Asparagus vs Edamame – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing asparagus to edamame, we picked the edamame.

Why?

Perhaps it’s a little unfair comparing a legume to a vegetable that’s not leguminous (given legumes’ high protein content), but these two vegetables often serve a similar culinary role, and there is more to nutrition than protein. That said…

In terms of macros, edamame has a lot more protein and fiber; it also has more carbs, but the ratio is such that edamame still has the lower glycemic index. Thus, the macros category is a win for edamame in all relevant aspects.

When it comes to vitamins, things are a little closer; asparagus has more of vitamins A, B3, and C, while edamame has more of vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, and B9. All in all, a moderate win for edamame, unless we want to consider the much higher vitamin C content of asparagus as particularly more relevant.

In the category of minerals, asparagus boasts only more selenium (and more sodium, not that that’s a good thing for most people in industrialized countries), while edamame has more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. An easy win for edamame.

In other considerations, asparagus has a good amount of quercetin specifically, but edamame has more than 2x the polyphenols in total. So both are good, but we say edamame wins this round too.

Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for edamame, but by all means enjoy either or both (unless you have a soy allergy, because edamame is young soy), as diversity is great!

Want to learn more?

You might like:

Why You Can’t Skimp On Amino Acids ← edamame is excellent for a full set of essential amino acids, too!

Enjoy!