Edamame

You might be asking yourself: “What in the world is edamame?” Simply, edamame are green soybeans in the pod. In some grocery stores, it is found in the freezer of the “organic” or “health food” section.

Edamame is an excellent source of protein! It takes your body longer to digest protein; thus, when you consume protein you are likely to feel full longer. In addition to protein, soybeans are rich in polyunsaturated fat (the good kind of fat), fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Specifically, here are the nutrients you get from a serving (1/2 cup shelled edamame or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods):

• 20 calories
• 9 grams fiber
• 2.5 grams fat
• 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
• 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
• 11 grams protein
• 13 grams carbohydrate
• 15 mg sodium
• 10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
• 10% Daily Value for iron
• 8% Daily Value for vitamin A
• 4% Daily Value for calcium

Edamame can be eaten boiled or incorporated into many of your favorite recipes for salads or appetizers.

There are other foods that you can consume to get the benefits of soy. They include the following:

• Calcium-fortified soy milk
• Tofu: a soft, cheese-like food
• Soy nuts
• Tempeh: soybeans that have fermented and formed a cake-like mass
• Miso: a paste made from soybeans that is used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meat, or miso soup
• Soy patties, cheese and yogurt
• Soy breakfast cereal

Give edamame or other soy-based products a try—you may find that you have a new favorite snack!

Resources:

“Soy for your Health” published by the American Dietetics Association http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=10722&terms=edamame

“The Secret of Edamame”
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56288