The humble pea is a staple vegetable in many of our diets with the average person in the UK consuming roughly 9,000 peas every year. If peas are not part of your weekly meal plan, then they will be by the end of this blog post as they are a nutritious, cheap and quick & easy food to cook.
What are peas?
Peas, scientifically known as Pisum sativum, and are a type of legume. Peas are seeds that grow within the pods of flowering plants and they originate from the Mediterranean but today are grown all around the world thanks to their ability to adapt to different climates.
‘Did you know that the UK grows and supplies 90% of the peas consumed within the UK’
Peas come in lots of different varieties including: garden peas, petit pois (which translates to mean small peas), split peas, yellow peas and snap peas.
What nutrients can we get from peas?
Peas contain numerous health supportive nutrients including, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Protein
Peas are a great source of protein, they contain the amino acids (i.e. the building blocks of protein) glutamine, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan and cystine. These amino acids have a wide range of functions and benefits within the body including, glutamine’s ability to support the lining of the gut, aspartic acids can help to balance hormones and the nervous system, arginine can help to support the immune system, lysine is important for bone health, methionine can help to support your liver, tryptophan can help with anxiety and sleep and cystine a very versatile nutrient can help to support our energy production and is important for making the powerful antioxidant in our body glutathione.
'As you can already see the humble pea is not so humble after all'.
Complex Carbohydrate & Prebiotics
Peas are a great source of starch and fibre; this makes them what is known as a source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates break down slowly within the digestive system providing the body with a slow-release source of glucose (also known as sugar). Your body and mind require glucose to function, especially your brain and muscles.
The fibrous strands found in peas that are not broken down by the time they reach your large intestines help to feed the bacteria within your gut. Therefore, peas have prebiotic properties and eating peas is a great way to support your gut microbiome.
Vitamins
Peas contain high levels of Vitamin C with around 40mg per 100g serving of fresh green peas. According to the website ‘Yes Peas’ the Vitamin C levels found a serving of peas is roughly equal to that found within 2 large apples.
Vitamin C is very important for a wide range of processes within the body including:
Creating and repairing your blood vessels and muscles.
Antioxidant properties helping to protect your body toxins and reducing inflammation.
Assisting with the absorption and storage of the mineral iron.
Helping to prevent certain diseases, such as, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, degeneration of the eye, as well as helping to prevent colds and flu.
Peas also contain other vitamins, including folate, beta-carotene (that the body converts to Vitamin A) and vitamin B2 (also known as riboflavin) all of which also have lots of important help supportive benefits.
Minerals
Peas also contain lots of minerals the main 4 found within peas are potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. Potassium is important for helping to balance fluid within your body; phosphorous plays an important role in energy production; calcium is important for bone health and the contraction of muscles and magnesium is needed for the relaxation of muscles, as well as numerus other important processes.
You can also find small amounts of iron, selenium, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, copper and boron. If you are looking for peas with the highest levels of iron and magnesium opt for yellow peas.
Phytonutrients & Antioxidants
Peas also contain a number of other valuable nutrients known collectively as phytonutrients. These compounds are thought to give peas numerous health supportive properties.
How can peas support your health and well-being?
Balance Blood Sugar
Peas release their sugars (carbohydrates) and amino acids (protein) slowly. Peas are therefore very good at helping to fuel our bodies with the energy we need while keeping our blood sugar levels balanced. Keeping your blood sugar levels balanced can help with weight loss, keeping your mood and energy stable, improve your sleep quality and help you to feel fuller for longer. Balancing your blood sugars can also help to prevent and manage a range of conditions including, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and bowel disease and inflammatory conditions, such as, specific types of arthritis.
Feed your Gut Microbiome
The prebiotic properties of peas help to balance and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Your gut is filled with more bacteria than cells in your body and it is really important to keep them happy. A healthy and balanced gut microbiome is linked to a healthy immune system, better nutrient levels within the body, less gastrointestinal issues, such as, bloating and constipation, better hormonal health, improved mental health and more.
Bowel Movements and Detoxification
When we eat peas that contain lots of fibre, they can help us to produce bigger, more regular and heathier stools (aka poo). Peas can therefore help to support with both diarrhoea and constipation. When we pass a stool, we are also eliminating harmful toxins from the body, so by passing a stool regularly it can help to support one of the bodies major detoxification systems.
Disease Prevention & Management
The beneficial nutrients within peas have been shown to prevent and support a wide range of conditions, including cardiovascular and bowel disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Can Everyone Eat Peas?
No, some people are intolerant or allergic to peas. Many people who react to peas also react to other foods within the legume & Fabaceae families, including beans, lentils, soya, lupin, fenugreek and peanuts.
Symptoms of an intolerance or allergy include, hives, tingling or itching, swelling, sweating, stomach pain, vomiting, feeling tired, wheezing and breathing difficulties. If you experience any of these symptoms after eating these foods it is important that you speak to your GP.
However, for some people whose diets contain very little fibre you may experience some mild negative side effects, such as, bloating or flatulence (farting) when you start to eat more fibrous foods like peas. This is because those little gut bugs that we were talking about earlier need time to adjust and grow in numbers to be able to help you digest the fibre you are now eating.
The Best Way to Buy Peas
Peas can be purchased in a variety of different ways, and they all have their different uses.
