edamame is a way of preparing soybeans while they’re still in the pod.
a staple of east asian cuisine and a favourite for snacking around the world, this food has been around for thousands of years and if anything is only getting more popular.
the pods are durable, delicious, packed with vitamins and minerals and can be used in dozens, if not hundreds of different ways to get the most out of the small green goodies.
where does edamame come from?
soybeans were first cultivated in china more than 7,000 years ago, but the name comes from 13th century japan, according to the
soy info center
.
the united states is currently the world’s largest producer of soybeans, growing 108 metric tons of the plant annually, according to
worldatlas
. in descending order, the other largest producers of the bean are brazil, argentina, china, and india.
canada is also in the top 10, coming in seventh place with six metric tons produced each year. about 70 per cent of canada’s soy production comes from ontario and quebec, and the majority of that is exported to japan, the netherlands and areas of the middle east.
eating soy in high amounts might reduce the risk of breast cancer
because edamame is just a way of preparing soybeans, consumers get tons of benefits found in other soy products including lower cholesterol, blood sugar regulation and a good serving of protein.
according to a
study from 2019
, levels of circulating low density lipoprotein, more commonly known as bad cholesterol and a potential cause of heart disease and stroke, went down by 3-4 per cent after eating 13-25 grams of soy per day.