In celebration of Great British Pea Week 2020 I have a post today about the health benefits of peas! See here for my newest recipe – a delicious Pea, Broccoli and Mint Soup.
What are the benefits of eating peas?
Peas are rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre and are low in fat and sodium. As well as providing a great source of micronutrients, including:
- Vitamin A – important for vision and normal functioning of the immune system.
- Vitamin C – important for helping to protect cells and maintain healthy skin, bones, tendons and cartilage.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) – important for the break down and release of energy from food and for the health of the nervous system.
- Folate – important for helping the body make healthy red blood cells and for reducing the risk of neural tube defects in unborn babies.
- Iron – important for making red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.
- Phosphorus – important in the formation of bones and teeth.
I’ll admit that, despite living in a seaside town in the UK, I’ve never been a fan of mushy peas with my fish and chips. But luckily there are so many other ways of incorporating peas into your diet. You can make soup with them or add them to risotto, pasta or stir fries.
Peas are locally grown in the UK. Frozen varieties are also very nutritious and mean you can have access to them year round. Since they are already shelled, they take no preparation. When cooking, it’s best to steam rather than boil them. This helps to retain all those nutrients. In particular, the water-soluble vitamin C and B vitamins, which can leach out of the peas into the water.
