Snow Peas
Snow peas are a favorite addition to Chinese food.
The French name for this tender legume is
mange-tout, meaning “eat it all.” The pods are flat, soft and translucent,
with tiny, almost unnoticeable sweet peas inside. Snow peas are also known as Chinese snow
peas.
Varieties
Snow peas, like all peas, are a type of legume. The
edible, flat pods contain five to seven seeds and can reach a length of two to three inches.
Snow peas are available year round, and are especially abundant and fresh in the spring and
summer.
Buying and storing tips
Snow peas can be found in the produce section of most health food stores, specialty
markets, and supermarkets. Look for brightly colored, crisp pods that have fresh-looking
leaflets and small seeds. Use as soon as possible, or store in a plastic bag, refrigerated for
up to three days.
Availability
Snow peas are available all year long, and are at their peak from May through October.
Nutritional Highlights
Snow peas (frozen, uncooked), 1/2 cup
Calories: 55
Protein: 3.7g
Carbohydrate: 9.8g
Total Fat: 0.26g
Fiber: 3.38g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (12.9mg), and Vitamin A (523 IU)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
Health benefits and concerns
Asthma
Vitamin C, present in fruits and
vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory. This anti-inflammatory activity may influence the development of asthma
symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience
significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.
Bruising
Many Americans eat insufficient amounts of foods containing vitamin C; the disease caused
by vitamin C deficiency, scurvy, causes easy bruising. While very few people actually have
scurvy, even minor deficiencies of vitamin C can increase the incidence of bruising. People
who experience easy bruising may want to try eating more fruits and vegetables—common
dietary sources of vitamin C.
Capillary
fragility
Eating plenty of flavonoid- and vitamin C-rich fruits
and vegetables helps to support the structure of capillaries.
Cataracts
Some, but not all, studies have reported that eating more foods rich in beta-carotene or vitamin A
was associated with a lower risk of cataracts. Synthetic beta-carotene supplementation has not
been found to reduce the risk of cataract formation. It remains unclear whether natural
beta-carotene from food or supplements would protect the eye or whether beta-carotene in food
is merely a marker for other protective factors in fruits and vegetables high in
beta-carotene.
High
homocysteine
A controlled trial showed that eating a diet high in
fruits and vegetables containing folic acid,
beta-carotene, and vitamin C effectively lowered homocysteine levels. Healthy people were
assigned to either a diet containing a pound of fruits and vegetables per day, or to a diet
containing 3 1/2 ounces (99g) of fruits and vegetables per day. After four weeks, those eating
the higher amount of fruits and vegetables had an 11 percent lower homocysteine level compared
to those eating the lower amount of fruits and vegetables.
Multiple sclerosis
(MS)
In one survey, researchers gathered information from nearly 400 people (half with MS) over
three years. They found that consumption of vegetable protein, fruit juice, and foods rich in vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium
correlated with a decreased MS risk.
Health benefits and
concerns for vegetables
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other
vegetables. Read about health benefits and concerns
for vegetables for a full description.
The information presented in this website is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
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