Health benefits of Taho, our favorite early morning snack

Soft soy bean curd with caramelized sugar and pearl tapioca. Reading this sound like a dish from a 5-star hotel’s menu. This is however not the most expensive snack that you will find in the Philippines and in Baguio City in particular. This is taho, a 20 pesos delicacy usually sold in the morning.

Taho in Baguio City

For those who frequent Burnham park in the early morning for their daily exercise, the Taho is a common after-exercise treat to break the “fast” from last night’s meal. Commonly, taho comes only in one flavor that is sweetened with caramelized sugar. However, in Baguio City, the taho evolved into two other flavors the popular Strawberry Taho and the rare Ube taho, both highlighting the popular products of Baguio and Benguet. In fact, eating strawberry and ube taho has become a must-have activity on your bucket list when visiting the City of Pines.

Hack: if you buy early enough, ask if Kuya magtataho has fresh soya milk available. You can request to remove about a spoonful or two of soymilk from the bottle and replace it with arnibal (caramelized sugar) for a sweet, refreshing morning drink.

The Health Benefits of Taho

Good source of protein

The taho is not just street food but also healthy food! According to research, soybeans, where the taho or the soft tofu curd was derived from, are rich in protein. Soy is a good substitute for meat, especially for those whose diets do not allow meat. Substituting your meat protein with soy protein would definitely help decrease your risk of heart disease.

Lower cholesterol

Aside from protein that you can get from soy, WebMD says that consuming 10 ounces of tofu can lower your bad cholesterol levels by 5%.

Fight stress and aging

Soy products like taho are rich in antioxidants called isoflavones. These antioxidants have been found to lessen the damage caused by oxidative stress, which can damage cells, DNA, and contribute to aging and other chronic conditions caused by free radicals.

If you are in Baguio City, do not forget to take your daily dose of healthy plant-based protein without having to spend a fortune! Have your 20 pesos ready and call on your friendly taho vendor for a sweet healthy treat.