Peas

Green peas are nestled within large, bulging, grass green pods that are typically round and sweet. The green pea pods are tough, do not have good flavor, and therefore are not eaten.

Snow peas (Chinese pea pods) and sugar snap peas are more often found fresh, but many companies are now selling them frozen. These peas are eaten raw or cooked with the pod intact.

	Garden or green peas, grown for their seeds, are harvested as soon as the pods are well-filled but the seeds are still tender and sweet. When small and tender, these peas can be eaten raw in salads.
	Snow peas have edible flat pods and very small seeds. They are picked when very young, just as the seeds start to form. If not picked at this stage, they can be shelled and eaten as garden peas, but are more starchy and not as sweet.
	Sugar snap peas are also an edible pod pea but have larger and sweeter seeds and a thicker pod. They are grown to full size and then eaten like snap beans.

Peas are a good, low-calorie source of protein. A 100-calorie serving of peas (about ¾ cup) contains more protein than a whole egg or a tablespoon of peanut butter and has less than one gram of fat and no cholesterol.

Snow peas supply less protein and are lower in B vitamins than green shelled peas because they are eaten when their seeds are still immature. However, snow peas provide almost twice the calcium, 100 percent of the RDA for vitamin C, and slightly more iron than green peas.

Peas are also a very good source of vitamin K1 -  an important nutrient for maintaining bone health.

How to buy

• Green peas – Look for green pea pods that are firm, have glossy pods with a slightly velvety feel, and appear to be almost bursting. Pods should not be dull, yellowed, or heavily speckled and peas should not rattle loosely in the pod.

• Snow peas – Snow peas should be shiny and flat, with very small peas that are barely visible through the pod. Smaller pods are the sweetest and the most tender.

• Sugar snap peas – Sugar snap peas should be bright green, plump, and firm.

How to store

It is best to serve all types of fresh peas the day they are purchased. If they must be stored, place them in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Fresh green peas must be refrigerated as half of their sugar content will turn to starch within six hours if they are kept at room temperature.

Shell green peas immediately before you cook them.

Regular peas

• Rinse peas before shelling them
• Pinch the stem off with your fingernails and pull the string down the length of the pod.
• The pod will pop open and the peas can be pushed out of the pod with your thumb.
  
• When finished, wash all peas.

Snow and sugar snap peas

• Rinse before use.
  
• To trim snow peas, cut the tips from both ends of the pod. This can be done with kitchen shears.
  
• Sugar snap peas need to have the strings removed before eaten cooked or raw. The string runs around both sides of the sugar snap pod. It is easiest to start from the bottom tip and pull the string up the front, and then snap the stem off and pull the string down the back of the pod.

• Season cooked peas with fresh or dried mint, chopped fresh parsley, curry powder, or lemon

• Add shelled green peas, snow peas, or sugar snap peas to tossed green or pasta salads or to stir-fried dishes

• Snow and sugar snap peas can be eaten raw as a snack or with your favorite low-fat dip