10 Health Benefits of Peas – They Are an Amazing and Simple Superfood

Many people think green peas are just a poor man’s food or a cheap restaurant side-dish that puts ‘green’ on your plate. However, the 10 health benefits of peas show that they are really little powerhouses of nutrition that are a boon for your health and the whole planet.

“Research to date has shown the power of peas to have a role in many health benefits in humans, including epidemiological, in vitro, and interventional studies. One of these benefits includes cardiovascular health in controlling blood pressure cholesterol levels, particularly from the fiber content. Another benefit could improve weight management by satiety levels from the protein and fiber in peas” ~ North Dakota State University

Read all about their health benefits, find out how to use them properly, and discover some easy recipes to add these tiny nutrition houses to your diet.  We start with the healthy benefits of these tasty tasty superfoods.

10 Health Benefits of Green Peas

1.  Weight Management

They are low in fat but high in everything else.  One cup of peas has less than 100 calories but lots of protein, fiber, and micro-nutrients.  Peas are an amazing source of plant-based protein which helps keep you feeling full longer while also helping to reduce your appetite and ward off those cravings so they can help you reduce that waistline.

2. Stomach & Other Cancer Prevention

Peas contain high amounts of a health-protective polyphenol called coumestrol. A study in Mexico City determined you only need 2 milligrams per day of this phytonutrient to prevent stomach cancer. A cup has at least 10 milligrams.

The saponins found in green peas may have therapeutic effects against several different types of cancers according to a 2009 review out of Canada.

They are packed with a high concentration of antioxidants which can reduce oxidative damage to cells by fighting free radicals to help relieve inflammation.  This gives them great anticancer properties.

3. Helps Anti-aging, Strong Immune System, and High Energy

This comes from the high levels of anti-oxidants including:

• flavinoids: = catechin and epicatechin
• carotenoid= alpha-carotene and beta-carotene
• phenolic acids = ferulic and caffeic acid
• polyphenols = coumestrol

They are great for the immune system as they provide vitamin c  (40 milligrams per 100-gram serving) which studies show is beneficial for protecting against colds and flues and for fighting infection.

4. Prevention of Wrinkles, Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Osteoporosis, and Candida

These come from peas’ strong anti-inflammatory properties according to research. Excess inflammation has also been linked to, heart disease, cancer, and aging in general.

• Pisumsaponins I and II and pisomosides A and B are anti-inflammatory phytonutrients found almost exclusively in peas.
• vitamin C and vitamin E, and a good amount of the antioxidant mineral zinc
• omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

5.  Blood Sugar Regulation

A high fiber and protein diet will slow down how fast sugars are digested and improve blood glucose response in people with type 2 diabetes according to a study.

All carbohydrates are natural sugars and starches with no white sugars or chemicals to worry about.

Peas may be associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes because of their low glycemic index, according to a review published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

As they are filled with fiber and protein this makes them a great food to help with managing blood sugar levels.  To maintain normal blood sugar levels you need enough fiber which works to slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream to help maintain normal blood sugar levels.  Increasing your intake of protein has also been shown to decrease blood sugar.

6. Heart Disease Prevention

The many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds support healthy blood vessels. The formation of plaque along our blood vessel walls starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation.

The generous amounts of vitamin B1 and folate, B2, B3, and B6 reduce homocysteine levels which are risk factors for heart disease.

Green peas have high fiber content which studies have shown to lower total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol, which when elevated increase the risk of heart disease.

Peas are high in lutein, which acts like an antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidation. People who have higher intakes of lutein have lower rates of atherosclerosis studies show.

7. Healthy For the Environment

• They work with bacteria in the soil to ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air and deposit it in the soil. This reduces the need for artificial fertilizers since one of its main ingredients is nitrogen.
• Green peas are also able to grow on minimal moisture so they are a perfect crop in many areas not needing irrigation or using up valuable water supplies.
• After they have been harvested the remaining plant easily breaks down to create more organic fertilizer for the soil.
• What an amazing one of the 10 health benefits of peas!

Grow your own.

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8.  Prevents Constipation

The high fiber content in peas improves bowel health and peristalsis.

The addition of pea hull fiber to the diet increased stool frequency in elderly residents in one study.

