Is Edamame Keto Friendly?

Historically, the word edamame was first heard in 1275 AD. A Japanese monk named Nichiren thanked a parishioner for leaving an edamame at the temple as a gift.

However, is Edamame Keto? Unfortunately, Edamame isn't keto friendly. Keep reading to learn more about keto friendly foods!

As a traditional food, Edamame is famous for being unprocessed and straightforward, but is edamame keto?

We're quick to assume that if a food item is healthy, it'd be Keto. There are different misconceptions about Edamame, mainly because people dislike adding soy products to their lifestyles. 

We have two types of people: the open is concerned with whether soy products were introduced in Asia 10000 years ago or 2500 years ago, and the other is solely interested in health values.

What is Edamame?

Immature soybeans are prepared in the pod to produce Edamame. It's a popular addition in various East Asian cuisines, served after boiling and steaming with salt and other condiments. It's a soft, edible form of soybean rich in minerals and nutrients.

Edamame gained popularity in Western countries in the last few decades as a midday snack. Compared to brown soybean, Edamame's green color resembles green peas.

A cup of Edamame (160 g) contains 224 calories. Though they're sold in pods, you must eat shelled Edamame without pods. Americans would find frozen Edamame in markets. Please don't eat that because it doesn't taste good enough. You've to boil, steam, fry, and microwave edamame to eat with leisure.

Preparation

Edamame is added to soups, stews, salads, noodles, or simply as a snack. Chinese and Japanese restaurants serve it in sushi bars.

Health Benefits

Usually, soy foods have controversial as they're associated with disturbing thyroid functionality, but studies have proven otherwise.

On the other hand, Edamame is considered healthy for containing high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Have a look at its nutrition chart:

Nutrients	Amount
Water (g)	113
Protein	37% of the daily value
Calories	224
Total Lipid (g)	12.1
Carbohydrates	13.8
Fiber (g)	8
Sugar (g)	3.38
Calcium	10% of the DV
Iron	20% of the DV
Magnesium	25% of the DV
Phosphorus	26% of the DV
Potassium	19% of the DV
Folate	115% of the DV
Vitamin K1	56% of the DV
Thiamine	20% of the DV
Riboflavin	14% of the DV
Copper	27% of the DV

Source

It's unclear whether Edamame increases the risk of heart diseases, but its antioxidant properties play a part in lowering cholesterol levels. It doesn't raise blood sugar levels and measures low glycemic index.

People on a protein diet must opt for Edamame as it is a rich source of protein that plays an optimum role in optimal health. It's the best form of plant-based protein and provides essential amino acids our body requires.

Soybeans contain isoflavones that resemble the sex hormone estrogen. Some studies reckon that high estrogen levels promote cancer, but similar studies on Asian suggest that soybean intake prevents the risk of breast cancer. Before you start consuming Edamame solely, for this reason, don't forget that researchers have a shadow of a doubt regarding this point of information. Hence, excessive consumption of Edamame isn't encouraged.

Edamame contains an ample amount of magnesium which helps prevent migraines. Do you know 75% of Americans face magnesium deficiency? Other than chicken, pork, and kale, you can have Edamame to fill the requirements.

Edamame's vitamin A benefits healthy skin, eyes, and immunity. It also helps to deal with cystic acne and makes up for vitamin A deficiency.

Health risks associated with Edamame

• Recent research has raised concern regarding soy products as they're believed to cause hormone-related problems. Even though it's a safe protein-dense protein, you must be cautious before its intake.
• Edamame is among the top 10 allergic foods that affect the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or cardiovascular system. The allergy symptoms include vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, breathing difficulties, swelling, dizziness, or asthma.
• Research by Oregon State University registered that a high intake of soybean or Edamame causes blood thinning.  
• People allergic to soy shouldn't eat Edamame; otherwise, it's considered relatively safe.
• Eating Edamame in excess might trigger side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, and stomach cramps. It happens if you've been consuming fiber-rich food.
• Concerns have been raised regarding soy consumption leading to hormone-related cancer and breast cancer, but this assumption is based on an animal-based study.

There aren't enough human-based studies based on Edamame that make us doubt its negative impacts. Therefore, nobody is assertive about its harm.

 Is Edamame Keto Friendly?

Edamame is a low-carb food. Ideally, as per the definition of a keto diet, it must be keto-friendly. But you'd be surprised to know that Edamame isn't keto friendly.

There's an entire logic behind it.

Edamame is considered legumes in the keto world, and unfortunately, legumes are looked down upon if you're on a strict keto diet.

The Keto community reckons legumes aren't keto-friendly; hence Edamame doesn't make it to their diet plans either.

However, unlike high-carb foods like french fries and imitation crab, you're not banished from eating Edamame. You're discouraged from consuming Edamame on a keto diet, but some people on a keto diet take advantage of its low-carb levels and add some amount to their cuisines.

As we read earlier, Asian cuisines are incomplete without boiled, steamed, fried, or salty pre-meal Edamame.

Why are legumes controversial?

