It is more than just an appetizer at your favourite sushi place.

Edamame, immature soybeans, mostly deshelled from its pods and cooked, is popular in East Asian cuisine. There is no need to process it, unlike soybeans which are tan, brown, or beige in colour. They are harvested earlier than other soybeans which is the reason they are the sweeter beans. They belong to the legume family.

Mostly a famous ingredient for snacks, edamame is also used as an appetizer before the main course. Visit an authentic Japanese or Chinese restaurant and you would have come across edamame. While shelled edamame boiled in salter water is the most common way to go, it can also be added in stir fry noodles, or a salad, or fried noodles or your favourite succotash recipe.

The peaking interest in edamame is because of its high protein content. It is usually perfect for a dish containing lean protein with boiled edamame on its side. Cooking edamame is easy and can be used in a salad, a dip, as veggie portion, soups or any dish that calls for soybeans.

Here are the many benefits of edamame.

High in protein and nutrition:Edamame is rich in protein, has high fibrous content and low in saturated fat. Eating edamame provides the necessary folate content required for the body. Overall, it is a good choice for plant-based protein intake.

Helps in reducing cholesterol levels:Though the research in edamame is limited, preliminary research shows that edamame helps reduce insulin resistance and fatty liver in diabetic people.

Edamame in diet helps in digestion: Consumption of edamame helps in improving digestion as it is high in fibrous content. Issues like constipation and bloating can be helped with edamame.

Gives healthier bones: Regular intake of edamame can help prevent osteoporosis. Since edamame contains isoflavones that help with maintaining bone density. It also contains potassium, calcium, iron that helps with bone strength.

Versatility in cooking:Edamame can be consumed in versatile forms.It can be cooked in a short amount of time but gives the necessary health benefits. It can be boiled and eaten as a snack. It can be tossed in a salad with light garnishing or can be used in stir fry rice or noodles. It can be a popular choice of protein for vegetarians.

Can help build collagen in skin:Isoflavones is an antioxidant and have been studied for skin health. Edamame, rich in isoflavones, can help in boosting skin health by producing collagen and reduce the visibility of fine lines, wrinkles etc.