Bariatric Product Review – Salted & Dried Edamame

Product Brand Name: Simply Balanced, Salted Edamame (freeze dried)

Purchased at: Target

Cost: $3.44 for 3.25 oz bag

Nutrition Info:

1/2 cup serving

120 calories

12 grams protein

8 grams total carbohydrates

5 grams total fat

Steph’s Thoughts:

I love walking the aisles of grocery stores just to see what new products are out there. I don’t often wander down the aisles of snacks or processed foods, mainly because I don’t want to be tempted! But recently I found myself with extra time so I took a turn into no man’s land and kept my eye out for low carb options.

I stopped at the dried fruit section and glanced around past the dried apples, apricots, banana chips, craisins and more…and more…and more. But low and behold, there was actually one vegetable! This salted edamame was the only dried snack option that was not fruit. Dried fruit should be avoided after weight loss surgery as it’s very concentrated in sugar. They take the whole piece of fruit and shrink it down, which means a LOT of sugar in a small amount. No good. Dried vegetables, however, can sometimes work just fine. While you still have to take a look to make sure they haven’t added any high carb ingredients, there are times when dried veggies can be a nice change of pace for a salty, crunchy snack craving.

I was comfortable with the nutrition profile on this snack because the protein exceed the carbohydrates. I also noticed quickly that I couldn’t eat a lot of these at one time. I enjoyed the crunch and the flavor was pretty good, but they were a bit dry to me. This means I wouldn’t be at risk for overeating the portion size! Not a bad thing :)

Final review statement: All in all I would recommend giving these a try to see if they are a match for you. I could quickly see where this food would be a “love it or hate it” kind of option. You’ll know within a few bites if it’s something you’ll enjoy or if it’s something you should pass off to someone else. You never know until you try it!