Edamame: Healthy Trendy Snack Or Just A Lot Of Hype?
The individual beans ripen in a pod, like green beans or peas. Edamame are bright green and have a nutty and slightly sweet aroma. This is how edamame come onto the market For a long time in Europe, edamame was only available as a starter or side dish in Japanese or Vietnamese restaurants and in Asian markets. The beans are now also available in supermarkets - as frozen goods, but also in cans, jars or vacuum bags. More and more grocery stores are also offering edamame fresh.
They are also available roasted and salted as a snack. Why you shouldn't eat edamame raw Edamame, like many other legumes, contain so-called antinutrients that hinder the absorption of nutrients. The antinutrients in edamame are not heat stable. Therefore: Edamame must be heated before consumption. Apart from the fresh beans offered, the edamame available in stores are usually already blanched, pre-cooked or steamed - and therefore ready to eat. This preparation usually takes place with a pod, and the edamame is then put into the sales packaging both in the pod and in pulp. The pod is very fibrous and not suitable for consumption even after cooking.
What Are Edamames?
Edamame are also known as edamame beans. So they are legumes, but very special ones: Edamame are soybeans that are harvested unripe and are therefore still green. Soy originally comes from Southeast Asia, where it has been cultivated for around 1,500 years. And like mature soybeans, soybean sprouts or soy products such as tofu, edamame have a long tradition in Asian cuisine.
That's Why Edamames Are Healthy
One thing first: all legumes are high-quality, healthy
foods. Among plant-based foods, they contain the most protein next to nuts and
are therefore an important source of protein for people who want to eat little
or no meat and animal products. Fiber, secondary plant substances, many
vitamins and minerals are other valuable ingredients in legumes. However,
neither lentils, French beans nor snow peas have experienced a comparable hype
as superfoods in recent years, but rather edamame. What makes unripe soybeans
so special?
Balance Of Ingredients
Edamame only have 6.8 grams of fat per 100 grams, with
polyunsaturated fatty acids making up almost half of that (3.2 g).
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are valuable fats that, among other things, have a
positive effect on cholesterol levels. There are also amino acids, fiber (4.2
grams per 100 grams), the minerals calcium, magnesium and iron as well as
vitamins A, C and E. The proportion of carbohydrates is 11.1 grams per 100
grams. That's why edamame has 166 Kilocalories per 100 grams for a plant-based
food are not low in calories - but thanks to the favorable combination of fats,
proteins and carbohydrates, they are a high-quality source of energy. The
conclusion: The mixture of many valuable ingredients and the high protein
quality make edamame something very special.
Ideal As Part Of A Balanced Diet
A lot of plant-based food is important for a healthy diet.
The German Nutrition Society recommends at least three portions of vegetables a
day (around 400 grams) - both cooked and raw vegetables and salad. For dried
legumes, a portion is around 70 grams and for cooked ones such as edamame it is
125 grams. In addition, it is recommended to have two portions of fruit per
day, whereby one portion of nuts (25 grams) can replace one portion of fruit.
Carbohydrates come from potatoes, bread, grain products, rice and pasta. The
recommended amount varies and is between 180 grams (rice) and 300 grams
(bread). It is recommended to choose whole grain products that contain more
fiber.
Many people are not aware that edamame are soybeans that have been harvested immaturely. This can become a problem if you are allergic to soy. Soy allergens are a common cause of food allergy in adolescents and adults. It is estimated that up to three percent of the population could be affected by a soy allergy. For example, many people who are allergic to birch pollen also cannot tolerate soybeans. Then we speak of a cross allergy.
Consuming edamame and legumes is not entirely safe for
people with elevated uric acid levels in the blood or gout. In gout, uric acid
crystals build up in the joints due to increased uric acid levels. The reason
is the high content of so-called purines. The body breaks down purine into uric
acid. An increased intake of purines through food therefore causes the uric
acid level to rise. If you have uric acid problems, you should only consume
legumes in small quantities. Peas, broad beans and lentils are particularly
rich in purines - although meat contains even more purines.
Nutritional values of edamame: lots of high-quality protein
Prepare Edamame
Preparing edamame initially depends on whether you are using fresh, frozen, fully cooked or roasted edamame.
Add fresh edamame with the pod to boiling salted water and
cook for about five minutes. Edamame should be crunchy. So don't cook them for
too long, otherwise they'll lose their bite.
For frozen edamame, the cooking time is shorter if they are
already blanched. Pay attention to the package instructions here.
Edamame from a can or a bag are usually ready to eat and,
depending on the intended use, simply need to be warmed up. In this case you
will also find information on the packaging.
In any case, you can eat snack edamame straight away. As
with many snacks, you should pay attention to the nutritional information. The
fat content of such products can be significantly higher than that of
unprocessed edamame and they often contain a lot of salt.
Boil, Steam, Fry Edamame
Cooking and salting the edamame is the classic way of preparing it and then using it as a starter or vegetable side dish. You can also steam the edamame in a steamer or fry it in a wok or pan. Depending on what you want to serve the edamame with, you can refine it with pepper, garlic, chili or soy sauce, for example.
As a starter, the edamame don't even have to be chopped. You
can also put the whole pods in your mouth and push the beans out of the pod
with your teeth - the main thing is that you don't eat the pods.
Edamame On Salads, In Bowls, In Soup
Pre-cooked edamame are particularly suitable for simply
sprinkling over a salad or in a bowl as an enriching source of protein. Edamame
are also a great addition to soups. Edamame belongs in many Asian soups such as
Japanese ramen anyway, but they also go well with many other soups, whether
clear or creamy.
Edamame As A Puree Or Dip
With the hand blender you can conjure up an appetizing green puree from boiled and pulped edamame, which, seasoned appropriately and served warm, is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. When cold, pureed edamame is ideal as a healthy dip for a wide variety of snacks: from savory snacks to vegetable sticks.
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