Mild Edamame Are Cool Beans

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 20, 2008

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Fresh soybeans --

also called edamame - offer big nutritional benefits.

Once a Japanese restaurant novelty, edamame have gone mainstream. The beans look like small limas, and their delicate flavor is a cross between a mild nut and a sweet pea. But don't let their gentle nature fool you. This powerhouse bean is a potent source of health-promoting antioxidants and one of the only plant sources of complete protein.

In stores, they are called edamame of green soybeans, and they're sold fresh or frozen, both in the pod and shelled. In the pod, they're a terrific snack food; use the shelled variety as a great-tasting, more nutritious stand-in for garden peas and lima beans. McClatchy-Tribune News Service