Fresh vs Frozen
Eating fresh vs frozen peas all depends on the timing. The best option are peas from your garden and eaten shortly after being picked. However, the growing season is short and we do not all have the time and space to grow our own peas.
The next best option are frozen peas. Yes, for once the cheap and easy option is actually better than the more expensive fresh option. This is because the majority of garden peas and petit pois we find in the supermarket are frozen within 2.5 hours after they have been harvested. Freezing them quickly helps to lock in the nutrients held within the peas and it means that they can be enjoyed all year round.
Fresh peas purchased in the supermarket will often be lower in health supportive nutrients, such as, Vitamin C. This is because the nutrient levels within the pea will start to reduce once picked in reaction to heat, light and air. Save your pennies and head to the freezer isle.
Dried
Some types of peas are available to purchase dried, such as, yellow split peas. Some are air dried while others have warm air blown over them like a big hair dryer. While this can significantly reduce nutrient levels, especially vitamins levels they are still a fantastic source of protein and complex carbohydrates. This makes them ideal to add to dishes, such as, curries and soups where they can be paired alongside vitamin rich vegetables. When I first went into a wholefood shop, I was very confused as to how you would actually cook and eat all of the dried peas and beans. However, through following the instructions on different recipes it all became clear. I have added a few of my favourite pea-based recipes at the end on this blog post.
Canned
Unless you are prepping for the end of the world, I really would not recommend purchasing canned peas. Here are 2 reasons why, the first is that the water-soluble vitamins (e.g. Vitamin C) found within the peas can easily leach out into the water that you pour down the drain and secondly the can is lined with a thin layer of plastic that can leach into your food.
Protein Powders
With the increased uptake of plant-based diets and advanced understanding of the benefits of peas there has been a rise in the use of pea protein powder. It can be used in protein shakes, smoothies, porridge, overnight oats, pancakes and protein balls. You may also see it added to ultra-processed plant-based alternatives to increase their protein levels to acts as a thickening agent.
Protein powders are a type of ultra-processed food and this means that in the production of the protein powder the nutrient levels found within the pea originally will be reduced or even non-existent by the time it reached the shop. Therefore, unless nutrients, such as, vitamin c are added back into the final product you cannot rely on it as a good source of nutrients.
However, that does not mean pea protein powders are bad for you they still contain some really useful nutrients, such as protein. By adding pea protein powder to your breakfast and snacks it can have a number of positive benefits including more balanced energy levels and reduced sugar cravings throughout the day. For those who do a lot of exercise or have very physical jobs it can also enable you to increase your protein intake without having to eat excessive amounts of protein rich foods.
But not all protein powders are equal! Many contain lots of additive ingredients, such as, sugar, oils and artificial flavourings and sweeteners. I have put some products at the end of this blog post for you to have a look at. You can find more food and drink recommendations at THP Recommends.
The best way to cook peas
The type of pea that you are cooking will determine what method you can use. For example, yellow split peas work best boiled in a curry or soup. Below I have explained the different ways to cook green peas, such as, garden peas and petit pois.
Microwave
While I highly recommend that you stand at least 2 metres away from your microwave when it is on; cooking peas in your microwave may just be the quickest and most nutritious.
Add your peas to a glass or ceramic bowl or mug and cover it over with a microwavable lid or saucer. When I am cooking peas for just myself, I opt for a mug and a little silicone lid.
Microwave for 1 minute then give them a little mix and check to see if they are hot. Continue this process until they are cooked through to your desired texture (i.e. harder of softer).
For frozen peas you do not need to add any water and this is what help them to retain more nutrients that would be lost in the water used to boil them.
Steam
The next best option is to steam them. Place the peas into a steamer over the boiling water and steam for around 2 minutes until they are cooked to your designed texture. While you will lose more nutrients compared to microwaving them, they will retain more of their nutrients in comparison to boiling them.
Boiling
Boiling peas is not recommended, unless you are going to use the water you boil them in to make gravy or as part of a soup. This is because there are water soluble nutrients within the peas that can leach out and into the water easily, such as, vitamin C. By boiling your peas they will have a much lower nutrient content than if you were to microwave or steam them.
If you are going to boil your peas use a very small amount of water, don’t cook the peas for longer than is necessary and either drink the water or use the water to make a sauce or gravy.
Frozen
You do not have to cook peas to eat them. Many people choose to eat frozen peas as a savoury snack. By eating peas without heating them it can help to maintain their nutrient levels, such as, magnesium, calcium and vitamin c levels.
Peas are not just a humble vegetable found on dinner plates; they are powerhouses of nutrition and offer a wide range of health benefits. From their rich content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to their low cost and cooking times, peas deserve a prominent place in your weekly shopping basket. So next time you are planning what you are going to eat, don't overlook the humble pea.
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Here are some of our favourite pea products:
Vivo’s Madagascan Pea Protein (For those who do a lot of sports or have very physical jobs).
Pulsin do some really lovely bars for on the go that contain pea protein our favourite is the mint choc chip.
ZENB do a great range of pea pastas.
Emily’s Garden Green Veggie Crisps for special occasions.
For more food and drink recommendations visit THP Recommends
Here are some of our favourite pea-based recipes:
Or add a portion of peas as a side dish alongside your roast dinner, mashed potato, fish and chips, salmon, etc.
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