It’s soybeans. 🫛

Roasted soybeans are:

• High in both fiber and protein

• Minimally processed

• Accessible

• Shelf-stable

• Couldn’t be easier to throw in a bag when you’re on-the-go

Quick story

On my way to Fog Linen, a home goods store in Tokyo, I passed a market called Natural House, where I was SO excited to find roasted soybeans and other vegan snacks. I’m easily excitable, that’s true.

There was just one ingredient: soybeans.

When I got back to NYC, I checked Whole Foods. No roasted soybeans. On a walk one day, I noticed a Japanese Market, and there they were. Hapi brand roasted soybeans. These had a second ingredient, sea salt. They were still relatively low in sodium. Another exciting find.

Roasted soybeans were right there all along on Amazon.

Let’s talk about soybeans

“The use of soybeans as a food originated in China possibly around 2,000 years ago, although archeological evidence indicates soybean domestication may have occurred several thousand years earlier.”

[source]

• Soybeans are a uniquely rich source of isoflavones

• There is scientific evidence that reveals the beneficial effect of isoflavones on bone health and thus in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

• Isoflavones could be useful in reducing the risk of suffering from some types of cancer, such as breast and endometrial cancer

• Isoflavones could be useful in reducing hot flashes associated with menopause

• Soy foods are rich in nutrients including

• B vitamins

• Fiber

• Potassium

• Magnesium

• High-quality protein

[source], [source], [source]

Let’s look at the nutrition

Dry roasted soybeans

Edamame = soybeans 🫛

Total fat — 1. 5 g (grams)
Saturated fat — 0 g

Fiber — 9 g

Protein — 14 g

Sodium — 90 mg (4% Recommended Daily Allowance)

That nutrition label is impressive.

High in fiber, high in protein, low in fat, no saturated fat.

Now let’s compare it to other soy products

Note: The serving size is inconsistent across these packages. I’ve done my best to standardize at ~1/3 cup. The math is not exact, but it’s close enough for a comparison. 🤓

Frozen edamame in shell

Total fat — 2.5 g
Saturated fat — 0.25 g

Fiber — 2 g

Protein — 5.5 g

Sodium — 2.5 mg (<1 % RDA)

Tempeh

Total fat — 5. 25 g
Saturated fat — < 1 g

Fiber — 3 g

Protein — 13 g

Sodium — 0 mg

Tofu — Hodo

Total fat — 4. 5 g
Saturated fat — 0 g

Fiber — 2 g

Protein — 14 g

Sodium — 0 mg

Tofu — Wildwood

Total fat — 7 g
Saturated fat — 1.5 g

Fiber — 2 g

Protein — 14 g

Sodium — 10 mg (<1% RDA)

Where to find dry roasted soybeans

Hapi dry roasted edamame

This brand is a little lower in sodium.

Seapoint Farms dry roasted edamame

Have you tried dry roasted soybeans? Let me know!

Thanks for reading!

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Eat plants. 🥦 Hydrate.🚰 Move.🤸 Prioritize sleep. 🛌

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