Edamame

Edamame (枝豆?) /ˌɛdəˈmɑːmeɪ/ or edamame bean is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of Taiwan, China, Japan, Indonesia and Hawaii. The pods are boiled or steamed and served with salt.

Outside East Asia, the dish is most often found in Japanese restaurants and some Chinese restaurants but it also has found popularity elsewhere as a healthy food item. In the United States it is often sold in bags in the frozen food section of grocery stores.

The United States Department of Agriculture states that edamame beans are “a soybean that can be eaten fresh and are best known as a snack with a nutritional punch”.

Edamame and all preparations of soybeans are rich in carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, and micronutrients, particularly folates, manganese, and vitamin K (table).

The balance of fatty acids in 100 grams of edamame is 361 mg of omega-3 fatty acids to 1794 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.

Edamame beans contain higher levels of abscisic acid, sucrose, and protein than other types of soybeans,[citation needed] and may contain carotenoids.