Legumes such as Edamame are controversial because they contain many carbs, and if you're consuming soy in its mature form on a keto diet, you're immediately kicked out of ketosis.

Eating Edamame on a keto

Edamame is not keto-friendly, but you can have some of it by following some rules! Include immature soy, which is Edamame, in your keto diet. The beans would be already in their pod without any alkaloids.

The immature soybeans or Edamame contain fewer carbs and more fiber, yet they taste similar to peas.

Nonetheless, despite its low carb content, you must be cautious while consuming Edamame. There's no harm in eating Edamame since it's rich in plant-based proteins and amino acids essential for growth.

Don't consume Edamame on a strict keto diet, but once in a while, you can have a portion after calculating overall carb consumption that day. It contains 4-5 grams of carbs which is 25% of the daily carb allowance on a keto diet.

Make wise choices! Consume small amounts of Edamame, and you're good to go.

How many Calories are in a serving of Edamame?

A 75-gram serving of Edamame contains 130 calories.

Fat	4g
Protein	10g
Carbs	9g
Sugar	1.3g
Dietary Fiber	4g
Sugar Alcohols	0g

What is the difference between Edamame and Soybean?

As mentioned earlier, Edamame is prepared out of immature soybeans. Does that make them similar? Do they have any differences?

Let's find out.

Edamame is harvested when soybean is still immature and green in color. It's typically eaten as a steamed vegetable and left to mature and harden over time. Despite belonging to the same family, Edamame and soybean have their set of differences.

• Edamame is eaten along the shells when they're still fresh and young with soft green sides. Whereas soybeans rip into hard beans when they turn brown or black, and Edamame needs to be fermented or cooked.
• Soybeans are used in oil manufacturing or processed foods like salad dressings, margarine, baked goods, tofu, soy flour, miso, soy milk, and soy burgers.
• Soybeans contain all essential amino acids. Edamame and soybeans have low carb levels, but soybean contains more calories. Half a cup of Edamame contains 172 calories, but the same cup of soybean contains 449 calories.
• Both Edamame and soybean contain fiber that proves highly beneficial for digestive health. However, ½ cup of soybeans offers 37 percent of daily value fibers compared to 24 percent of Edamame's daily value.

Keto Friendly Edamame Recipes

Frozen Edamame is readily available in any traditional grocery store near you. Instead of frozen ones, anything that says Edamame and salt in ingredients, grab it without blinking an eye. 

Here are some keto-friendly edamame recipes for you! Do try them out.

1.   Keto Bacon and Edamame

You'll need the following ingredients to make Keto Bacon and Edamame

• Bacon
• Edamame
• Butter

It's an easy-to-make meal after a long day at work.

Take half a cup f frozen edamame and boil it in a pot for almost five minutes. Heat the pan and add butter and five to six slices of bacon. Once it turns crispy, add salt and pepper.

Mix bacon with cooked Edamame. You can add cauliflower rice to spice things up. It's a Keto-friendly recipe with 30g of fat, 25g of protein, and only 4g of net carbs.

2.   Keto Edamame Spaghetti

Cook tasty keto edamame spaghetti within a few minutes.

Boil 200g of edamame spaghetti in boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until it turns soft. After draining the water, add six tbs of butter, two eggs, and grated parmesan cheese, with some mushrooms, a garlic clove, and a teaspoon of soy sauce. Add some salt and pepper for additional taste.

Your meal is ready; you can add ground beef or chicken for extra flavor.

3.   Keto Edamame Garlic and Parmesan Snack

Make keto edamame garlic and parmesan snack using the following ingredients:

• Edamame beans ½ cup
• Garlic powder ⅛ tsp
• Olive oil 1 tsp
• Grated Parmesan Cheese ½ cup

Cook edamame in a pot for 3-5 minutes. After draining, mix it in a large bowl. Add olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Toss the ingredients nicely. Season it with salt and pepper to enjoy the taste.

You can add spaghetti or rice for more flavor.

4.   Soy and Sesame edamame

Add soy sauce and nutty flavored sesame in boiled or teamed Edamame without additional carbs to enjoy a hearty meal without effort.

5.   Spiced Edamame

Mix a small amount of olive oil and your favorite spices in boiled or steamed Edamame without additional carbs.

Famous Edamame products to try on Keto

• Edamame steamer bags by Birds Eye
• Eat More beans steamed Edamame
• The Only Bean crunchy roasted edamame

Keto Alternatives to Edamame

• Brussel Sprouts
• Celery
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Zucchini

  Wrapping Up

Edamame is a unique and delicious appetizer, especially in the Asian regions. It's an immature form of soybeans, but the similar taste and health benefits make it a favorite among people.  

Is edamame keto friendly or not? It isn't recommended on a strict keto diet, but you can have small portions once in a while. Unlike most non-keto food, Edamame contains health benefits, proteins, and minerals that are good for health.

In short, you won't get your hands on a better and healthier appetizer to tantalize your taste buds.

If you want to learn more about keto-friendly foods please click on one of the links below:

Is Tajin Keto?

Are Blueberries Keto Friendly?

Is Canola Oil Keto Friendly?