Above: The five larger pods to the left are edamame soybeans. The two pods on the right are common field soybeans. Photo courtesy OSU Extension
Below Clip: Chef Pierre creates a delicious salad with edamame.
Edamame nutrition For 1/2 cup
125 calories 11 grams of protein 6 grams of fat 4 grams of fiber 130 milligrams of calcium 430 milligrams of potassium Source of various other vitamins and minerals
edamame’s popularity is growing
by Marissa Mullett
Edamame, a soybean that is harvested when the plant is still green, is a high-value specialty crop that is gaining popularity in the United States.
Asian countries have benefited from the nutritional value edamame offers for thousands of years. Pronounced eh-dah-MAH-may, this emerging source of soy protein is making its way into American produce departments of grocery stores and plant catalogs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published an article that described edamame as, “A soybean that can be eaten fresh and is best known as a snack with a nutritional punch.”
These green soybeans tend to taste sweeter and nuttier than the typical soybean. Sara McNulty grows edamame in Kentucky. “I think the attractive part of edamame is that it tastes good and is easy to incorporate into dishes or diets,” she said.
Compared to the traditional soybean, edamame contains a higher level of abscissic acid, a plant hormone that has inhibitory effects. Some of edamame’s other characteristics include higher levels of sucrose and protein, all of which result in a tastier, healthier soybean. The green soybeans are also a rich source of vitamins A and B and calcium.
Edamame has health benefits too. McNulty explained that edamame is a good food for diabetics because it helps to maintain blood sugar levels.
“(Edamame) offers more health benefits than processed and refined forms of soy,” McNulty said, who doesn’t care for the taste of soy products, but is an edamame fan.
Other edamame health benefits include lower cholesterol levels and decreased risk of heart attacks. Research also suggests that the isoflavones in edamame may reduce or ward off breast cancer in premenopausal women.
McNulty was instrumental in the development of this specialty crop’s popularity in her area. Along with University of Kentucky Extension educators, McNulty secured one of Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s first sustainable community innovation grants. According to a USDA article, the funds from this grant were applied to promoting edamame as a profitable crop with great health potential.
The already-identified health benefits of soy (low-fat, high-protein, low-cholesterol) accelerated the University of Kentucky’s effort to promote the nutritional benefits of edamame to heart patients and healthcare workers.
The health benefits of edamame are worth the investment in the produce. USDA reports that 2-pound bundles (including stems and pods) of edamame sell for $3 to $5 at markets.
Purchasing edamame at a fresh market is difficult because the beans deteriorate quickly, McNulty said. Make sure it is fresh when you buy it, as the slightest yellow coloring will make it taste bitter.
“(Edamame) has to be kept at around 32 degrees in cold storage and only lasts five to seven days …One of the most difficult things to work with is keeping the beans fresh and having new consumers (try) the good tasting beans,” McNulty said.
Marissa Mullett is a freelance writer from Union County.
