Untitled Document
Green Pea
Technically speaking, green peas are the seed of the pod-fruit Pisum sativum. They are made up of pods that contain several small peas that are either green or yellow in color and, interestingly enough, are actually considered a fruit rather than a vegetable since they have seeds and develop from the ovary of the pea flower.
Despite being botanically classified as a fruit, green peas are most often used as vegetables in cooking. Different pea varieties, such as snow peas, sweet peas and sugar snap peas, are enjoyed raw or cooked and added to everything from soups to stir-fries and desserts. With a rich history of culinary use, green peas are considered a staple in many types of cuisines and can be found in Indian, Chinese, Mediterranean and British dishes alike.
Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, fiber and protein, green peas have been associated with a number of potential health benefits. Adding green peas into your diet may help support healthy digestion, keep your blood sugar in check and even promote weight loss.
Green Peas Benefits
- • Aid in Weight Loss
- • Rich in Protein
- • Support Blood Sugar Control
- • Promote Healthy Digestion
- • May Protect Against Cancer
1. Aid in Weight Loss
Low in green pea calories yet rich in both protein and fiber, adding a few servings of green peas into your diet can work wonders for your waistline. The fiber and protein both help keep you feeling full to ward off cravings and reduce appetite, ramping up weight loss even more.
So how does it work? Protein slows the emptying of the stomach and has also been shown to reduce levels of ghrelin, the hormone that’s responsible for stimulating hunger. Meanwhile, fiber is digested very slowly, which helps promote satiety to aid in weight loss.
For best results, be sure to combine peas with plenty of other high-fiber protein foods to reduce your appetite even more. A few examples of nutrient-dense foods that can seamlessly fit into a weight loss diet include green beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
2. Rich in Protein
Protein is an integral component of overall health. Not only does it make up the foundation of your hair, skin, muscles and bones, but it’s also used by the body to build and repair tissues as well as synthesize important hormones and enzymes. A protein deficiency can wreak havoc on health, causing symptoms like impaired immunity, stunted growth and decreased energy levels.
Green peas are an excellent source of pea protein, with each cup providing a whopping 8.6 grams. This puts the green peas protein content right on par with other top plant-based protein foods, >such as hemp seeds, quinoa, amaranth and nutritional yeast.
3. Support Blood Sugar Control
Loaded with both protein and fiber, green peas can help manage blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes symptoms like fatigue, increased urination and headaches. Fiber works by slowing the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream to aid in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, upping your intake of protein has been shown to decrease blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Not only that, but green peas also have a relatively low glycemic index, which is a measure of how much your blood sugar increases after eating a certain food. According to a review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating lots of foods with a low glycemic index, such as peas, may be associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes.
4. Promote Healthy Digestion
With 8.8 grams of dietary fiber per serving, a single cup of green peas can knock out up to 35 percent of your daily fiber needs. Incorporating more high-fiber foods into your diet can have a beneficial effect on several aspects of health, especially when it comes to digestion.
Fiber moves through the gastrointestinal tract undigested, adding bulk to the stool to increase stool frequency and promote regularity. Fiber may also be beneficial in the treatment of digestive conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), stomach ulcers, diverticulitis and hemorrhoids.
5. May Protect Against Cancer
Green peas are packed with antioxidants that can help fight free radicals to relieve inflammation and reduce oxidative damage to cells. Thanks to the high concentration of antioxidants in green peas, they have even been shown to have anticancer properties in some in vitro studies.
Saponins, in particular, are a type of antioxidant found in green peas that may help inhibit tumor growth and kill off cancer cells. In fact, a 2009 review out of Canada reported that the saponins found in green peas and other legumes may have therapeutic effects against several different types of cancers. Another review published in Filoterapia noted that saponins have been shown to prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells in some in vitro studies.
This anticancer activity is one of the reasons green peas among the top cancer-fighting foods around.
Green Peas Nutrition
Take one look at the green peas nutrition facts and you’ll quickly notice that each serving contains a long list of important vitamins and minerals. Green peas are low in calories but high in fiber and protein, plus an array of micronutrients, such as vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C and thiamine.
