Edamame are soybeans that are harvested before they’ve reached maturity. They have a bright green color, a soft texture,and a mild, slightly nutty flavor. They’re commonly enjoyed on their own as a snack, but can also be added to dishes like salads, rice bowls, soups, and dips.
Edamame provides a number of nutrients necessary for health, including protein, iron, magnesium, and potassium, and adding this tasty legume to your diet may benefit the health of your heart, digestive system, and more.
Here’s everything you need to know about edamame, including potential health benefits, nutrition, and how to add it to your diet.
Protein is concentrated in both animal and plant-based foods. Legumes, like edamame, are amongst the richest sources of plant-based protein you can eat.
Edamame provides 18.5 grams (g) of protein per cooked cup, which is nearly 32% more protein than two hard-boiled eggs.This makes edamame an excellent source of protein, especially for those following plant-based diets, such as vegan diets.
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are necessary for critical processes such as hormone and neurotransmitter production and the growth and regeneration of muscle tissue.
Protein is also essential for bone health and underconsuming protein can lead to an increased risk of fractures and the development of osteoporosis. Protein makes up one-third of bone mass and around 50% of bone volume, and studies show that regularly consuming high-protein foods, like edamame, may help reduce the risk of developing low bone mineral density and may help protect against fracture risk.
Promotes Digestive Health
Eating fiber-rich foods, like edamame, helps support digestive health by promoting healthy bowel movements and fueling the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Edamame contains both insoluble and soluble fiber, both of which play protective roles in gut health. Insoluble fiber helps add bulk to your stools, which promotes regular bowel movements. Soluble fiber helps draw water into stools, which makes them easier and more comfortable to pass. Soluble fibers also stimulate the release of compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are produced during the bacterial fermentation of soluble fiber. SCFAs, such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, promote gut health by fueling the cells that line the colon, regulating intestinal inflammation, and improving the integrity of the intestinal barrier.
Increasing your intake of fiber is an effective way to reduce your risk of digestive diseases, including colon cancer and diverticulitis.
Unfortunately, most American’s diets are low in fiber. In fact, studies show that the average American consumes just 15 grams of fiber per day, which covers only 53% of fiber needs. Adding edamame to your diet is a delicious and easy way to increase your fiber intake and can help you meet your daily fiber requirements.
In addition to fiber, the amino acids found in edamame have been shown to support thegrowth of probiotic gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli species, which support an overall healthy gut environment.
Choosing foods high in satiating nutrients, like protein and fiber, could help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Protein helps you feel full by slowing digestion and increasing the time that food takes to travel through your digestive system. Additionally, protein stimulates the release of hormones such as peptide YY (PYY) and cholecystokinin (CCK), which act on certain areas of the brain to inhibit food intake.
In addition to being rich in protein, edamame is a good source of fiber, another nutrient that’s important for weight maintenance. Like protein, fiber slows digestion and stimulates the release of satiety hormones, which tell your body to stop eating.
Because edamame is so rich in fiber and protein, adding it to your diet could promote satiety, prevent overeating,and help you maintain a healthy body weight.
Numerous studies have found that diets high in protein and fiber are effective for promoting weight loss and enhancing satiety.
A 2019 study that included 345 people found that fiber intake was the most influential predictor of body weight, independent of calorie and macronutrient intake. This suggests that simply increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods, like edamame, may be a helpful way to promote weight loss.
Benefits Heart Health
Your diet plays a critical role in keeping your heart healthy and preventing cardiovascular disease.
High blood pressure and blood lipids, including elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, are considered risk factors for heart disease. Choosing foods high in certain nutrients, such as fiber, magnesium, and potassium, can help prevent and reduce heart disease risk factors, thus protecting against heart disease development.
One cup of edamame provides 8.06 grams of fiber, which covers nearly 29% of the Daily Value (DV) of this heart health-supporting nutrient. Fiber helps promote healthy cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract and increasing its excretion through your stool. Edamame also covers a large chunk of your daily needs for potassium and magnesium, which are critical for blood pressure regulation.
Studies show that people who eat more legumes, like edamame, tend to have fewer heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. For example, a 2022 study that included data on 7,522 people found that people who consumed between 55 and 70 grams or ¼ to ¾ of a cup of legumes per day had a 43% lower risk of high blood pressure compared to the lowest consumers of legumes.
In addition to fiber, potassium, and magnesium, edamame provides polyphenol compounds called isoflavones. Isoflavones protect heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and protecting against the development and progression of atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries.
A 2023 review found that high intake of soy isoflavones was associated with a 9% lower risk of overall heart disease and an 11% reduced risk of coronary heart disease among Western populations.
