AgriLifeExtensionWhen you think of highly nutritious foods, often the trendier ones often come to mind (like kale, quinoa, or flax seeds). But there’s one superfood that rarely tops the list, peas.

They’re not trendy, hard to find, or covering the pages of health magazines. You probably disliked them as a child, just like your own children. But there’s a reason why they’re often found on plates of families everywhere.  Peas are an inexpensive veggie that have a lot going for them.

The Power of the Pea

  • Green peas contain flavonoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols. These compounds provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that may aid in improved heart health and immune function.
  • Peas are a super source of fiber and protein. One cup of boiled green peas will net you about 8-10 grams of each nutrient. That’s twice as much protein as a tablespoon of peanut butter! Because of this nutrient density, peas are effective in regulating blood sugar and insulin levels. In fact, green peas are highly recommended for those at risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
  • Peas contain the entire vitamin alphabet… almost. Each one-cup serving of green peas contains 22% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of vitamin A, 15% of the RDVs of vitamins B6, B3, and B2, 26% of the RDV of vitamin C, and 40% of the RDV of vitamin K. If that weren’t enough, each serving also contains high amounts of folate, zinc, and iron. Eat your peas outside in the sun (for some vitamin D, of course), and you’ve got a near-perfect snack. Who needs a gritty multivitamin when you can just eat peas instead?

Fresh garden peas are hard to come by, but frozen peas are readily available! If you’re hesitant about the nutrient value of frozen vs. fresh veggies, have no fear – frozen peas contain just as much healthy goodness as their more perishable counterparts. Just be sure to keep an eye out for minimally-processed frozen peas – some bags can have as much as 300 milligrams of sodium, due to the methods they use for selecting the ripest crops. Try to avoid the canned variety, too – those have lots of sodium and are perhaps the most processed peas money can buy.  If you do choose canned peas, be sure to rinse them off to eliminate some of the sodium content.

You can serve peas exactly like your mother did – boiled to mushy perfection – or select a variety that can be steamed in the microwave, right in the bag they came in.

Try this recipe for Italian Peas:

Italian Peas (serves 6)

Ingredients:

•           2 tablespoons olive oil

•           1 onion, chopped

•           2 cloves garlic, minced

•           16 ounces frozen green peas

•           1 tablespoon low-sodium chicken stock

•           Salt and pepper, to taste, if needed

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook about five minutes. Add frozen peas, and stir in stock. Season with salt and pepper (to taste, if needed). Cover and cook until peas are tender, about 10 minutes.

For more information, please contact Kim Miles, County Extension Agent – Family & Consumer Sciences at 325-646-0386 or kamiles@ag.tamu.edu.