One cup (about 160 grams) of cooked green peas contains approximately:
- • 134 calories
- • 25 grams carbohydrates
- • 8.6 grams protein
- • 0.4 gram fat
- • 8.8 grams dietary fiber
- • 41.4 micrograms vitamin K (52 percent DV)
- • 0.8 milligram manganese (42 percent DV)
- • 22.7 milligrams vitamin C (38 percent DV)
- • 0.4 milligram thiamine (28 percent DV)
- • 1,282 international units vitamin A (26 percent DV)
- • 101 micrograms folate (25 percent DV)
- • 187 milligrams phosphorus (19 percent DV)
- • 0.3 milligram vitamin B6 (17 percent DV)
- • 3.2 milligrams niacin (16 percent DV)
- • 62.4 milligrams magnesium (16 percent DV)
- • 0.2 milligram riboflavin (14 percent DV)
- • 0.3 milligram copper (14 percent DV)
- • 2.5 milligrams iron (14 percent DV)
- • 1.9 milligrams zinc (13 percent DV)
- • 434 milligrams potassium (12 percent DV)
In addition to the nutrients listed above, green peas also contain a small amount of selenium, pantothenic acid, calcium and vitamin E.
Types of Peas: Green Peas vs. Other Peas
There are several different types of green peas that each have minute differences in terms of taste and appearance, including snow peas, snap peas and sweet peas.
Snow peas are flat and contain small peas with an edible pod that can be consumed raw or cooked and added to dishes like stir-fries.
Sugar snap peas, on the other hand, have a much sweeter flavor and are a bit crunchier. You can eat the entire pod of sugar snap peas and they can be either cooked or consumed raw.
Meanwhile, sweet peas, which are sometimes called English peas or garden peas, are the most common type of peas and are often found frozen or canned. These peas have a slightly sweet yet mild flavor and need to be removed from the pod before consuming.
Green split peas, another common ingredient found in many kitchen pantries, is actually made from peas that have been dried, peeled and split. They are a staple in many types of Indian dishes as well as split pea soup.
In addition to green peas, cowpeas, such as black-eyed peas, are another popular pea variety. Cowpeas are a legume that belong to the same family of plants as green peas but are cooked and consumed in different ways. While green peas can be enjoyed raw, cowpeas are generally cooked around 25–30 minutes and then added to salads, curries, stews or soups. Both are high in fiber and protein, but green peas contain more vitamin K and vitamin C while cowpeas are a richer source of micronutrients like folate and iron.
Green Peas in Ayurveda and TCM
Like other fruits and vegetables, green peas fit right into both Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
On an Ayurvedic diet, green peas work especially well for vata and pitta doshas and are believed to improve digestion, reduce appetite, relieve nausea and decrease inflammation. They are also said to have an alkalizing effect, which can help balance the pH of the body.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the other hand, green peas are used to strengthen the spleen and stomach, enhance digestion, lubricate the intestines, and aid in fluid balance. In particular, peas are often utilized to treat conditions like indigestion, constipation and bloating, all thanks to their powerful medicinal properties.
Where to Find and How to Use Green Peas
Green peas are easy to find in most supermarkets. In fact, you can usually find most green pea varieties at your local grocery store with little trouble, including sweet peas, sugar snap peas and snow peas. In addition to buying them fresh, canned or frozen green peas are also available and can be used in the same way in most recipes.
Although commonly considered little more than a side dish, green peas can actually be an incredibly versatile dietary component. They can be added raw to salads, boiled and blended into soups, or added to pastas, rice dishes and risottos.
Peas can also be pureed into dips and spreads. They’re the perfect way to spice up your guacamole or make a batch of pesto, which can be added to sandwiches or used as a delicious veggie dip.
Because of their mild yet slightly sweet taste, green peas can even work well in some desserts. Peas can be added to cookies, cakes, cupcakes and puddings to squeeze in some extra nutrients while still satisfying your sweet tooth.
History
Green peas have been grown for centuries and were one of the first cultivated crops, although they were originally grown solely for their dry seeds. Their name is believed to stem from the Greek word “pison,” which later turned into “pise” and then “pease.” By 1600, the last two letters had been dropped to form the word “pea” that we still use today.
Archaeologists have found evidence of wild pea consumption dating all the way back to the year 9,750 B.C. Written records of green peas can even be traced all the way back to the 3rd century B.C. when Greek philosopher Theophrastus mentioned that peas, among other pulses and legumes, are sown late in the winter due to their tenderness. Peas were also an important part of the diet in Rome; in fact, the ancient Roman cookbook “Apicius” even included nine recipes for cooking dried peas with herbs, meat and various other vegetables.
