 |
| Inflammation (of 25) | 0.7 g sat · 2.2 g ω-6 −6.6 | 2.2 g sat · 3.8 g ω-6 −12.5 |
| Skin Boost (of 25) | 0.4 g ω-3 · medium polyphenols +8 | 0.5 g ω-3 · medium polyphenols +8.8 |
| Skin Score | 100 · GLOW | 94 · GLOW |
Estimates for a typical serving. Real foods vary by brand and recipe.
Verdict
If you are acne-prone, tofu is the better pick of the two.
Not medical advice. Both scores are for the food on its own. What you eat with it changes the result, and breakouts usually show up 3 to 7 days after a meal. Diet is one factor among many.
See your own pattern
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