Healthy? Think again!
At first glance, they look like the ultimate superfood: edamame, yes, those soybeans. But these shiny green guys aren’t nearly as healthy as you might think.
Wait what? How so!? Legumes are supposed to be the epitome of healthy, right? Tiny bundles of fiber, protein and vitamins? ‘Absolutely, but you do have to cook or steam them for long enough,’ explains Professor of Nutritional Science Jaap Seidell in the Volkskrant.
Raw beans contain the toxin lectin, and if you eat too much of it, you can feel nauseous and develop stomach ache, fever and diarrhea. It can even damage your intestines and kidneys. Ouch. Doesn’t sound very healthy.
‘Healthy’ snack
Generally speaking, it’s not a problem. In most restaurants, the beans are heated for long enough, and canned beans are also boiled for a long time. But that ‘fresh’ snack edamame from the supermarket, well… that turns out to be a different story.
Jumbo’s soybeans are raw, while those from Plus and Albert Heijn are blanched: for a maximum of 90 seconds at 96 to 98 degrees Celsius. According to Seidell, that’s far too short to render the lectin harmless.
Solution
How can it be that they’re still simply being sold in stores? Simply because there are (as yet) no guidelines for this.
Until there are and measures are taken, it’s better to heat the beans yourself for a little longer. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises boiling the beans at home for another 6 to 8 minutes, at the very least.
Also read:
- Recipe: crispy dumplings with steamed asparagus and soybeans
- Fatty pork is healthy
- Is ghee healthier than butter?
