Edamame
Part of the appeal of edamame is its simplicity combined with how oddly satisfying they are to eat — similar to peanuts or pistachios, even if you’re not craving edamame, it feels impossible to stop chomping on them once you start. Edamame are most commonly either boiled in a salty brine or topped with a sprinkling of salt flakes or a condiment. Their simplicity makes them easily craveable and addicting.
In Japan — where edamame has been eaten for at least a thousand years and likely much longer — they’re popular as a snack in bars and izakayas alongside a cold beer or just as a side dish.
As far as snacks go, you could pick a whole lot of less healthy options; edamame has tons of protein and fiber, several vitamins and minerals, complex, slow-burning carbohydrates, and are rounded out with a splash of healthy unsaturated fats like omega three and six fatty acids.