All In All Health TIP: Seasonal Food - Fresh Green Peas - Peas are one of the few members of the legume family that are commonly sold and cooked as fresh vegetables. Other members of the legume family, including lentils, chickpeas, and beans of all colors are most often sold in dried form. Peas are thought to have originated in central Asia and the Middle East. Because its cultivation dates back thousands and thousands of years, the green pea is widely recognized as one of the first food crops to be cultivated by humans. Whats new and beneficial about green peas? Green peas have been largely overlooked in research studies on legumes, which have tended to concentrate only on beans. A good source of vitamins K and C, manganese and fiber, fresh green peas stand out as an environmentally friendly food. Peas belong to a category of crops called nitrogen fixing crops. Peas and other pulse crops are able to take nitrogen gas from the air and convert it into more complex and usable forms. This process increases nitrogen available in the soil without the need for added fertilizer. Also rotation of peas with other crops has been shown to lower the risk of pest problems. These environmentally friendly aspects of pea production add to their desirability as a regular part of our diet. Green peas are an extremely low-fat food and recent research has shown that green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This very small but high-quality fat content of green peas helps provide us with important fat-soluble nutrients, including sizable amounts of beta-carotene and small but valuable amounts of vitamin E. Additional health benefits: antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory, support for blood sugar regulation, heart health promotion, protection against stomach cancer. Select and store: only about 5% of the peas grown are sold fresh; the rest are either frozen or canned. Overall, its recommended the selection of frozen peas over canned peas and consider fresh peas whenever possible. Frozen peas are better able to retain their color, texture, and flavor than canned peas. Both canned and frozen peas may contain relatively high levels of sodium. Unless labeled as low sodium or reduced sodium or containing 50% less sodium or something similar, you can expect to find 650-800 milligrams of sodium in one cup of canned green peas! Tips for preparing: before you remove the peas from the pod, rinse them briefly under running water. To easily shell them, snap off the top and bottom of the pod and then gently pull off the thread that lines the seam of most peapods. For those that do not have threads, carefully cut through the seam, making sure not to cut into the peas. Gently open the pods to remove the seeds, which do not need to be washed since they have been encased in the pod. There are three popular pea types: green or garden peas, which have inedible pods; the flatter snow pea, popular in Asian cooking; and snap peas, a cross between the green pea and the snow pea. Both snap and snow peas can be eaten raw and have edible pods, although the cooking process will cause them to become sweete. Snow and garden peas are available in early spring, and look for snap peas later in the season. A Few Quick Serving Ideas: - Add fresh peas to green salads. - Healthy Sauté snap peas with shiitake mushrooms. - Mix green peas with chicken, diced onions and almonds to make a delicious and colorful chicken salad. - Fresh pea pods are a great food to pack in a lunch box. Have a Happy and Healthy Day!
Posted on: Fri, 02 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000