During the Middle Ages, peas were an important ingredient that helped ward off famine. In later years, peas became more of a luxury and were even considered a delicacy in some parts of Europe. By the 1800s, however, canned vegetables helped make peas even more affordable, allowing everyone to enjoy the taste and health benefits of green peas. Just a century later in the 1920s, the rise of frozen foods, including frozen peas, helped extend the shelf life and skyrocket the popularity of this nutritious vegetable even more.
Precautions
Although generally safe for consumption, some people have reported allergic reactions after consuming green peas. For these individuals, eating peas can trigger food allergy symptoms, such as hives, swelling, itching, nausea and skin rashes. If you experience these or any other adverse side effects after eating green peas, discontinue use and talk to your doctor.
Because peas are high in fiber, they may also cause gastrointestinal problems in some individuals. They also contain lectins, a type of carbohydrate that is fermented in the gut, which can worsen symptoms even more. Some of the most common side effects of green peas include bloating, nausea and flatulence. If you notice any digestive issues after eating green peas, try soaking your green peas before consuming to reduce the amount of lectins, and be sure to keep your intake in moderation.
Additionally, green peas contain antinutrients, which are substances that can interfere with the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. While this shouldn’t be a major concern for most people, it may be something to keep in mind, especially if green peas make up a major part of your diet. To minimize the amount of antinutrients in your diet, opt for fully cooked peas over raw peas, keep intake in moderation and try soaking or sprouting your peas before consumption.
Final Thoughts
Green peas are a type of seed from the pod-fruit Pisium sativum. Although they are technically considered a fruit, they are typically used as a vegetable and served in side dishes and main courses alike.
Nutritionally, peas are high in fiber and protein, plus vitamin K, manganese and vitamin C. They also contain powerful antioxidants that can protect against chronic disease.
Other green peas benefits include improved digestion, better blood sugar control and increased weight loss.
Snow peas, sugar snap peas and sweet peas are all different types of green peas. Split peas are made of peas that have been dried, peeled and split.
Enjoy them raw or cooked as part of a healthy diet to take advantage of all of the unique health benefits that they have to offer.
Untitled Document
Snow Pea
If you’ve ever been served a bowl of snow peas, you may not be sure how to eat them, nor what makes them different from normal peas. These are nutritious and surprisingly flavorful vegetables that are used in the preparation of several global cuisines. Therefore, so it is important to understand what they contain, what potential health benefits they possess, and how to store and prepare them.
What are Snow Peas?
Snow peas, a variety of pea, are eaten whole – while the peas are still in the pod. Unlike regular peas, the pods of snow peas do not contain inedible fiber, meaning that they are more palatable and not meant to be discarded. These pods are also a source of good nutrients. Scientifically known as Pisum sativum var. saccharatum, these peas are not only popular in Chinese cuisine, but they are popular around the world and are relatively easy to find in most grocery stores and import shops.
Each seedpod contains up to seven peas, and these peas can be cooked or eaten raw. Most people remove them from their garden in an unripe form, which is when they are tender, yet still crunchy. They take very little effort to prepare, and can be added to many meals, or simply munched on for a protein-rich snack!
Snow Peas Nutrition
In terms of their nutrient content, snow peas are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, potassium, dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, and small levels of healthy fats. These pods are also very low in calories, with slightly over 1 calorie per pod. They also lack cholesterol, making them a filling, yet nutritious dietary component.
Snow Peas Health Benefits
There are many impressive health benefits of snow peas, including weight loss, improved heart health, reduced constipation, stronger bones, optimized immunity and lower levels of inflammation, among others.
May Aid in Weight Loss
These delicious little pods are possibly high in dietary fiber and densely packed with valuable nutrients, which makes them quite filling. However, they have an extremely low level of fat and calories, so you can eat these vegetables without any guilt about ruining your diet or going over your calorie allotment for the day. The fiber will also help your digestive system and improve your metabolic speed, further helping with weight loss efforts.
May Help Manage Diabetes
Possibly high levels of dietary fiber in the body mean more control over your blood sugar levels. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, but it regulates the glucose and insulin levels in your body. This is particularly important for people with diabetes, who need to watch their intake of simple sugars and closely monitor their blood sugar levels to prevent sudden spikes and drops.
May Help Lower The Risk of Heart Disease
With a significant amount of potassium and vitamin C, these peas can help protect the heart in various ways. Potassium can help reduce blood pressure and minimize the strain on the cardiovascular system, while vitamin C can induce repair efforts on blood vessels and arteries, thus lowering the risk of coronary heart diseases.
