21 Benefits of Dried Peas
Did you know that dried peas are loaded with antioxidants and fiber? They also contain vitamins A, B6, C, E, K, and iron. In fact, they even help lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure.
Dried peas are great for weight loss because they fill you up without adding calories. Plus, they’re packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients that will help you lose weight while keeping you full.
This article covers major health benefits of dried peas:
Health Benefits of Dried Peas
Dried peas provide the following health benefits.
1. Weight Loss
Dried peas are a great source of fiber, protein, and iron. They’re also loaded with antioxidants, making them a healthy snack option.
They’re also a great weight-loss food because they fill you up quickly and contain no fat or cholesterol. Plus, dried peas are inexpensive and easy to store.
And did you know that dried peas are actually better than fresh peas when it comes to weight loss? Fresh peas are full of water, which makes them heavy and hard to digest. But dried peas are already cooked and ready to eat, so they’re more easily digested and absorbed by the body.
Plus, dried peas are cheaper than fresh ones. So, if you’re looking for a cheap way to lose weight, dried peas are a great option.
2. Lower Cholesterol Levels
Dried peas are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re also loaded with folate, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B6.
They’re also a healthy snack option because they contain no fat or cholesterol. Plus, dried peas are inexpensive, easy to store, and travel well.
If you’ve never tried them, now’s the perfect time to give them a try. Try adding them to salads, soups, stews, casseroles, and stir-fries. Or eat them plain as a snack.
3. Reduce Blood Pressure
Dried peas are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re also packed with potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, vitamin B6, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium.
They’re also a great way to reduce blood pressure. Research shows that eating dried peas reduces systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 2 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 1 mmHg.
How does this happen? The fiber in dried peas helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides, two things associated with high blood pressure. Fiber also increases the amount of water in the body, helping to keep blood vessels healthy.
Another benefit of dried peas is that they contain no sodium, making them a healthier alternative to canned beans.
4. Prevent Cancer
Dried peas are loaded with fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They’re also a great source of folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamin B6.
They also contain lignans, plant compounds that may help prevent cancer. Lignans are found in flaxseed, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, oats, barley, rye, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables.
Research shows that women who eat at least two servings of dried peas each week reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by 30%.
And men who eat three or more servings of dried peas per week reduce their risk of prostate cancer by 50%!
5. Boost Your Immune System
Dried peas are rich in nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, and folic acid. They’re also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega 3s have been shown to boost your immune system. In fact, one study showed that people who ate fish twice weekly had a 40% lower rate of infection compared to those who didn’t eat fish.
Omega 3s can also help protect against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, depression, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, macular degeneration, and other health conditions.
So, next time you want to add some variety to your diet, try dried peas. You’ll be happy you did.
6. Improve Digestion
Dried peas are an excellent source of fiber, protein, and vitamins A, C, and K. They’re also a low-calorie food that contains no fat or cholesterol.
Plus, they’re a great digestive aid. One cup of cooked dried peas has about 6 grams of dietary fiber, which is equivalent to four cups of fresh peas. This makes dried peas a better choice than most other legumes because they don’t require soaking before cooking.
7. Treat High Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol levels, you should consider switching from regular peas to dried peas. Regular peas are a good source of fiber, but they contain too much starch for people with high cholesterol.
In fact, research suggests that eating just one serving of dried peas daily can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by up to 10 percent. That means it could cut your chances of having a heart attack by nearly half.
8. Strengthen Bones & Joints
Peas are packed with nutrients that support bone health. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which help strengthen bones and joints.
Both types of fiber work together to promote digestion and nutrient absorption. Insoluble fibers bind with toxins and waste products so they can pass through the intestines without being absorbed into the bloodstream. Soluble fibers absorb water and create a gel-like matrix around bacteria in the gut that helps keep harmful microbes out of the body.
9. Protect Against Heart Disease
One cup of cooked dried peas contains only 5 calories, yet it provides 16 grams of fiber. Fiber helps reduce blood pressure and prevents constipation, which can lead to colon cancer. It also lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol and increases good (HDL) cholesterol.