9. Healthy Bones

Just one cup of green peas contains 44% of your Vitamin K which helps to anchor calcium inside the bones. Its B vitamins also help to prevent osteoporosis.

10.  Reduces Bad Cholesterol

The niacin in them helps reduce, the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which results in less bad cholesterol, increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lower triglycerides. Study results indicate that a diet rich in legumes decreases total and LDL cholesterol.

“If you don’t like peas, it is probably because you have not had them fresh. It is the difference between reading a great book and reading the summary on the back” ― Lemony Snicket, Shouldn’t You Be in School?

Nutrition of Peas

One cup of peas only has 134 calories. They are a very good source of vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C, phosphorus dietary fiber, vitamin B1, copper, and folate. And much more, learn more at Nutrition Data.

We know that there are 10 Health Benefits of Peas, and now to have a little pea history lesson. 🙂

Interesting Facts and History

• Although they are considered a vegetable green peas really are actually fruit since they contain seeds developed from a flower.
• Green peas are the immature seed of dried peas often called field peas.
• The dried ones have been eaten for over 5000 years and were a staple during the Middle Ages. The field ones were easy to grow and saved many from starving.
• The fresh green ones did not become popular until the 16 century.
• They have such high-quality protein that many commercial protein powders are starting to use it. This avoids the possible side effects of soy or dairy products. See  Is Your Protein Powder Toxic?
• The green pea is widely recognized as one of the first food crops to be cultivated by humans because its cultivation dates back thousands and thousands of years.
• Canada is the largest producer of peas in the world!

“Peas baffled me. I could not understand why grown-ups would take things that tasted so good raw, and then put them in tins, and make them revolting.” ― Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

How to Buy and Cook to Get The 10 Health Benefits of Peas

Did you know that only about 5% of the peas grown are sold fresh?  The rest are either sold frozen or canned.

• The frozen ones retain their color and texture well and the nutritional content is stored better than canned peas but of course, fresh ones are even better.

  

• Dry peas (with 16 gms of protein per cup) have almost twice the protein contents as green peas and six times the protein content of the sugar snap pea.
• Both canned and frozen peas have a significant amount of sodium (from 300 to 600 milligrams per cup) due to the processing methods. Therefore, make sure you rinse them well before using them or better yet…grow your own if you can!
• When buying frozen ones, usually the “petite” brands will be less starchy and more flavorful and sweet I find. I personally always choose these.
• When buying or using fresh peas the fresher the better as the sugar content transforms into starch. Keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them to slow down this process.

“How luscious lies the pea within the pod.” ~ Emily Dickinson

Now that you have learned all about the 10 ‘Health Benefits of Peas’ it is time to make some healthy and delicious recipes using them.

Delicious Recipes With Green Peas

 Easy Peasy Green Pea Soup Is Especially Delicious – This green pea soup really is yummy and it is a super easy soup to make. Hearing me say that frozen peas taste good is amazing; as I don’t even like to eat frozen ones. But this creamy green pea soup is really delicious and within a week I had it twice! What I think is the difference is that this is the first time I had organic frozen peas and I am sure they taste better. The other thing about this soup is that it is surprisingly hardy and very filling.

The other very good thing about this soup is that it is filled with healthy superfoods.  The main ingredient is peas.

Chinese Vegetables: Here is my version of delicious Chinese vegetables which are vegan and gluten-free.  This is a great dish to serve on the Chinese New Year or any day! I especially like the Chinese broccoli which is called gai lan which I get from a Chinese supermarket.  Although I have been finding it in some other supermarkets.

Peas As A Side Dish: A tasty addition with a touch of Indian spice to add to any meal and simple to make as well.

Steamed Vegetables: Did you know that broccoli was developed in Italy and is well known and one of the major anti-cancer foods.  These healthy vegetables are easy to make for a quick meal.

Easy Creamy Peas: Many people think green peas are just a poor man’s meat or a cheap restaurant side-dish that puts ‘green’ on your plate. However, peas are really little powerhouses of nutrition that are a boon for your health and the whole planet.

 Fresh Quick Pea Soup Recipe: How about a quick soup for lunch? Yes, this is a very quick, delicious soup that is nutritious too. All of the ingredients in this soup are healthy.  Get all of the health benefits of this tasty superfood.

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