Soy foods, like edamame, are high in compounds called phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens can have either antiestrogenic or estrogenic effects in the body, meaning they can either block estrogen absorption or have weak estrogenic activity.
Because of its impact on estrogen, studies suggest that consuming soy products may help protect against hormone-mediated cancers, such as certain types of breast cancer, in some populations. A 2020 review of 18 studies found that women with the highest soy intake had a 12% reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women with the lowest intake. This association was stronger among premenopausal women and women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer.
However, this relationship is still being studied, and more research is needed to understand how soy intake impacts cancer risk.
Nutritional Facts of Edamame
Edamame is packed with nutrients and makes a smart choice for those who want to increase their intake of plant-based protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Here’s the nutrition breakdown for a one-cup serving of cooked edamame:
- Calories: 224
- Carbohydrates: 13.8 grams (g)
- Fiber: 8.06 g
- Protein: 18.4 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Folate: 458 micrograms (mcg) or 121% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin C: 8.48 milligrams (mg) or 11% of the DV
- Thiamine: 0.29 mg or 26% of the DV
- Copper: 0.534 mg or 59% of the DV
- Iron: 3.52 mg or 20% of the DV
- Magnesium: 99.2 mg or 24% of the DV
- Manganese: 1.58 mg or 69% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 262 mg or 21% of the DV
- Potassium: 675 mg or 14% of the DV
- Zinc: 2.13 mg or 19% of the DV
Edamame is a rich source of several essential nutrients, including commonly undercosumed vitamins and minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Magnesium and potassium are commonly low in most American’s diets due to overreliance on ultra-processed foods and underconsumption of fruits and vegetables. Magnesium and potassium are critical for blood pressure regulation, and having a low dietary intake of these nutrients elevates the risk of developing high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.
According to research, fewer than 3% of Americans exceed the DV for potassium, which is set at 4,700 mg per day. Additionally, study findings suggest that less than half of the population in the U.S. meets their daily magnesium requirements.
Fortunately, increasing your intake of these nutrients by choosing mineral-rich foods like edamame could protect heart health and lower the risk of heart disease.
In addition to magnesium and potassium, edamame is a good source of protein, fiber, and several other vitamins and minerals, such as iron, a mineral that’s needed for oxygen transport, energy production, hormone synthesis, and neurological development.
Iron tends to be low in people following plant-based diets due to the fact that iron is mostly concentrated in animal foods. Edamame is a rich source of plant-based or non-heme iron, making edamame an excellent choice for supporting healthy iron stores in those following vegetarian or vegan diets.
Edamame makes a healthy choice for most people. However, being a soy product, it’s not appropriate for people who are allergic to soy.
Additionally, because edamame is relatively high in fiber, consuming a large portion could lead to symptoms like bloating and gas, especially if your current diet is low in fiber.
Like any fiber-rich food, it’s best to slowly increase your consumption of edamame over time, which helps your body get used to a higher fiber intake and reduces the chances of experiencing uncomfortable digestive symptoms.
Additionally, limited evidence suggests that consuming high amounts of soy foods may negatively impact thyroid function, including slightly increasing levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, which triggers the release of thyroid hormone. However, most study findings suggest that normal soy intake is unlikely to significantly impact thyroid health, especially in those with normal thyroid function.
Nonetheless, because a diet high in soy may interfere with thyroid hormone levels, it’s best for people with thyroid conditions, such as hypothyroidism, to consume soy products in moderation.
Tips for Consuming Edamame
Edamame is delicious when consumed on its own as a snack or appetizer and can also be enjoyed in dishes like salads and noodles.
Here are a few ways to add edamame to your diet:
- Pair steamed edamame with a sprinkle of soy sauce or sea salt for a simple, high-protein snack.
- Add edamame to noodle dishes for a boost of plant-based protein and fiber.
- Use edamame in soups and stews.
- Try adding edamame to grain dishes, like quinoa salads and rice bowls.
- Make a high-protein salad by combining edamame and fresh vegetables.
- Use edamame in place of chickpeas to create a vibrant green edamame hummus.
You can find frozen edamame in most grocery stores, either shelled or in their pods. Fresh, unfrozen edamame is harder to come by but can be purchased in specialty stores and from local farms, depending on where you live.
Edamame are immature soybeans that are loaded with nutrients, including fiber, protein, magnesium, and iron.
Eating edamame can benefit health in several ways, from promoting satiety to reducing heart disease risk factors.
In addition to being nutritious, edamame are tasty and versatile, and can be enjoyed in dishes like salads, soups, and rice bowls.
