edamame

[shakalover]

is edamame raw? i know it comes from soybeans but i don't know if that's natural or not.

i wouldn't microwave them; i'd just soak them in water, but still that might not be raw.

thanks for the feedback :)

[rawpriestess]

No, it is not raw, it is processed.

[exurb]

RP are we talking about the same thing? Edamame as I know it is fresh green soy beans, with the pod and all. We used to include them in our CSA shares some years back.

I think normally the Japanese steam them and put coarse salt on them before eating them, but if you buy them fresh, I would think they are raw. Maybe if they're frozen they've been steam blanched first, because green veggies often don't freeze well unless blanched.

Mature soy beans are NOT good to eat raw IMO. I have read much about antinutrition factors in them, and that they actually toast or cook them when making animal feed because these antinutrition factors need to be killed off by heat. So maybe they're not good to eat raw anyway, I don't know if this only applies to fully mature dry soy beans or if the younger fresh edamame would also have those antinutrition factors too.

[dhammala]

Yeah, edamame are soybeans in the pod, steamed and salted.


Many beans and legumes, especially raw soybeans, lentils, black-eyed peas, peanuts and mung beans, also contain trypsin inhibitors, which block key digestive enzymes. Therefore, even raw foodist Dr. Gabriel Cousens does not recommend more than occasional use of raw sprouted beans or peas.
http://www.mercola.com/2004/may/1/raw_food_diets.htm