Peas are in the group of foods known as legumes. Legumes are plants that produce pods with seeds, or beans, inside. Other foods in the legume family include lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, and all types of beans. There are three edible varieties of peas and they are: garden or green peas, snow peas and snap peas.
The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower. The name is also used to describe other edible seeds from the Fabaceae such as the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and the seeds from several species of Lathyrus. Garden or green peas grow inside green, rounded pods. The peas inside are sweet and starchy. Snow peas and snap peas grow inside edible pods, and their taste is slightly sweeter than garden peas.
Peas are part of the plant family, Fabaceae, also known as the bean family or pulse family. Although their beginnings may trace back to Asia and the Middle East, peas are grown worldwide today.
Below are some health benefits of peas:
- GOOD SOURCE OF PLANT BASED PROTEIN.
Being rich in fibre and one of the best plant-based proteins makes peas a satisfying component of a meal. They are also a useful vegan source of iron, which is needed for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen around the body.
- REDUCES BAD CHOLESTROL.
The niacin in them helps reduce, the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which results in less bad cholesterol, increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lower triglycerides. Study results indicate that a diet rich in legumes decreases total and LDL cholesterol.
- HEALTHY BONES.
Just one cup of green peas contains 44% of your Vitamin K which helps to anchor calcium inside the bones. Its B vitamins also help to prevent osteoporosis.
- IT PREVENTS CONSTIPATION.
The high fiber content in peas improves bowel health and peristalsis. The addition of pea hull fiber to the diet increased stool frequency in elderly residents in one study.
REFFERENCES:
- QUOTED BY MICHEL PITRAT AND CLAUDE FOUR.
- BBC GOOD FOOD.
ARTICLE BY OBODAI RHODA.