Whenever I am on a diet, I am always craving some delicious pasta. I mostly eat edamame pasta because it has the closest taste and texture to our regular pasta.
Edamame pasta is full of dietary fiber and relatively low in carbs and fat compared to ordinary pasta. It can be used as a substitute for regular pasta in your diet plan. However, is edamame pasta suitable for the keto diet?
I have gathered all the necessary information to find out is edamame pasta keto friendly, so that you can decide if you want to incorporate this nutritious bean into your diet.
Table of Contents
About Edamame
Edamame is the Japanese word for “stem beans.” It means an immature version of soybeans. These beans are harvested before they are fully developed or ripened like regular soybeans.
Edamame beans are green in color with beans inside. These pods have a crunchy texture due to the outer pod.
It has a very different taste than a typical soybean. Many people say that the taste of edamame is more like butter with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness.
These pods are commonly used in East Asia. They are found in markets in a fresh or frozen state. They are mostly eaten boiled, in salads, or as appetizers.
You can find them in most Japanese and Chinese dishes. Many Japanese people eat them with special soy sauce. Even in western, people eat them processed like pasta.
Health Benefits Of Edamame
Edamame beans might seem like small pods for snacks. However, they contain high nutrition that is good for your health. Here I have listed some health benefits of edamame for your information.
High In Protein
We all know that beans are the best plant-based protein source. Therefore, edamame beans have around 12% protein, unlike other plants.
Furthermore, it contains nine essential amino acids that can replace meat. Many studies even say that you can replace meat-based protein with edamame to reduce heart diseases.
Packed With Vitamins And Minerals
Edamame beans have a high amount of vitamins and minerals, including fibers. They are full of copper, zinc, iron, manganese, and potassium. They also have vitamin E and vitamin B complexes like thiamine and riboflavin.
Other than that, they have more vitamin K and folate that are more than developed soybeans.
Maintains Blood Sugar
Edamame keeps blood sugar levels in check. They are low in carbs and glycemic index. Therefore, eating these beans does not excessively raise blood sugar.
Furthermore, consuming edamame can also reduce the risk of two types of diabetes. Due to its high folate, edamame helps the body to make healthy blood cells.
Lowers Cholesterol And Blood Pressure
Due to its rich protein and fiber, edamame helps lower the circulating cholesterol level. The fats in these beans are unsaturated. Therefore, it can also prevent heart diseases and other cardiovascular issues.
Moreover, edamame keeps your blood pressure in check. If you eat a cup of cooked edamame every day, it can treat and prevent hypertension.
Good For Skin
Edamame has collagen protein that makes the skin wrinkle-free and youthful-looking. So if you start eating edamame in your twenties, you will have firm and crystal clear skin.
Reduces Bone Loss
Most women in middle and old age suffer from bone loss. Edamame has iron, calcium, and isoflavones that protect weak bones and prevent bone loss.
Nutritional Information Of Edamame Pasta
Here I have collected nutritional information about two oz. of edamame pasta that contains 56 grams. The total carbohydrate is 21 grams and the net carbohydrate is 9 grams.
It has also 3 grams of total fat, which is lower than other beans. Moreover, the protein count is 24 grams, higher than most beans or plant-based protein supplements.
Edamame is high in calories, it has 200 calories in the same serving size.
Altogether, edamame is high in calories and net carbs but low in fat. It is also full of fiber (12 grams) and nutrients.
So this nutrition information shows that edamame pasta might fit into the requirement of keto diet.
Keto Diet Requirements
A ketogenic diet is the process of getting your body into a metabolic state by limiting the consumption of carbs. You will lose weight by burning your body fat with energy instead of carbs. This diet also helps keep your blood sugar and insulin level in check.
Many people consider the carb ratio for the keto diet to be 20-50 grams per day. It is low in carbs and a high in fats diet. Therefore, the ideal ratio for keto is 70% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% carbs.
Most sugary sweets are off-limits in this diet, like sugars and artificial sweeteners. It would be best to avoid whole-grain items like bread, pasta, and oatmeal in this diet.
Fitting Edamame Pasta Into Keto
There are many debates about edamame pasta being included in your keto diet. The Keto diet prevents foods like pasta due to their high carb level.
However, edamame pasta is full of fibers and nutrition that fulfills keto diet requirements. Still, the question remains, is edamame pasta keto friendly or not?
The answer would be no if you are following the strict keto diet. The reason is that edamame pasta has more carbs than the carb ratio of the keto diet. A strict keto diet requires less than 20 grams of carbs per day, and edamame pasta’s one serving is almost 21 grams.
However, 50% of this carb comes from the dietary fiber of this bean, so if you do not follow the strict keto diet, you can eat this pasta.
Besides the carb ration, edamame pasta can be considered keto-friendly food because of its rich proteins and vitamins. It is also free of non-keto ingredients like artificial sweeteners or sugar and refined oils.
Therefore, edamame pasta is best for a low-carb keto diet that requires 20-50 grams of carb per day. You can eat this pasta in moderate portions to maintain the carb ration for the day.
You can enjoy the pasta in a modest portion and gain high fiber and nutrients like vitamin E and essential minerals for your body.
Keto Friendly Recipes With Edamame Pasta
Without wondering is edamame pasta keto friendly or not, here I have collected some delicious keto-friendly edamame pasta recipes to try out.
