15 VALUABLE BENEFITS OF PEAS FOR YOUR HEALTH - NUTRITION - 2024

The benefits of peas are closely related to their nutritional and energy intake and thanks to them a healthy and balanced diet can be achieved.

The pea (pisumsativum) is a herbaceous plant, which belongs to the legume family. It is typical of the Mediterranean basin, but is currently widespread and harvested throughout the world.

This food, in addition to being rich in minerals, vitamins and proteins, is also a good antioxidant, protects heart health, helps control weight and prevents stomach cancer.

This plant reproduces in the northern hemisphere of the planet, both in America and Europe. And in the winter months, but it also adapts to dry areas and other times of the year.

In addition, said vegetable food can be consumed raw or cooked accompanied by salads, soups or eaten as a main dish, prepared with oils, sauces or other dressings.

Like other legumes that have health benefits, such as chickpea and beans, chickpea also has multiple properties that I invite you to read below.

The main benefits of peas

One of the components present in pea is niacin, or also known as vitamin B, which is soluble in water.

Well, this element contributes to reducing the production of triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) and instead reinforces the appearance of good cholesterol.

2- Prevents the appearance of stomach cancer

Peas contain high amounts of a polyphenol, a health-protecting chemical called coumestrol.

In this regard, a study carried out in Mexico determined that a healthy person only needs 2 milligrams per day of this nutrient to prevent stomach cancer. A cup of peas has at least 10 milligrams so there is no doubt that this food is a powerful opponent to this disease.

3- Avoid constipation

If a person has a slow metabolism and, therefore, goes to the bathroom a few times during the day, or does not do so for several days, as they cannot evacuate properly due to constipation, peas can bury it if they are consumed regularly.

This has been shown since they have a high amount of fiber, which is a contribution to our stomach by regulating digestion, contributing to the mobility of the intestines (peristaltic movement), which makes them work faster. In this list you can know other good foods for constipation.

4- Protects bone health

For those who suffer from bone pain or have weakness in them, given wear and tear due to age, lack of calcium or fractures, peas can help them given their components.

According to Real Food For Life, only one cup of this food contains 44% vitamin K which helps to anchor calcium within the bones. On the other hand, they are rich in B vitamins, which also helps prevent osteoporosis.

5- Prevents heart disease

The heart also benefits when it comes to the use of peas in meals.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, present in this food, protect the healthy blood vessels of the body.

Plaque formation in blood vessels begins with chronic stress, excess oxidant, and inflammation. Given this, the abundant amounts of vitamin B1 and folic acid, B2, B3, B6 in peas, reduce the levels of homocysteine ​​(an influential amino acid in cardiovascular diseases) which affect the prevention of heart disease.

6- Control our weight

If there is interest in losing weight, consuming peas is an effective way to achieve that goal.

Peas have low calorie fat. Therefore, it is convenient to include it in vegetarian diets, as well as for non-vegans, because it contributes to the control of body weight.

These green vegetables are relatively low in calories compared to cowpeas, beans or chickpeas, which have more calories and fat inside.

7- Strengthen defenses

The body's immune system also benefits from the consumption of peas.

The high levels of antioxidants in this food prevent various reactions in the body, which could cause serious diseases such as cancer.

Well, peas are a rich source of many minerals, such as iron, calcium, zinc, copper, manganese, etc., which improve the body's defenses against bacteria and viruses, which threaten it daily.

8- Fight old age

We cannot prevent aging, but we can do something to reach old age with a good quality of life. This is achieved, among other factors, with a good diet.

Peas, in this sense, help to combat skin aging. The antioxidants that it has such as flavonoids, catechin, epicatechin, carotenoids, alpha carotene etc.

They are also useful in the prevention and delay of this process, which tends to provide a natural glow to the skin, if consumed regularly, at least three times a week, raises a specialized site.

9- Prevents Alzheimer's

Containing vitamin K, peas play an important role in preventing serious diseases like Alzheimer's.

Patients with memory problems and who present symptoms of this disease, by regularly consuming this vegetable, are limiting the neuronal damage that mental pathology causes in the brain, which improves the cognitive performance of these people.

10- Protect your sight

Peas also have an adequate amount of antioxidant flavonoids such as lutein, carotenes, zea-xanthin as well as vitamin A.

Specifically, vitamin A is one of the essential nutrients that are necessary to maintain the health of the mucous membranes, the skin and the health of our eyes, which is why it improves our sight and provides better vision, in the same way as the carrot.

11- Regulates blood sugar

For experts, few foods provide substantial amounts of protein or fiber (around 8-10 grams per cup), like green peas, these proteins also help our muscles.

These nutrients directly regulate the rate of how we digest food. This occurs because they help regulate the breakdown of starches into sugars and the general passage of carbohydrates through the digestive tract.

Research suggests that green peas and other legumes can help lower fasting blood glucose as well as insulin levels.

Our long-term control of blood sugar (as measured by laboratory tests for glucosylated hemoblobin and fructosamine) is also improved by the intake of green peas.

Also, when combined with a high fiber diet, these benefits are increased. Optimal results are also increased when green peas are consumed as part of a low glycemic index diet.

