Edamame

Edamame is the soybean in its young, green stage, also referred to as vegetable soybean to differentiate crops used for dried beans or fuel. This crop is being looked at in the United States as a specialty food crop for small acreage farms. Edamame are typically cooked in the pod and then squeezed from the pod and consumed directly, as a side dish or as an ingredient in soup, noodle or rice dishes. The seeds can be roasted and seasoned for snacking.

Edamame can be found in the produce and freezer department of most major grocery stores. Frozen edamame are available both in pod and shelled. The same is true for fresh. Fresh edamame come from specialty produce distributors and will likely be prepackaged with instructions for preparation and use. You can also find them roasted and seasoned in the snack food aisle.

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor for more information on the health benefits of edamame.

The beans are rich in dietary fiber and protein. The contain the full profile of amino acids to be considered a complete protein. Soy has long been a mainstay in vegetarian diets. A serving provides daily requirement for folate. The seeds also contain phytoestrogens.