Black eyed peas are those white or brown peas with little black marks, called eyes. These peas are usually boiled and then served on their own as a side dish with a little salt or combined with other foods to make a soup, dip, or casserole.
Black eyed peas are common throughout the southern United States, often served alongside cornbread, grits, and fried chicken. Are they as unhealthy as those other foods or is there something worthwhile about making black eyed peas a part of your diet?
Let’s talk about the question of are black eyed peas good for you. While they are very popular in certain parts of the country, a lot of people have never even tried black eyed peas.
Should you start incorporating this southern staple into your diet?
A Rich Source of Nutrition
Black eyed peas are not really peas but are instead of kind of bean. Like other types of beans, black eyed peas are very nutritious and they are good food to make a regular part of your diet. Are black eyed peas good for you?
Yes, they are a very good source of protein and fiber, and that means they are excellent at providing you with energy to keep you going throughout the day. If you find that you’re low on energy, you may be prone to get a sweet or salty snack or drink a cup of coffee.
Those are quick fixes for people who run out of energy quickly, but the reason you are low on energy could be because you’re not getting enough protein in your diet. The protein provided by foods like black eyed peas helps to give you energy throughout the day, so you’re less likely to need quick fixes of energy from unhealthy foods.
A single serving of black eyed peas, which is about a half a cup, has 6 grams of protein and six grams of fiber. It also contains 18 grams of carbohydrates, and you may know that carbs are an important source of long-term energy as well.
The energy provided by a healthy dose of carbohydrates can keep you going through much of the day, reducing the need for snacking and for satisfying hunger cravings. Black eyed peas have no fat and very little sugar, so they are good addition to any diet for people who are trying to lose weight, get in shape, and keep their fat intake low.
Why are black eyed peas good for you? Part of what makes them healthy is their rich nutritional value. They are great source of vitamins and minerals.
Black eyed peas provide you with Vitamin A and Vitamin K. They are also rich in iron, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, and folate. With all those vitamins, it seems like a serving of black eyed peas might be a good replacement for your multivitamin, and you wouldn’t be far off with that thought.
Legumes like black eyed peas are some of the healthiest foods you can eat, because they are a natural source of nutrients that isn’t bogged down by artificial additives, preservatives, and excess sugar.
Control Your Weight with Black Eyed Peas
We mentioned already the black eyed peas can help you to keep that up. Part of that is because they are filling thanks to the protein and carbohydrates they contain. But you can’t overlook the high fiber content they offer. Fiber helps to boost your metabolism and keep unused materials moving through your body to be expelled.
You can find online questions like: “Are black eyed peas good for you?” Yahoo Answers, Quora, and other sites may feature. A lot of people are wondering if these beans are healthy for them, and many of those people are looking for a way to lose weight and get fit.
Black eyed peas are a solution for that. They offer you a very effective way to control your weight, particularly if you’re looking for a safe and healthy way to keep your weight in check and get rid of excess weight without having to take medication or use a colon cleanse.
The high fiber content of black eyed peas makes them ideal for anyone trying to diet and keep their weight under control. The protein and carbs in black eyed peas make you feel full so you don’t feel the need to snack as often or to eat as much food.
Part of a Healthy Diet
There are a lot of different dishes people will make with black eyed peas. You may be wondering if some of those are healthy for you. Are black eyed peas and ham good for you? This is one of the most common dishes made from black eyed peas, and you may already know that ham isn’t very healthy for you.
In fact, ham is one of the least healthy meats you could eat, but it makes for a really good pairing with black eyed peas. If you put these two together, some of the digestive problems that can be caused by him can be mitigated by the black eyed peas. That’s part of what makes them such good partners.
Other dishes like black eyed peas and cabbage are less controversial for healthy eaters. Are black eyed peas and cabbage good for you?
There’s no doubt about it, as cabbage is a great anti-inflammatory that helps to lower cholesterol levels and can help lower blood pressure and improve heart health. It also helps with digestion and is a good source of vitamins C and K.
Pairing cabbage with black eyed peas is a great combination for anyone wanting to eat healthier.
You can pair black eyed peas with a lot of other foods that make a delicious and nutritious combination. Another common pairing is black eyed peas and rice, and these two work really well together to make for a filling, nutritious, and balanced meal.
Are Dried Black Eyed Peas Good For You?
Black eyed peas can be bought in the grocery in a few different ways. Many people by them in a can with the peas already cooked and just needing to be warmed up. This is one of the simplest ways to prepare black eyed peas, but you can also find them sold dried in a bag.
Are the dry peas good for you? Yes, they last longer than the canned peas and retain more of their nutritional value. You will have to boil and prepare the peas yourself if they come dried in a bag, but this is definitely the better way to purchase them, if you’re looking for the healthiest option possible.
The reason for that is that a lot of canned black eyed peas contain preservatives and additives, as well as extra salt. Also, when you make black eyed peas from dried peas, they simply taste better. They taste fresher and have more of their full flavor.
There’s not as much need to salt or season them, because you get that rich black eye peas flavor to come out in the cooking. As you cook them, you will create a bean broth from the water they are cooked in. You can use that to make a soup or to provide flavoring to the rest of the dish.
So yes, black eyed peas are very good for you and do make a great addition to your diet, if you’re looking for something nutritious to add and have not really given black eyed peas a try before.
