Food in season: Peas

The pea is a type of legume which has been grown by man since the Bronze Age. Historically, legumes have been associated with cultures within which people regularly attained great ages (such as the Japanese, with a soya and tofu-rich diet), and a recent study conducted under the auspices of the World Health Organisation found that eating legumes such as peas was the most important dietary predictor of survival in old age, with a 7-8% reduction in mortality hazard ratio for every 20g increase in daily legume intake.

Peas have earned their spurs as a staple food through their excellent mix of vitamins, minerals and protein. Just 100g provides 5.42g of protein (that’s up to 15% of a woman’s recommended daily intake for protein, and 12% of a man’s); weight-for-weight, full-fat milk provides 3.22g and a hard-boiled egg just over twice that, so it’s a pretty generous serving.

 

They are a terrific source of vitamin C, providing 100% of your recommended daily intake in 100g (40 mg). A high dietary intake of vitamin C can reduce the risk of cancer, with this antioxidant vitamin protecting DNA from damage induced by free radicals and preventing the oxidation of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol which would eventually lead to blocked arteries and cardiovascular disease. It also enhances your immune system and ensures healthy teeth, bones and skin.

 

Peas are also extremely rich in B vitamins – including thiamine (B1) (27/33% of a man/woman’s recommended daily intake per 100g), niacin (B3) (12/16%), B6 (12/14%) and riboflavin (B2) (10/12%) – all of which are essential for metabolising food and therefore boosting our energy levels. They meet a good proportion of your daily requirements for iron, too, with 1.47 mg/100g being 17% of a man’s and 10% of a woman’s recommended daily amount. Iron is essential for red blood cell formation, and a deficiency leaves you fatigued and anaemic.

 

In addition, 100g of peas provides 32.5% of the recommended daily amount for folate, which not only prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida in the developing foetus but also interacts with riboflavin to reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid which is linked to higher risks of coronary heart disease and strokes. And there’s more hearty news: research suggests that diets high in fibre can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, and peas provide 5.1g of protein for every 100g eaten.

 

Eating peas could be a great way to protect your bones, too. Researchers in the Netherlands and the US have recently found that a high dietary intake of folic acid reduces the risk of osteoporosis-related bone fractures, again by lowering those homocysteine levels, while peas also offer lots of bone-protective vitamin K (24.8mcg), phosphorus (108mg/100g; 20% of RDA), copper (0.176mg/100g; 15% of RDA), potassium (244mg/100g; 7% of RDA) and manganese (0.41mg/100g; up to 41% of daily needs.).

 

These little green powerhouses are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids which are essential for eye health, protecting against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (the most common cause of sight loss in older age). And they might even improve your sex life – they are bursting with zinc, a mineral essential for healthy reproductive cycle in woman and testosterone production in men. If you’re short on zinc, the consequences could be poor libido, erectile dysfunction and even infertility. Just 100g of peas will satisfy up to 31% of a woman’s and 23% of a man’s daily zinc needs.

 

 

Packets of fresh shelled baby peas are available if you are busy or if these are not in store then use frozen. This recipe is taken from my cookbook ‘Healthy eating for the menopause’.

Serves 4

Preparation: about 15 minutes, plus chilling if serving cold

 

700g/1.5 lb shelled garden peas (about 2kg/4.5lb in the pod)

4 spring onions, quartered

2 celery heart stalks, roughly chopped

1.1    litres/2 pints boiling water or vegetable stock

1-2 tablespoons arrowroot, optional

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Dash of no-sugar Worcestershire sauce

100g/3.5oz thick plain organic yogurt or oat cream

1.5 tablespoons mixed seaweed flakes

Small bunch of chives or mint

 

 

Put the peas, spring onions and celery in a food processor or blender and blitz to a puree.  Pour and spoon out into a large bowl or pan and mix in the water or stock.  Depending on the texture of the peas and your taste, you may want to thicken the mixture with some arrowroot.  Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

 

If serving cold, chill for as long as you can before serving.  To serve, swirl some yogurt or oat cream into each bowl and scatter with some seaweed and snipped chives or chopped mint.

 

If serving warm, add the yoghurt or oat cream and heat through gently, stirring.  Again, scatter over the seaweed and snipped chives or chopped mint just before serving.