Edamame

Green is cool so pick up a bag of edamame for one of the healthiest snacks around.

Edamame (loose translation is “beans on branches”) are green soybeans picked prior to fully ripening and before they reach the “hardening” time. The outcome is a marvelous crisp texture and nutty flavor.

This staple of the Japanese diet is one of the biggest nutritional goldmines around.

1 cup of this green giant has a whopping 17 grams of protein, 8 grams of dietary fiber, half the daily requirement for bone-strengthening vitamin K and more than a days worth of folate. Besides its well advertised impact on birth defects, several studies suggest the B vitamin folate protects against heart disease and depression. There’s also plenty of iron, blood-pressure lowering potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, zinc and even some much lauded omega-3 fats to boot.

Edamame is also the richest dietary source of phytoestrogens, which act as weak estrogens to offer some protection against osteoporosis and certain cancers.

It’s also nice to consume a form of soy that is not processed to within an inch of its useful existence. Edamame is widely considered the least processed form of soy you can nosh on.

You can find edamame – in or out of the pod – in the freezer section of most supermarkets.

For an addictive snack, boil edamame, sprinkle with coarse salt and add a squirt of lemon juice. A dash of cayenne can add a pleasant kick. Or try the hummus below on sandwiches or as a dip for whole-grain crackers and veggies.

Edamame Hummus













1 cup shelled edamame
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne or chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook edamame according to package directions. Add cooked edamame and the rest of the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth but still slightly grainy.