The Facts about Eating Raw Edamame Soybean
Edamame soybeans are soybeans that are still in the pods. You can process it by steaming or boiling it first, then you can eat it by peeling it directly from the skin. Half a cup of boiled and peeled Edamame beans contains 50 grams of magnesium.
Apart from getting the better of magnesium, consumption of edamame soybeans also provides many other nutrients even if only eaten in small quantities. You can get 10 percent of the daily adequacy value for the needs of vitamins A and C which is the main source of antioxidants, high iron equivalent to eating grilled chicken breast as much as 113 grams, and 9 grams of fiber equal to consuming 4 slices of whole wheat bread. You can also eat raw edamame to get more benefits from it.
Edamame Soybean Has a Myriad of Benefits
Furthermore regarding edamame beans, this one vegetable also still has a myriad of other benefits, namely:
- Eating soy regularly is associated with having a cholesterol condition that tends to be healthy, especially in women.
- Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens which are beneficial in protecting the body from osteoporosis, heart disease, and diseases.
- Isoflavones are also significant in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing good cholesterol (HDL), especially in men.
- In addition, a study has shown that isoflavones also have an anti-inflammatory effect on menopausal women who consume soy milk regularly for 16 weeks for 1,020 grams. It is estimated, the effect that can be obtained from this good habit is to prevent bone loss and cancer.
- Eating more soy protein can help prevent and treat hypertension.
The benefits above have been scientifically proven, although many medical experts agree that this still requires further research.
Is it true that Soybean Consumption Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer?
There is an assumption that consuming soybeans, including edamame soybeans, can increase the risk of breast cancer as isoflavones in soybeans will trigger an increase in the hormone estrogen. High levels of estrogen in the body will increase the risk of breast cancer.
However, studies have proven that consuming moderate amounts of soy, which is 1-2 servings per day, does not increase the risk of breast cancer or any cancer. This portion includes all soybeans, including tofu, tempeh, and edamame soybeans. In fact, these soy-based food sources do not contain too much isoflavone levels which risk increasing cancer risk.
Conversely, soybeans actually contain enough protein, fiber, and isoflavones to be beneficial for health. In fact, a special cancer study proves that genistein, the most common type of isoflavone in soybeans, is helping to prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading.
How to Enjoy the Right Edamame Soybean
Edamame soybeans can only be enjoyed by boiling or steaming. These beans can also be processed in advance into various other types of food, although in fact edamame soybeans that are eaten just like that are considered more healthy. Because that way, the body can absorb all the nutrients in the soybeans. Moreover, edamame soybeans consumed after boiling or steaming make them uncontaminated by preservatives or other additives.
On the other hand, you can also eat fermented edamame soybeans. For example in the type that has been processed into tempeh, tofu, soy sauce, or Japanese soybean soup. Fermented soybean texture will be easier to digest. In addition, the fermentation process will trigger the addition of probiotics or bacteria that are good for digestion so that ultimately improve health in general.
So amazing is the fact the content of edamame soybeans for health so you no longer need to procrastinate on consuming these foods. The important thing is to avoid consuming it excessively because everything that is excessive is of course not good for health.
