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This take-it-with-you-anywhere snack is also packed with protein.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame Sea Salt is a healthy snack choice for weight loss.
• It offers fiber and plant protein for a satisfying snack that will get you to your next meal.
• Soy-based snacks like edamame also help regulate blood sugar, reducing energy highs and lows.

If you’re looking to lose weight, choosing foods or a combination of foods that provide fiber and protein is key. This combination helps fill you up and keeps you satisfied longer compared to eating either of these macronutrients separately.

Target has a lot of healthy snack options, and when it comes to a high-fiber (plus protein) weight-loss snack, there’s one that dietitians go for: Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame Sea Salt. “This delicious and crunchy snack is packed with 8 grams of fiber per ⅓ cup and also provides [14 grams of] plant-based protein,” says Natalie Carroll, M.S., RDN, CDN, CLCwho adds that much of the fiber in edamame is appetite-regulating soluble fiber.

What’s more, the ingredients list is simple: soybeans and salt. And it pairs well with a variety of other foods. “I love how versatile this snack is,” says Carroll, who suggests eating this roasted edamame on its own, mixed into a homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit or added to air-popped popcorn.

Health Benefits of Seapoint Farms Roasted Edamame Sea Salt

Edamame are young soybeans—and soy has many benefits when it comes to weight. For example, a meta-analysis of 18 studies suggests that regular soy consumption may significantly contribute to weight loss. Other studies support these findings, suggesting that people who regularly consume soy products are less likely to be overweight or obese compared to people who don’t consume soy.

A large meta-analysis that reviewed 61 randomized controlled trials found that soy, including edamame, helps regulate insulin and blood sugar levels. This is important for weight loss, because when your blood sugar spikes and dips suddenly, you’re probably going to grab quick sources of energy to fend off the jittery feeling. This typically ends up being refined carbs, like sweets or added-sugar beverages, to get your blood sugar back up quickly. It can become a vicious cycle and these foods can be sources of unnecessary calories and contribute to weight gain. So focusing on fiber and protein foods, like edamame, can help balance blood sugar and prevent the drastic ups and downs.

But soy isn’t just good for weight loss. Another meta-analysis found that regularly eating legumes and soy foods, including edamame, was associated with a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure. Researchers suggest that the connection may be thanks to edamame’s potassium, magnesium and fiber—all nutrients known to support healthy blood pressure. Plus, edamame’s soluble fiber ferments in the gut, producing short-chain fatty acids, which have been shown to have a relaxing effect on blood vessels.

There is even evidence that soy may help reduce cancer risk, plus it can be good for brain health. These benefits include lower dementia risk and improving short- and long-term memory. Researchers believe many of these benefits are due to soy’s powerful plant compounds, plus gut-health benefits—and we know that gut health has far-reaching effects throughout the body.

Fiber and Weight Loss

If your goal is to lose weight, increasing your fiber intake is a smart move. Fiber has a long list of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. But chances are you aren’t getting enough. Americans eat about 16 grams of fiber per day on average, much less than the recommended 28 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet.

Fiber comes from plant foods; the two main types are soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows down digestion, and insoluble fiber bulks up your stool and reduces constipation. Both types are found in fruits, veggies, nuts and whole grains—and both have health benefits.

Along with disease prevention, dietary fiber promotes weight loss. Fiber swells up in the stomach, which increases satiety, explains Kelli Davenport, M.S., RD. “[It also causes] food to move more slowly out of the stomach, so you’ll feel fuller for longer,” says Davenport. “In addition, soluble fiber has been shown to help decrease appetite.”

What’s more, fiber-packed foods—whole grains, fruits, legumes and nonstarchy vegetables—tend to be lower-calorie options. Filling your diet with these types of foods can also support weight loss, adds Carroll.

How to Pick a Healthy High-Fiber Snack for Weight Loss

• Look for at least 3 grams of fiber: A high-fiber snack should contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. The best high-fiber snack would consist of whole foods, such as nuts, fruit, edamame, veggies or air-popped popcorn, says Davenport. Packaged snacks may be an option, too, but look for minimal ingredients, says Carroll. Foods like baked green pea snacks, whole-grain crackers, hummus and bean dips are all great options.
• Minimize added sugar: Davenport says to be wary of added sugars, as too much added sugar can cause blood sugar spikes and dips—a roller coaster your body doesn’t want to be on. You might feel jittery or restless when experiencing a blood sugar spike, says Davenport. But if you have diabetes, this spike can also cause blurred vision, fatigue, dry mouth, increased thirst or headache. A resulting crash doesn’t feel much better, either, possibly producing shakiness, sweating, fatigue, irritability, dizziness and reduced concentration—and could potentially be life-threatening.
• Pack in the protein: Fiber promotes satiety—and so does protein. Consuming a high-protein diet along with regular exercise was found to decrease body and visceral fat and improve blood lipids, insulin sensitivity and inflammation in middle-aged adults with obesity compared to a control group. When picking a snack, think fiber plus protein.

Our Expert Take

If your goal is to lose weight, you have a lot of great high-fiber snack options. But the one that comes out on top is Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame, available at Target. With protein and fiber, dry-roasted edamame is a pleasingly crunchy snack that offers protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.