
Add 1 teaspoon of ground paprika or cumin for flavor.Drain a can of chickpeas and whizz them up in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of tahini, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 tablespoons of water, and a couple of garlic cloves.Sugar snap peas are also delicious raw, and people can eat the entire thing, including the pod.Ĭanned peas are usually ready to eat once drained and rinsed, but people can also add them to stews and soups - ideally toward the end of the cooking process, so as not to overcook them.īelow are a few simple recipes for people to enjoy more peas in their everyday diet: Easy hummus Typically, a person would purchase black-eyed peas dried, frozen, or canned and precooked. Other varieties, such as black-eyed peas, cannot be eaten raw. People can eat garden peas raw straight from the pod or lightly steam or boil them before eating. Steaming peas, or eating them raw, may be the best way to retain their nutritional benefits. The low calorie, low fat nutritional profile of peas also makes them a promising food to help lower obesity, further reducing the risk of heart disease. Peas are good sources of dietary fiber, plant protein, and potassium, all of which contribute to lowering blood pressure, particularly among middle-aged people. People who eat lots of vegetables, including peas, are at lower risk of cardiovascular problems. A 2017 study into green peas found that high levels of phytochemical substances in peas, including isoflavones, lectins, and saponins, helped prevent and inhibit cancer. Peas are a rich source of antioxidants, which can help protect the body against cancer. Currently, Americans are only averaging around half of this daily intake.Ī 2020 study into the health benefits of peas on iron and gut health found that subjects who included peas as part of their diet had significant improvements in “good” gut bacteria. The USDA recommends a daily intake of around 25 g of dietary fiber for women and 38 g of fiber for men. Improves gut healthĪll types of peas are rich in dietary fiber, which can improve gut health by making stools softer and easier to pass.

Diets rich in low-GI foods stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of obesity in people at risk of diabetes and people who already have the condition. Peas have a low glycemic index (GI), which means they don’t cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly after eating. This means peas can be a great alternative source of iron, helping the body to produce red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. Peas are also high in nonheme iron, which is commonly found in animal flesh. Peas are a good source of protein, making them an ideal alternative to animal protein in a plant-based diet or an alternative to soybean protein. Most varieties are low in calories, saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium, making them a good option as a side dish or the star ingredient in the main meal. They are a good source of fiber, protein, and copper and a very good source of folate and manganese.įresh, frozen, canned, or dried peas contain many nutritional benefits. ChickpeasĪccording to USDA data, 1 cup of cooked chickpeas (164 g) has the following nutritional content:Ĭhickpeas are very low in cholesterol and low in saturated fat and salt. The USDA provides the following nutritional data for 1 cup (168 g) of cooked, mature pigeon, or red gram, peas:Īs well as being low in saturated fat, carbohydrates, salt, and natural sugars, pigeon peas are a good source of protein and copper and a high quality source of fiber, folate, and manganese. They are also a quality source of fiber, folate, and manganese. Mature black-eyed peas are low in salt, fat, and cholesterol and are a good source of protein, thiamin, iron, and magnesium.

The USDA provides the following nutritional data for 1 cup (185 g) of frozen black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas:

They are also a very good source of vitamins A, C, K, thiamin, and iron.

Sugar snap peas are also low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt and are a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, and potassium. The USDA provides the following nutritional information for 1 cup (160 g) of sugar snap, or snow, peas: They are also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin, and manganese. They are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin B6, folate, and magnesium. Green peas are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt. Green peas (garden peas)Īccording to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, 1 cup (160 grams) of cooked green peas contains: Mature peas are simply those that have been growing longer, though the exact time frame for when an immature pea becomes mature depends on the variety. Nutrition data for immature peas in pods may differ. The following nutritional data assumes 1 cup of mature peas rather than an immature pod of peas.