10. Help With Diarrhea
Dried peas are a great way to help prevent diarrhea. They’re inexpensive, easy to find, and most importantly, they work!
Peas contain fiber, which helps keep things moving through your digestive system. Fiber also helps reduce gas and bloating, two common symptoms of diarrhea.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to treat diarrhea, dried peas are a great option.
11. Treat High Blood Sugar
Dried peas are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re also a healthy snack option for diabetics.
Peas are a great food for diabetics because they contain no carbohydrates and very little fat. They’re also a good source of dietary fiber, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
They’re also rich in vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. These nutrients help keep your body healthy and prevent disease.
12. Fight Inflammation
Dried peas are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. They’re also a rich source of glutathione, an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation.
Inflammation is a natural response to injury or infection. However, chronic inflammation is linked to many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
If you suffer from any of these conditions, dried peas may be just what you need to help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.
13. Promotes Weight Loss
Dried peas are packed full of fiber, protein, antioxidants, and vitamins. All of this adds up to a superfood that will help you lose weight.
One cup of cooked dried peas provides 7 grams of fiber, which is more than the 5 grams found in 1/2 cup of raw green peas. The extra 2 grams of fiber per serving make dried peas a better choice over raw peas.
14. Prevent Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are small pieces of calcium that form inside the kidneys. If left untreated, kidney stones can cause severe pain and even lead to death.
Regular consumption of dried peas can help prevent kidney stones. Studies show that dried peas contain citrates, which help dissolve calcium deposits. This prevents them from forming into kidney stones.
15. Cure Constipation
Constipation is one of the most common problems people experience on a daily basis. If you have trouble getting things moving in your bowels, dried peas might be just what you need.
Dried peas are high in insoluble fiber, which is important for keeping things moving along. Insoluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel-like substance, which helps move stool through your intestines.
16. Treat Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria that enter the urinary system. UTIs can range from mild to very serious. Left untreated, they can spread throughout the body and cause permanent damage.
Studies show that dried peas can help treat UTIs because of their antibacterial properties. One study showed that adding dried peas to yogurt helped fight off E. coli bacteria that cause UTIs.
17. Increase Energy Levels
Dried peas are an excellent source of energy. They provide carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, and zinc. These nutrients all contribute to increased energy levels.
Protein is especially helpful when trying to gain or maintain lean muscle mass. Proteins are used as building blocks for muscle tissue. Magnesium and zinc are both involved in nerve transmission, which means they play a role in mood regulation. Vitamin B6 is essential for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Iron is needed for blood production and oxygen transport.
18. Promote Healthy Skin
Dried peas are packed full of antioxidants, which make them beneficial for promoting healthy skin. Antioxidants neutralize harmful free radicals, which cause premature aging and wrinkles.
Antioxidant-rich foods like dried peas help keep your skin looking young and vibrant. Free radicals cause damage to DNA, which leads to wrinkling and age spots. Antioxidants counteract these effects and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
19. Improve Memory
A recent study found that eating dried peas could improve memory. The study looked at how well participants performed cognitive tests after consuming different amounts of dried peas.
The results were clear: those who ate more than 1/2 cup of dried peas per day had better scores on memory tests. This suggests that dried peas may improve short-term memory.
This isn’t surprising given that dried peas contain L-lysine, an amino acid that’s critical for brain development and maintenance. L-lysine is also thought to be responsible for improving mental clarity and focus.
20. Build Muscle Mass
One of the best ways to increase muscle mass is with resistance training. Studies suggest that dried peas can enhance strength gains during weight-lifting workouts.
Dried peas contain protein, which makes it easy for muscles to grow. Protein helps build new muscle tissue and repair existing muscle fibers. It also helps prevent muscle loss due to lack of exercise.
21. Improve Mood
Dried peas have been shown to boost mood. A study published in 2005 found that people who consumed dried peas felt happier than those who didn’t eat them.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a snack that will give you some extra nutrition without much effort, dried peas are a great choice. They’re high in fiber, low in fat, and rich in vitamins and minerals.
They’re also delicious! Try sprinkling them over salads, soups, and other dishes. You can even add them to smoothies and oatmeal.
