I know, I know. With all of the holiday gluttony upon us, why the push for peas? Because it’s a secret weapon. A way to fill up on goodness in the midst of humongous calories and trans fats. It’s a quiet, unflashy addition to any holiday meal and a tactile experience for any toddler you want to keep occupied. I have been eating peas for years, not realizing the powerhouse of valuable nutrients that they are! Just last week I found out that one cup of peas had eight grams of protein! They have been disguising themselves as a vegetable to me. Aha! They are part of the bean family.
“Strictly speaking, green peas are not vegetables. They are part of the legume family, which consists of plants that produce pods with seeds inside. Lentils, chickpeas, beans and peanuts are also legumes.”
A 1/2-cup (170-gram) serving of peas provides the following nutrients (1):
- Calories: 62
- Carbs: 11 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Vitamin A: 34% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 24% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 13% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 15% of the RDI
- Folate: 12% of the RDI
- Manganese: 11% of the RDI
- Iron: 7% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 6% of the RDI
What makes peas unique from other vegetables is their high protein content. For example, a 1/2 cup (170 grams) of cooked carrots has only 1 gram of protein, while 1/2 cup (170 grams) of peas contains four grams of protein. 1
You can buy a 5 lb bag of organic peas at Costco for 6.39 a bag. Prices may change but that is a deal!!!
Because I love their mild taste, I cook up a quarter of a bag and incorporate it all week into my meals, hot or cold. My husband bows out of the peas offering, because they were snuck into the casseroles of his childhood. He will eat fresh peas from our garden, or anybody else’s garden. Here is our granddaughter last June, at our house, carefully getting them out of the pod to line them in a row. Cutest face ever!
So don’t push them on your children,
but grow them, cook them, eat them!
If they see you smacking your lips over a bowl of green goodness, maybe they might want a taste. Give them a taste!
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/green-peas-are-healthy#section2
"Peace Like A River…" 