Is Edamame Keto? Yes! Because Edamame is relatively low in net carbs you can enjoy it on a ketogenic diet.
You might have eaten edamame as an appetizer at many restaurants, especially if you are fond of eating Japanese and Chinese cuisines.
This delicious snack is a type of legume and is quite popular in Middle East eateries, and traditional people like to eat them in the peapod form.
It is one of the tasty salty pre-meal snacks that are a part of several dishes.
Edamame is popular because it contains low net carbs and high fiber, although it is a soy-based food.
And that what makes it one of the leading food choices of people following a low-carb diet such as the ketogenic diet.
A Keto diet typically is a low carb diet that aims at losing weight by replacing carbs with fats.
It is one of the strict diets that does not allow anything high in carbs such as legumes.
Although edamame beans are also legumes, they have a different nutritional profile.
This is what often confuses keto dieters who love edamame flavor and want to add it to their diet.
If you are on a keto diet and looking for the right facts about edamame being keto-friendly or not, we have you covered here.
Let’s begin by understanding the diet process in ketosis.
Diet Process in Ketosis
As mentioned above, the keto diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates.
It allows moderate portions of proteins.
The unique eating pattern of the keto diet causes the body to switch its metabolic state into ketosis to burn fat instead of carbs for fuel. The state of ketosis is great for improving health and increasing weight loss.
Once in the state of ketosis, the body starts burning fats instead of carbohydrates.
Typically, the body makes ketones to fuel the fat burning process.
The whole fat burning process requires dieters to limit their carbs intake to 5 to 10 percent a day.
The maximum carbs intake can be up to 50g per day on a keto diet but is usually around 20g to 30g.
Because of that, dieters should typically not eat a large portion of legumes as they are rich in carbs and are not keto-friendly.
Put simply, if you do not sustain a low-carb intake during ketosis, it may flip back your body into carb-burning mode.
Is Eating Edamame Okay on Keto Diet?
With 3.7g of net carbohydrates per half cup of shelled edamame (around 1 1/8 cup of edamame pods), edamame is a soy-based food item that lands in the gray territory of a low-carb diet.
That means you can enjoy the delicious snack in moderation on a keto diet, but you must keep the serving portion to a minimum.
Click here for some other keto snacks you may like to add to your low-carb diet!
Edamame, that is to say, is not a keto-friendly choice if you’re following a Ketogenic diet regime.
People often avoid consuming legumes because they do not digest easily.
Plus, they contribute to several digestive issues and may cause inflammation.
However, edamame has unique beans that contain an adequate amount of dietary fiber.
This fiber content is excellent to compensate for the carb content of edamame.
Know that dietary fiber is one form of carbohydrates that the body does not digest.
The fiber moves along the digestive tract, adding to the bulk of the stool.
It is worth mentioning that if you eat half cup of edamame with its 3.7g of net carbs per serving, you need to keep an eye on your total carb intake (around 20-30g per day).
You must add some more options to include carbs to your keto diet.
Kale and veggies, for instance, are some fantastic choices when it comes to incorporating low-carb food choices and adding variety to your keto work.
Moreover, the veggies are rich in nutrients and have fewer carbs and calories.
Edamame typically makes an ideal option for people on vegetarian diets as they are plant-based.
But if you really want to add edamame to a keto diet, make sure you do not eat more than half a cup to sustain your ketosis.
What Else to Consider When Adding Edamame to Keto Diets
Another factor that is important to keep in mind when making edamame a part of your keto diet is “how you prepare it.”
People fry, steam, and boil edamame with or without its pod.
While you cannot eat its outer pod, the bright-green beans shelled inside to make a delicious snack.
From grain bowls to salads, the beans and their puree can make any dish flavorful.
Remember that what you eat with edamame is also an essential factor to consider as it may increase or reduce the number of carbohydrates in your meals.
Taking this factor into account will help you maintain ketosis.
Final Verdict
In a nutshell, if you want to follow a keto diet with its full dos and don’ts, maintaining a low carb intake is a rule of thumb.
Edamame is a legume and has a low net carb content with other great nutritional value.
Thus, feel free to include modest portions of edamame in your keto diet and remember to limit carb intake!