May Improve Digestion
If your diet has suitable levels of dietary fiber, which snow peas provide, you can optimize your digestive processes. Fiber can stimulate peristaltic motion, improve nutrient uptake efficiency, and reduce inflammation in the gut that can lead to stomach discomfort.
May Improve Bone Mineral Density
Snow peas have various minerals that are needed by the body to increase bone mineral density, such as iron, potassium, and manganese, among others. Although these minerals are found in small amounts, they can help lower your risk of osteoporosis.
May Improve Immune System
Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients in your diet, as it can help to stimulate the production of white blood cells, an important line of defense for the body’s immune system. This will lower your susceptibility to various infections and foreign pathogens.
May Improve Vision
Vitamin A is a critical element in our vision health, as this potentially antioxidant vitamin can prevent oxidative stress in the retina. This means a lower risk of macular degeneration and a slowdown in the development of cataracts.
How to Cook Snow Peas?
If you want to cook snow peas, the easiest way is to simply sauté them in a pan with oil and seasoning. This will retain most of the nutritional value and boost the flavor, yet it only takes a few minutes to prepare. Since these peas can also be eaten raw, they don’t require much cooking to be tender and delicious.
How to Store Snow Peas?
Snow peas don’t have a long shelf life, so after purchasing or picking these peas, you can store them in your refrigerator for 2-3 days before the quality will begin to diminish. After 2-3 days, the peas will have less of a crunch, and their slightly sweet flavor will also begin to disappear.
Snap Peas vs. Snow Peas
Snap peas are often mistaken for snow peas, but in fact, snap peas are a cross between snow peas and garden peas. This hybrid is closer in appearance and flavor to snow peas but tends to be sweeter. Also commonly known as sugar-snap peas, these are eaten in the pod (whole) and have the same tough string along the seam of the pod that should be removed before eating.
Source
Note 1: Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health
Untitled Document
Despite the abundant nutrients in green peas, there is a downside to their nutritional quality — they contain antinutrients.
These are substances found in many foods, such as legumes and grains, that may interfere with digestion and mineral absorption.
While these generally aren’t a concern for most healthy people, their health effects are still important to keep in mind. They are more likely to impact those who rely on legumes as a staple food, in addition to individuals at risk of malnutrition.
Here are the two most important antinutrients found in green peas:
- Phytic acid: May interfere with the absorption of minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium.
- Lectins: Associated with symptoms such as gas and bloating and may interfere with nutrient absorption.
Levels of these antinutrients tend to be lower in peas than in other legumes, so they are unlikely to cause problems unless you eat them frequently.
Here are a few methods you can use to help prevent adverse effects from antinutrients:
- Keep portion sizes reasonable: About 1/3 cup (117 grams) to 1/2 cup (170 grams) of green peas at a time is enough for most people. They are more likely to cause problems when consumed in high amounts.
- Experiment with preparation methods: Fermenting, sprouting and soaking may be helpful for reducing the amounts of antinutrients in green peas.
- Eat them fully cooked: Antinutrient levels are higher in raw peas, which makes them more likely to cause digestive discomfort.
They May Cause Bloating
Like other legumes, green peas have been reported to cause bloating, an uncomfortable swelling of the stomach often accompanied by gas and flatulence.
These effects may occur for a few reasons, one of them being the content of FODMAPs — fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols.
They’re a group of carbs that escape digestion and are then fermented by the bacteria in your gut, which produce gas as a byproduct.
Additionally, the lectins in green peas are associated with bloating and other digestive symptoms. Although lectins aren’t present in high amounts, they may cause problems for some people, especially when they are a major part of the diet.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to prevent digestive discomfort that may occur after eating green peas.
If FODMAPs are a problem for you, try reducing your portion sizes. In many circumstances, those who are sensitive to FODMAPs are able to tolerate up to 1/3 cup of cooked green peas at a time.
Additionally, experimenting with certain preparation methods, such as soaking, fermenting or sprouting, may help reduce the lectin content of green peas, making them easier to digest.
Another strategy is to make green peas a regular part of your diet. If you only eat them every once in a while, your body simply may not be used to digesting them, which can lead to bloating and other uncomfortable symptoms. *
Snow peas generally safe to eat in all individuals. They contain negligible amounts of 50 mg/100 of oxalic acid, a naturally-occurring substance found in some vegetables, which may crystallize as oxalate stones in the urinary tract in some people. On a comparison note: 100 g of spinach carries 970 mg. Adequate intake of water is, therefore, encouraged to maintain normal urine output to minimize the stone risk. *