Green Peas

Also known asGarden Peas · English Peas · Pisum sativum · 青豆 · 豌豆

Name: Green peas, also called garden peas or English peas (Pisum sativum) — the small, round, sweet, green seeds of the pea plant, eaten shelled, and often bought frozen or canned.

Description

Peas are among the oldest cultivated crops, grown in the Middle East and Mediterranean for around 10,000 years. The monk Gregor Mendel used pea plants in the 1800s for his experiments that founded the science of genetics. Fresh peas were a luxury in the 17th century at the French court, and the invention of canning and then freezing in the 20th century made them an everyday food.

Peas are sweetest just after picking, because their sugar quickly turns to starch, which is why frozen peas, which are frozen within hours, are often better than “fresh” peas of uncertain age.

Main nutrition value

Green peas are a good source of plant protein, fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and thiamin, and are higher in protein than most vegetables.

How best to be consumed

Green peas cook in a few minutes, and are best not overcooked.

1. Cook frozen peas for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water, or in a pan with a little butter and mint.
2. Add to rice, pasta, risotto, curries, soups and stews at the end.
3. Puree into soup, or mash with mint and lemon for a spread, or blend with herbs for a pesto.
4. Eat fresh peas raw, straight from the pod, when young and sweet.
5. Keep frozen peas on hand, since they are nutritious and convenient.

Overconsumption could cause…

Green peas are safe and healthy in food amounts.

1. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates in beans and peas, particularly if you are not used to eating them.
2. Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes.
3. Higher carbohydrate and sugar than most green vegetables, which matters for people managing diabetes.
4. A choking risk for very young children from whole peas.

GroupsOther Starchy VegetablesPeasPods, Beans and PeasLegume familyLow fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in vitamin CRich in vitamin KFresh

Related foodsSnow PeasSugar Snap PeasBlack-Eyed PeasBroad Beans / Fava BeansEdamameLong Beans / Yardlong Beans

Wikipedia — Pea, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea