Pea Benefits, Uses and possible Side Effects
Overview
Pea is a health-beneficial vegetable that is included in most of the food items. This vegetable is loaded with various vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. These vegetables help in keeping various physical problems or diseases away.
This ‘Fabaceae’ plant is a monthly annual herb of the family. It is produced for its seed and seed pod. This plant is shrub-like and crawls as it grows. Its stem is thin and attached to the substrate through tendrils. Each leaf of the plant has 1-3 pairs of oval shaped leaves which can be 1-6 cm in length. Plants produce pods of the swollen or compressed green seeds that can be upturned or bent. The pods that are in the beans can be 4-15 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide. Each pod contains 2 to 10 seeds or beans. The plant of the beans survives only one growing season and can be 30-150 cm in height. Pea is also known as ‘Garden Pea’, ‘English Pea’ or ‘Green Pea’ and probably originated from the southwest Asian region.
Benefits and Uses of Pea
Peas are cold season crops and are grown in early spring or late summer to avoid high summer temperatures. Peas grow best in the temperature within 15-24°Celsius (60-75°Fahrenheit) and are tolerant of frost -6.5°Celsius (20°Fahrenheit) although they are generally less sensitive to spring frost. The pea plant will grow best in organically rich soil that has moisture between 5.5 and 7. Pea should be planted in well drained high lands as they do not tolerate too much moisture. Pea shows the best growth in full sunlight though it needs a partial shade. Seeds should be irrigated as soon as the soil is functional and its temperature is 4.4°C. or seed directly in the garden in the spring in late summer, 8-10 weeks before the first freezing date.
The following article will discuss the health benefits, uses and possible side effects of Pea.
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Different Regional Names of Pea
- Assamese : Motor
- Hindi : Muttar
- Marathi : Matar
- kannada : Batani
- Telugu : Bhatni
- Tamil : Pattani
- Bengali : Bara Matar
- Malayalam : Pachai Pattani
- Odia : Matara
- Punjabi : Matar
Commercial hybrid types of Green Pea in India are: – Early Bejar, Arket, Jawahar, Bonevilla etc.
Scientific Classification of Pea
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Tracheophytes
- Clade : Angiosperms
- Clade : Eudicots
- Clade : Rosids
- Order : Fabales
- Family : Fabaceae
- Genus : Pisum
- Species : P. sativum
- Scientific name: Pisum Sativum
Nutritious Substances of Pea
Nutritional value in every 100gms of Pea is mentioned below:
- Energy : 339 calorie
- Carbohydrate : 14.45 gm
- Sugar : 5.67 gm
- Fiber : 5.1 gm
- Fat : 0.4 gm
- Protein : 5.42 gm
- Vitamins
- Vitamin A : 38 microgram
- Beta-Keratin : 449 microgram
- Lutein Zeaxanthin : 2477 microgram
- Thiamine (B1) : 0.266 mg
- Riboflavin : 0.132 mg
- Niacin (B3) : 2.09 mg
- Vitamin (B6) : 0.196 mg
- Folate : 65 microgram
- Vitamin C : 40 mg
- Vitamin E : 0.13 mg
- Vitamin K : 24.8 microgram
- Minerals
- Calcium : 25 mg
- Iron : 1.47 mg
- Magnesium : 33 mg
- Manganese : 0.41 mg
- Phosphorus : 108 mg
- Potassium : 244 mg
- Sodium : 5 mg
- Zinc : 1.28 mg
Benefits of Pea
The health benefits of Pea are as follows: –
- Aids Digestion:
Pea can do amazing things for your digestive process. The high fiber content present here helps in maintaining good digestive health. Fiber helps to regulate the process of body waste extraction which keeps the bowel easy and stable.
- Good source of Iron:
Pea is a good source of iron. Iron deficiency is seen as the main cause of anemia in the body. If you suffer from iron deficiency your body is facing difficulties in producing blood cells carrying enough healthy oxygen which can be hemoglobin deficiency. Iron fights depression and gives strength to the body.
