How Peas Help Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Nutrient Content
Vitamins
Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Vitamin C – 97%
- Vitamin K – 45%
- Thiamin – 26%
- Folate – 24%
- Vitamin A – 22%
Good Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Niacin – 15%
- Vitamin B6 – 12%
- Riboflavin – 11%
Minerals
Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Manganese – 30%
Good Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Phosphorus – 16%
- Copper – 13%
- Iron – 12%
- Zinc – 12%
- Magnesium – 12%
A Source of:
- Calcium – 4%
- Selenium – 4%
Other
Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Fiber – 30%
Good Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Protein – 16%
Also a Source of:
- Antioxidants – Saponins
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids
*All nutritional information found at (1)
How Peas Prevent Chronic Disease
Peas are loaded in nutrients that can help prevent a number of chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more!
How Peas Prevent Cancer
- In the past, peas have been shown to reduce your risk of cancer. This is primarily due to peas’ antioxidant content and their ability to reduce the amount of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in your body.
- Generally, cancer development is driven by oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Free radicals are the result of oxidative stress in our bodies, and they attack our tissues and help the cancer cells proliferate to different areas of the body. (2)
- Peas, however, are loaded in antioxidants that neutralize these free radicals, and protect our cells. First off, peas are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is responsible for maintaining a healthy immune system and has been shown to reduce your risk for a number of cancers, including throat, liver, thyroid, and lung cancers. (3, 4, 5, 6)
- In addition, peas contain plant compounds called saponins. Saponins are antioxidants that have been able to prevent several types of cancer by inhibiting tumor growth and promoting apoptotic activity within these cells.
Moreover, peas are rich in vitamin K content. Vitamin K has been shown to reduce your risk of prostate cancer. (11)
How Peas Prevent Diabetes
- Peas are great for preventing diabetes. First of all, they have a low glycemic index, which means that they do not fluctuate your blood sugar levels drastically.
- Studies have shown that diets rich in low-glycemic index foods can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes.
Peas are also rich in fiber content. Fiber has been shown to keep you fuller for a more extended period of time and prohibit you from overconsuming during meals. Thus, there are fewer carbs that go into your body, and this can reduce your risk for these blood sugar increases. As a result, you lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. (12)
Peas are one of the most abundant vegetables in protein. It has been shown that protein can help stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of diabetes. (13) Protein takes long to breakdown compared to carbs, so they keep you fuller for long, further helping to prevent overeating.
In addition, peas provide a substantial amount of magnesium and Vitamin B6. These have both been shown to reduce your risk of diabetes! (14, 15)
How Peas Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
- Peas have many minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium that have been shown to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
- Specifically, potassium has been shown to lower your blood pressure. In fact, one study showed that potassium could decrease your systolic levels by 5.9 mmHg and diastolic levels by 3.4 mmHg. (16)
- Also, the fiber content found in peas has been shown to prevent cardiovascular disease. Specifically, the soluble fiber helps lower the total amount of bad LDL cholesterol, which is one of the driving forces for heart attacks and strokes. When LDL cholesterol is in excess form, it will clump together to form a plaque that can block off blood flow to a blood vessel. Eventually, this can lead to atherosclerosis and stokes. (17)
Peas Promote a Number of Health Benefits
How Peas Promote Bone Health
Peas promote bone health through their protein levels. Protein has been found to improve muscle strength and make your bones stronger and denser. As a result, your risk for bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis decrease. (18)
In addition, peas are rich in vitamin K. Similar to protein’s effects, vitamin K has been shown to benefit your bone health. (19)
How Peas Promote Digestion
As mentioned above, peas are rich in fiber. Fiber has been shown to help keep you fuller for a more extended period of time. Specifically, fiber can be split into two components, soluble and insoluble fiber. Both of these types of fiber work together to allow food to pass through your gut properly, feed your healthy gut bacteria, and maintain regular bowel movements. (20)
How Peas Promote Vision
Peas are rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A, along with its precursor, beta-carotene, has been shown to improve eye health. Vitamin A protects your eyes from UV light damage. (21)
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