Low Carb Edamame Pasta
You will only need to make a sauce with butter, eggs, and grated parmesan cheese with a pinch of salt or pepper for this recipe. Boil your pasta and mix the sauce with then in a pan. And Voila! Yummy pasta in 10 minutes!
Keto Edamame Pasta With Parsley Pesto
First, you need to blend pine nuts and garlic in a blender, then add parsley, pepper, salt, and olive oil. You can also add some parmesan cheese.
Then mix your sauce with the boiled pasta. And now you can eat your delicious edamame pasta with parsley pesto. This pasta is only 10 grams of net carbs per serving.
Low Carb Shrimp Scampi
If you are in a hurry, you can make this pasta in only 8 minutes. You will need some shrimp and stir fry it on butter with minced garlic.
Then add your boiled edamame pasta and season them with salt and pepper. And here you have it, your quick go-to meal with keto-friendly edamame pasta.
Lemon Chicken Edamame Pasta
This recipe is the best if you want something fancy to eat on a Saturday night dinner. First, you need to boil the pasta as usual.
Put some olive oil on the pan and sauté chicken breast with lemon. Again, you need to sauté some bell peppers in different colors separately with salt and pepper. You can also add some fresh spinach to it.
Put everything in a pan and cook it for 5 minutes. Then squeeze some lemon juice and add parmesan on top of the pasta. Now you can eat a fancy meal on your diet.
Bacon And Mushroom Edamame Pasta
Here is another fancy pasta recipe that will give you the vibe of restaurant pasta.
First, you need to chop onion, mushroom, and bacon however you want and sauté them in olive oil. Add some parmesan to the mix with boiled edamame pasta.
You can also add spinach and spring onions to enlighten the taste. Season the pasta with some salt and pepper, and your pasta is ready to eat.
Keto Alternatives Of Edamame Pasta
If you do not want to take any risk with your keto diet and avoid edamame pasta, here are some low-carb pasta alternatives that you can consume in your diet.
Low-Carb Flour Noodles
You can use low-carb flour like almond flour, coconut flour, and walnut flour in making pasta. These flours are a good substitute for regular all-purpose flour to give you regular pasta’s similar taste and texture.
Low-Carb Egg Noodles
Regular egg noodles are pretty high in carbs due to egg yolks and all-purpose flour. However, you can make a low-carb egg noodle to fit your diet.
Instead of flour, you can use cream cheese and wheat gluten with egg yolk. This way, you can eat egg noodles in the form of pasta in your keto diet.
Cucumber Noodles
This noodle is not only healthy but also easy to make on a lazy day. If you do not feel like cooking, cut a cucumber into thin pieces with a spiralizer. Then season it with some salt and pepper and eat with your favorite sauce.
Immi Ramen
Immi ramen is the best keto diet because each serving contains only 5-6 grams of net carbs. It is an entirely plant-based noodle that will make you complete for a day. You can make them in only seven minutes and eat them with your favorite toppings.
Eggplant Pasta
Eggplants are low in carbs and full of fiber. You can cut the eggplant into thin slices and coat them with keto-friendly cheese like goat cheese, bleu cheese, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese. Due to its chewy texture, you can enjoy this vegetable-like pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is edamame pasta low in carbs?
Edamame pasta contains 21 grams of total carbohydrates per two oz. serving. Whereas all regular white types of pasta contain almost 43 grams of total carbohydrates. So, it is a low-carb alternative to regular pasta.
2. Is edamame pasta good for weight loss?
Edamame pasta is high in protein and dietary fibers. So, due to its fiber and protein, it strives for hunger. Therefore, it helps to lose weight.
3. Is edamame pasta better than regular pasta?
Yes. Edamame pasta is better than regular pasta because it has 12 grams of fiber, whereas regular pasta has only 2. Moreover, Edamame pasta has 10 percent calcium and 45 percent iron; on the other hand, traditional pasta has only 10 percent of iron and zero calcium.
4. What is the difference between edamame and soybeans?
Edamame beans are the immature version of soybeans. It is green in color, whereas soybeans are typically brown or beige. Other than that, edamame has more fibers than regular soybeans.
5. Is edamame pasta paleo?
No. Edamame pasta is not paleo. However, you can eat them as snacks due to their low toxin levels compared to other soybeans.
6. Does edamame pasta taste like authentic pasta?
Edamame pasta has this nutty flavor that tastes like good-quality whole wheat noodles. The texture of this pasta has more ability to absorb sauce than regular pasta, which makes it more appetizing.
7. Does edamame pasta cause gas?
Edamame pasta is known to cause bloating. But because of its healthy nutrients, people eat them to lose weight and get fit.
8. Is edamame spaghetti processed?
Yes. Edamame spaghetti is processed like other beans like black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and even quinoa. All these beans are processed to make pasta.
Final Thoughts
Many keto dieters might find edamame pasta unsuitable for the keto diet; others may occasionally include this yummy pasta in their diet. So the answer to the question, “Is edamame pasta keto friendly?” depends on your preference of diet.
If you follow a strict keto diet, edamame pasta is not for you. But if you want to eat edamame pasta, you can follow a low-carb keto diet and enjoy new recipes with edamame pasta.
I hope this article will help you add edamame pasta to your low-carb keto diet in moderate portions.
