We have always heard that dietary approaches loaded with fruits and vegetables are “good” for us. However, when focusing on weight control, prioritizing protein intake is paramount to success. Vegetables are a good source as well but not all vegetables are “created equal” as this relates to weight control. There are a number of vegetables on our “Free” list (i.e. eat all of these that you want) such as lettuce and cucumbers. However there are some carbohydrate containing vegetables that need to be portioned-controlled.
Today we will look at peas. Here are the nutritional facts:
Nutrition facts
Green peas
118 Calories – 1 cup (145 g)
| Nutrient | Amount(g) | DV(%) |
| Total Fat | 0.6 g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 7 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 354 mg | 10% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 21 g | 7% |
| Protein | 8 g | 16% |
The health benefits of peas have been touted to include cancer prevention (stomach), heart health improvement (raises the “good” cholesterol called “HDL”) and improvement of the GI system (fiber). However, the studies supporting these claims are somewhat sketchy.
The bottom line: Peas can certainly be incorporated into your dietary strategy for long-term weight control but by no means should you intentionally eat lots of them.
And I could not end this entry without posting a bubblegum 1960’s song by Tommy Roe called “Oh, Sweet Pea”.
