Edamame, or immature soybeans, is a nutritious, protein packed food. These beans make an excellent snack, side dish, or salad topper, and they are now even being added into hummus. Edamame is loaded with micro and macronutrients that make this legume so healthy.
Macronutrients
Edamame contains a wide variety of macronutrients. One cup of frozen then cooked edamame contains 188 calories, 18.5 grams of protein, 8 grams of healthy fats, 13.8 grams of carbohydrate, and 8 grams of fiber. The pairing of a high fiber and high protein content found in edamame allows for slower digestion of the bean. This means it keeps you full longer.
Micronutrients
The micronutrient content of edamame doesn't fall short either. One cup of cooked edamame provides 98 milligrams of calcium, 3.5 grams of iron, 99 milligrams of magnesium, 262 milligrams of phosphorus, 676 milligrams of potassium, only 9 milligrams of sodium, 9.5 milligrams of vitamin C, 1.4 milligrams of niacin, 482 micrograms on folate, and 41 grams of vitamin K.
These micronutrients make one cup of edamame a good source of vitamin C and potassium. One cup of edamame is an excellent source of vitamin K, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Does Cooking Matter?
The nutrients of edamame will stay consistent if frozen and thawed or eaten fresh. The only difference is frozen beans may retain a few more micronutrients. Frozen produce is often flash frozen immediately after picking, which preserves the nutrients, whereas fresh produce loses some nutrient content in the travel time from the field to the grocery store.
Added ingredients when cooking edamame will change the nutrient content depending on what fat or oil the bean is cooked in and how it is seasoned.
Nutritious Edamame
Edamame is a healthy plant stuffed with nutrition. This bean contains nutritious amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. You can eat it as a snack, in salads, or as a side dish.
