Starches and grains
Green peas
Nutrition facts
Serving: 1 cup (145 g)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 117 kcal | |
| Protein | 7.8 g | |
| Carbs | 20.9 g | |
| Fibre | 8.3 g | 30 % |
| Sugars | 8.3 g | 8 % |
| Fat | 0.6 g | 1 % |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g | 1 % |
| Sodium | 7 mg | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 58 mg | 64 % |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0 mg | 33 % |
| Vitamin K | 36 µg | 30 % |
| Copper | 0 mg | 29 % |
Values per serving, calculated from the USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
What the label does not say
- Green peas are a legume eaten fresh: one cup brings nearly 8 g of protein, a little more than a large egg, and 30% of the daily value for fibre, which no other green vegetable matches to that degree.
- Like sweet corn, their sugars turn into starch after picking; frozen peas, blanched a few hours after harvest, often keep more vitamin C than fresh peas that travelled several days (Rickman, Barrett and Bruhn, 2007).
Preparation
Blanched for one or two minutes or steamed, they keep more vitamin C and folate than in prolonged boiling, where both nutrients go into the water.
To mention to a professional
- One cup covers 30% of the daily value for vitamin K; if you take warfarin, what matters is keeping your intake steady from week to week, to discuss with your professional.
- Like other legumes, they contain fermentable oligosaccharides (GOS) that can cause gas; on a supervised low-FODMAP diet, the tolerated serving is small.
Sources
- Peas, green, raw
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy
- Rickman, Barrett and Bruhn, 2007 (fresh, frozen, canned)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin K fact sheet
- Monash University, FODMAP database
Educational information: it does not replace the advice of a health professional, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or are breastfeeding.