Introduction: There are more and more edamame in the market now, and I always make sure to buy some whenever I see them. That tender green wrapping plump beans, shelling a pod to pop a few flat, round fruits into your mouth—the light saltiness and fresh fragrance from chewing are still in my memory. Edamame is not only delicious, but also very nutritious.
I. The Past and Present of Edamame
Edamame, commonly known as soybean or yellow bean, is native to China and has a cultivation history of 5,000 years. It is now widely planted throughout the country, with production in the Northeast, North China, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River Basin and southwestern regions have more cultivation, while the soybeans from the Northeast are of the highest quality.
Soybean is a legume plant whose seeds are rich in protein; it generally refers to its seeds. Soybeans are oval or spherical. The seed coat can be yellow, light green, or black, known as yellow bean, green bean (different from green pea), and black bean respectively, with yellow bean being the most common.
II. The Nutritional Value of Edamame
Edamame is rich in plant-based protein and contains very high levels of nutrients like potassium and magnesium. It is particularly rich in B vitamins and dietary fiber, and also contains health-promoting components such as saponins, phytic acid, and oligosaccharides, which are very beneficial for protecting the cardiovascular system and controlling blood pressure. Therefore, eating an appropriate amount of edamame in the summer can also help prevent malnutrition, low energy, and heatstroke caused by excessive sweating and loss of appetite.
Edamame is not only delicious, but its nutrition is really impressive:
Every 100 grams of edamame contains 13.1 grams of protein, 5.0 grams of fat, 10.5 grams of carbohydrates, 4.0 grams of insoluble dietary fiber, 130 micrograms of carotene, 27 milligrams of vitamin C, 135 milligrams of calcium, 188 milligrams of phosphorus, 478 milligrams of potassium, 3.9 milligrams of sodium, 70 milligrams of magnesium, 3.5 milligrams of iron, 2.48 micrograms of selenium, and more. Notably, among fresh bean vegetables, its content of calcium, potassium, zinc, and dietary fiber ranks first.
Stir-fried Edamame with River Shrimp
III. The Health Benefits of Edamame
1. Improving Human Metabolism The fat content in edamame is significantly higher than in other types of vegetables, but it is mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids, such as the essential linoleic acid and linolenic acid. They can improve fat metabolism and help lower triglycerides and cholesterol in the human body.
2. Promoting Gastrointestinal Motility Edamame is also rich in dietary fiber, which can not only improve constipation but also helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
3. Stimulating Appetite Edamame is high in potassium. Eating it often in the summer can help replenish potassium lost through excessive sweating, thereby relieving fatigue and loss of appetite caused by potassium deficiency.
4. Iron Supplementation The iron in edamame is easily absorbed and can be one of the foods for children to supplement iron.
5. Preventing Osteoporosis Edamame contains small amounts of functional flavonoids, especially soy isoflavones, known as natural plant estrogens. They have estrogen-like effects in the human body, can alleviate discomfort during menopause for women, and prevent and treat osteoporosis.
6. Beauty and Weight Loss Edamame has the effects of nourishing the skin, effectively improving loss of appetite and general fatigue. Edamame is rich in balanced nutrition and beneficial active ingredients. Regular consumption has a significant effect on women maintaining a slim figure.
7. Lowering Blood Lipids Edamame contains compounds that can remove fat from blood vessel walls, thereby lowering blood lipids and cholesterol in the blood. It has a preventive and auxiliary therapeutic effect on diseases such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and coronary heart disease.
Spicy Five-Spice Edamame
IV. How to Select Edamame
When selecting edamame, choose fresh, green pods that are relatively broad, plump, firm, and have white pod hairs. It is best to choose edamame pods with three beans.
V. Edamame Recipe Examples
1. Boiled Edamame:
Ingredients: Edamame
Method: Wash the edamame and trim the heads and tails so they absorb flavor better. Place water and salt in a pot, bring to a boil over high heat. After the water boils, add the edamame and cook for about 10 minutes, then plate and serve.
2. Stir-fried Edamame with Diced (Minced) Pork
Ingredients: Lean pork, edamame, chili paste (or red chili), garlic, salt, etc.
Method: Slowly stir-fry the edamame over low heat until it is almost cooked. Then add chili paste (or red chili) and chopped garlic, and stir-fry with salt or light soy sauce until the edamame and chili are cooked. Then, pour in the diced (minced) pork and stir-fry for a moment.
Characteristics: This dish combines animal and plant foods, creating a complementary nutritional value. It is fragrant, spicy, and goes well with rice.
3. Edamame Congee
Ingredients: Rice, edamame
Method: Shell the edamame, wash it, and cook it together with the rice until the edamame is tender.
Characteristics: The protein in grains is low in lysine but relatively high in methionine, whereas the protein in edamame is the opposite. When eaten together, lysine and methionine can complement each other. This congee is fragrant and delicious, with a high protein utilization rate.
Warm Reminder:
Eating too much edamame can cause bloating and indigestion. It is best to limit the daily amount to a handful. In addition,嫩蚕豆,嫩豌豆,嫩豆荚等嫩豆类食物中膳食纤维含量也很高。常吃点嫩豆食物，替代半碗米饭，是个不错的选择，既增加了食物品种又不会妨碍消化吸收。
Spicy and Numbing Edamame
Spicy beans
Five fragrances
Crayfish