12- Protect the environment

If a food protects the environment, by extension, it also takes care of our health. In this framework, peas 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, says Care2 site.

Also, after being harvested, the remaining plant is easily broken down to create more organic fertilizer for the soil.

This vegetable is also capable of growing in minimal humidity, making them a perfect crop in many dry areas, since it does not need irrigation or major water supplies.

13- It is a natural anti-inflammatory

Another benefit of peas is that they are a natural anti-inflammatory, given the nutritional structure present in them.

They contain nutrients such as vitamin B6, vitamin C and folic acid, according to study, components that can effectively fight inflammation and free radical damage. These are evil atoms that rob the skin of its natural reserves of collagen and proteins; nutrients that keep skin firm, toned and bouncy.

14- Prevents hair loss

With age, hair falls out or turns gray. Well, due to the vitamins present in this food, it can prevent hair loss and keep it for more years.

Vitamin C is involved in the formation of collagen, a protein molecule that is required by hair follicles for optimal growth. Even small deficiencies in this vitamin can lead to dry, brittle, and easily breakable hair.

Therefore, consuming peas helps to strengthen and prevent hair from disappearing.

15- It serves to treat chilblains disease

Eating peas is an efficient way to treat chilblains, which are reddish swelling and inflammation of the fingers and toes, due to low temperatures in winter, or a state of hypothermia.

For this purpose, it is suggested to boil the green peas in water. Strain the peas, mix with sesame oil and water and then place your fingers in this combination for some time. Later, wash with water. This will significantly decrease swelling, inflammation, and discomfort.

Nutritional value of peas (per 100 g)

• Energy: 81 kcal 330 kj
• Carbohydrates: 14. 45 g
• Sugars: 5.67 g
• Dietary fiber: 5.1 g
• Fat: 0.4 g
• Proteins: 5.42 g
• Retinol (vit. A): 35 μg (4%)
• β-carotene: 449 μg (4%)
• Thiamine (vit. B1): 0.266 mg (20%)
• Riboflavin (vit. B2): 0.132 mg (9%)
• Niacin (vit. B3): 2.09 mg (14%)
• Vitamin B6: 0.169 mg (13%)
• Vitamin C: 40 mg (67%)
• Vitamin E: 0.13 mg (1%)
• Vitamin K: 24.8 μg (24%)
• Calcium: 25 mg (3%)
• Iron: 1.47 mg (12%)
• Magnesium: 33 mg (9%)
• Manganese: 0.41 mg (21%)
• Phosphorus: 108 mg (15%)
• Potassium: 244 mg (5%)
• Sodium: 5 mg (0%)
• Zinc: 1.24 mg (12%)
• Thiamine: 0.266 mg (20%)

Contraindications

1. Fresh or cooked peas are contraindicated in acute nephritis and gout.
2. Also peas are contraindicated during the exacerbation of inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines, circulatory failure, and thrombophlebitis and cholecystitis.
3. People in the elderly should not consume this food often.
4. Consuming excess peas can lead to uric acid buildup in the body, which can cause gout (which is a buildup of uric acid with severe pain).
5. You should consult your doctor before including peas in your food, as it can have adverse effects on your body if you have a history of being allergic to their consumption.

Facts about peas

1. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of peas in the world.
2. Green peas are available in fresh, canned, and canned frozen.
3. Research says green peas have been around for almost a thousand years.
4. No matter the season, this vegetable is available throughout the year.
5. Some historians believe, that peas are the first crop of food grown by humans.
6. A 100-calorie serving of peas (three-quarters of a cup) contains more protein than a whole egg.

Tips for cooking

1. They can be eaten raw or cooked, according to personal taste.
2. Before removing the peas from the pod, they should be briefly rinsed under running water.
3. The pods must be opened carefully to remove the seeds that do not need to be washed.
4. They are readily available, even in frozen forms, which makes the work of peeling and storage skipped.
5. There are several ways that peas can be eaten: boiled with salt, pasta salad, roasted peas with salad, pea soup, and fish peas are some of the most famous and healthy recipes.

References

1. «Pea proteins: oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. whey protein »(2015). Nicolas Babault, Christos Païzis, Gaëlle Deley, Laetitia-Guérin Deremaux, Marie-HélèneSaniez, Catalina Lefranc-Millot, and François A. Allaert. National Institute for Health and Medical Research, (INSERM), Unit 1093, Cognition, Action, and Sensorimotor Plasticity, Dijon, France. Performance Expertise Center, UFR STAPS, Dijon, France.
2. "Studies of varieties and strains of peas" (1947). PH. Heinze, Frances R. Hayden, and BL.Wade. Regional Vegetal Breeding Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
3. Study: "Genetic studies in the diversity of pea (Pisumsativum L.), using single sequence repeat markers" (2013). Kumari P., N. basal, Singh AK., Rai VP., Srivastava CP., Singh PK. Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Hindu University of Benares, Varanasi, India.
4. "Studies on the control of Ascochyta blight on peas (Pisumsativum L.) caused by Ascochytapinodes in Zhejiang province, China" (2016). Liu N., Xu S., Yao X., Zhang G., Mao W., Hu Q., Feng Z., Gong Y. Vegetable Institute, Zhejiang, Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China.