- Good for Eyes:
The beans are filled with carotenoid pigment lutein. Lutein is known to be helpful in reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration or vision loss at an older age. It is said that the veggie is also effective in increasing vision.
- Boosts Immunity:
The beans are rich in vitamin C, which makes it one of the best immune system booster foods. Pea, especially the beans, contain an antioxidant called Phytoalexin that can inhibit H.Pylori which is a bacteria that causes stomach and duodenal ulcers and stomach cancer.
Read Also: Immune System of Human Body
- Good for Heart:
The amount of insoluble fiber in pea helps in reducing the risk of heart disease. In addition, the veggie helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels in the body.
- Good for skin:
The health benefits of pea are also seen in the skin. It is a good source of vitamin C, which plays an important role in the production of Collagen. Collagen helps to make the skin fine and glowing. Vitamin C also protects skin cells from free radicals. Antioxidants in pea help fight the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidants are – Flavonoid, Catechin, Epicatechin, Carotenoid and Alpha Carotene etc. help prevent signs of ageing.
- Aids in weight loss:
The Pea is rich in fiber and has very low fat and calorie content. Fiber helps in weight loss. So, if you are trying to lose weight you can add peas to your daily diet.
- Improves Sperm Quality:
Pea can help increase sperm count and mobility. Pea contains an ingredient called ‘glycodelin’ which can help improve sperm quality and improve the ability to fertilize an egg.
- Good for bones:
Pea is rich in vitamin k which helps in bone metabolism. Vitamin k helps in treating bone injuries. Vitamin k can prevent Osteoporosis as it prevents bone density from decreasing. Pea also contains phosphorus which plays an important role in bone formation.
- Good source of Protein:
Pea is a good source of protein for vegetarians.
- Good for Diabetics:
Foods that contain plenty of fiber have a Hypoglycemic effect which helps in controlling diabetes. Pea is rich in fiber content. So it is good for diabetics to add Peas to their daily diet.
- Resistor to Cancer:
Pea is rich in polyphenol which greatly reduces the risk of cancer.
- Antioxidant Property:
Green Peas contain a variety of phyto-chemicals that carry a lot of vitamin C. Therefore, consumption of Pea can provide antioxidant properties in the body.
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Uses of Pea
Pea is mainly used for consumption purposes. It can be added in salads, curry or you can make dips of it. In addition, Peas are used in a variety of regional foods. People also use the veggie to make pickles.
Harmful Side Effects of Pea
Although Pea has many health benefits, excessive consumption can lead to some awful results in the body. Some of them are as follows:
- Excessive consumption of Pea can lead to uric acid in the body, leading to gout.
- If you take Pea in excess you may gain weight instead of losing.
- Pea contains several ingredients other than protein. Peas are mainly made up of carbohydrates, and it is a matter of concern for many people, especially due to the well-known potential for complex carbs such as low carb diet and monthly sugars and causes excessive gas conditions in the alimentary canal.
- Pea protein powder can lead to irritable bowel syndrome or constipation or diarrhea.
Conclusion
The above article informs you about the health benefits of Pea and other related details. Hope the information mentioned in this article benefits you in various ways. Thank you!
FAQ
1) What is a Pea plant called?
A- Pea (Pisum Sativum) is also known as garden Pea. It is the herbal annual plant of the ‘Fabaceae’ family; it is grown around the world for its seeds and pods.
2) Where is Pea produced?
A- Peas are a cold season vegetable, and develop best in regions having a cold season over two months. Spring planting occurs in northern regions, in hot southern areas the planting decreases.
3) How many varieties of Pea are found?
A. More than 40 species and numerous varieties of crops are cultivated all over the world.
4) Can I eat the Pea plant?
A- Of course we know that the Peas themselves are delicious, but many varieties such as snow Peas and sugar snap Peas, pods are also consumed. The often neglected and delicious part of the Pea plant is the sprouting part of it.
5) What can be added to the food instead of sprouted Peas?
A- If a Pea shoot or sprout is not available in your local market, you can add any soft, leafy green vegetables to your diet.