What is organic tempeh? Even if you’re not fully plant-based, you have probably heard of tofu, and maybe even cooked it before. But did you know tofu has a cousin that is growing more and more popular? Tempeh, much like tofu, is typically made from soybeans, but unlike tofu, it is fermented with a member of the mushroom family. It is super flavorful, easy to prepare and linked to a long list of health benefits due to its high protein, vitamin and mineral content. Here is everything you need to know to answer the question: What is organic tempeh?
Organic Tempeh Health Benefits and History
Although it may be a new food to the average American, in Indonesia tempeh has been a staple for more than 300 years. It is very high in vitamin B12, magnesium, and healthy gut enzymes. It can also deliver up to 33 grams of protein per cup. But what is organic tempeh made from? Tempeh is commonly made with soybeans, but what most don’t know is that tempeh can be made from a variety of nuts, grains, and beans.
It’s made by soaking and partially cooking beans or grains and then fermenting them in a mold or mycelium called Rhizopus Oligosporus. This mycelium produces three enzymes – proteases, lipases, and amylases. These are natural enzymes that occur within our body that help convert fat into fatty acids, starches and carbohydrates to simple sugars, and proteins into amino acids.[1] In other words, it helps your gut process the things you eat and turn them into fuel for you throughout the day.
How to Find the Best Organic Tempeh
The possibilities of consuming it are as endless as the health benefits of tempeh. You can easily make your own, pick it up at your local grocery store, or support our favorite tempeh makers, Project Umami, found on certain YAYE Organics dishes from the meal delivery menu and (soon) sold on our site. (What is Project Umami you ask? – we’ll get there.) If you are looking for a nutrient-dense plant-based option, you will want to be very careful when buying tempeh from the grocery store.
Around 94% of the world’s soybeans are genetically engineered[2], and if you’re eating GMO ingredients, you are most likely ingesting herbicides that can damage the gut’s microbiome. Seems contradictory to the healing properties tempeh has to offer, right? To eliminate this problem, Project Umami makes their tempeh from organic, locally sourced ingredients like split peas, quinoa, chickpeas, and millet.
Project Umami: What is Organic Tempeh Protein?
Our friends at Project Umami really take the tempeh-making process to the next level by using unique local ingredients and a lot of love. With that, more people can experience organic tempeh health benefits. Griffin Giordano, the Founder of Project Umami, is working to bring high quality plant-based protein to people who want a well-rounded diet that aligns with their wellness principles.
Griffin has immense passion for this mycelium goodness. “I believe that a diet based on local, fresh produce can drastically change your life. I know this because I have experienced it first-hand. There were some bumps in the road on my journey to vegetarianism. I did at first find it difficult to obtain all my vital nutrients, proteins in particular, I needed for my physically active lifestyle. Enter tempeh. Fresh, natural, organic, unpasteurized soy-free, it gave me the convenient and ample source of protein I needed,”[3] says Griffin.
Project Umami has gone above and beyond to use the highest quality local ingredients to create some of the most flavorful tempeh we’ve ever tested in our recipes. They know where every single ingredient comes from and how it’s grown, also making sure there are no pesticides and harmful chemicals used to grow the ingredients they use.
Harness Organic Tempeh Health Benefits with YAYE
What is organic tempeh best used for? Tempeh is perfect for any kind of stir fry or grain bowl along with a big serving of vegetables. You can crumble it and use it like you would ground beef, or you can simply crisp it in a pan and add it to your favorite YAYE Organics meals for some extra protein and flavor. Get generous with both seasoning and marinating this delicious plant-based protein source – it packs a punch in flavor and nutrient density.
Ready to take advantage of all these organic tempeh health benefits? Check out the best fresh meal delivery Denver has to offer, packed with plant-based proteins, organic ingredients, and a lot of love. YAYE Organics is a plant-based meal subscription that transforms Coloradan’s lives one clean, ready-to-eat meal at a time. Get started with your weekly meal plan today.
[1] Nout, M J., and J L Kiers, “Tempe fermentation, innocation and functionality: update into the third millennium.” Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 98, no. 4, 2005, pp. 789-805.
[2] https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-is-tempeh/
[3] https://projectumami.net/pages/griffin-giordano