What Are Peas?
Peas will not be truly a vegetable however a small, edible legume and as such belong to the identical household as lentils, chickpeas, beans and peanuts. Peas develop in pods on a vine and as soon as the pod is plump, they’re ripe for choosing. Within the UK, peas are in season from Could to October, however many of the peas we devour are frozen, making them a staple all yr spherical.
Uncover our full vary of well being advantages guides and take a look at a few of our favourite pea recipes, together with pea mint soup and pea, ham hock and watercress salad.
Dietary profile of peas
An 80 g portion (cooked) incorporates:
- 63 kcal/263 ky
- 5.4g of protein
- 1.3g of fats
- 8.0 g of carbohydrates
- 4.5g fiber
- 184 mg of potassium
- 104 mg phosphorus
- 1.2mg iron
- 13mg of vitamin C
Nutritionally, there’s little distinction between contemporary and frozen peas, making frozen a helpful and cost-effective various.
Prime 5 well being advantages of peas
1. Good supply of vegetable protein
Being excessive in fiber and probably the greatest plant proteins, peas are a satisfying a part of a meal. They’re additionally a helpful vegan supply of iron, which is important for making purple blood cells and transporting oxygen across the physique.
2. Could Enhance Blood Sugar Management
With a low glycemic index (GI) and excessive fiber content material, peas are a helpful addition if it’s good to monitor your blood sugar ranges. Peas include starch within the type of amylose, which slows down our digestion and consequently, research help that they can assist enhance our blood sugar ranges. Peas additionally include vitamins equivalent to magnesium, B nutritional vitamins and vitamin C, all of which assist help blood sugar ranges.
3. Could help digestion
Peas are wealthy in fiber that each aids digestion and feeds the useful intestine microbes that play a significant position in our well being. A lot of the fiber content material is soluble, which may relieve constipation. Consuming extra fiber is related to a diminished danger of various circumstances, together with weight problems, kind 2 diabetes, coronary heart illness and most cancers.
4. Could help coronary heart well being
Peas include heart-friendly minerals, together with magnesium, potassium and calcium, and are additionally wealthy in antioxidant vitamins equivalent to vitamin C, in addition to phytonutrients, together with carotenoids and flavonols, which shield the center and help cardiovascular operate. The soluble fiber that peas include helps us management levels of cholesterol, particularly LDL ldl cholesterol.
5. Could also be most cancers protecting
Frequently together with legumes, equivalent to peas, in your weight loss plan could scale back the danger of most cancers attributable to their excessive antioxidant content material. Peas additionally include pure compounds referred to as saponins, which have been proven to assist shield towards some cancers.
Are peas secure for everybody to eat?
Legumes are a typical allergen and peas aren’t any exception. Particular care ought to be taken you probably have been identified with an allergy to legumes, which can embody peanuts and soy. Learn extra from the NHS about meals allergy symptoms and when to hunt assist.
If you’re involved about meals allergy symptoms, seek the advice of your main care doctor or a registered dietitian for steerage.
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Nicola Shubrook is a dietary therapist and works with each personal shoppers and the company sector. She is an accredited member of the British Affiliation for Diet and Way of life Medication (BANT) and the Complementary & Pure Healthcare Council (CNHC). Learn extra at urbanwellness.co.uk.
All well being content material on bbcgoodfood.com is for common informational functions solely and shouldn’t be handled as an alternative to the medical recommendation of your individual doctor or different healthcare supplier. If you’re involved about your common well being, you need to contact your native healthcare supplier. See our web site phrases and circumstances for extra data.
