by Juanita Emmerton, ND
With a name like sugar snap you’d think they would be bad for you, but in fact they are one of the most nutritious types of peas! So what’s so great about them?
- High in fibre – you eat the whole pea – pod and all
- Rich in vitamin C so great for assisting with building the immune system, supporting healthy collagen production whist also being a powerful antioxidant
- Source of B-vitamins and folic acid. These help break down protein, carbohydrates and fat into energy, and they also aid nerve function and promote red blood cell production.
- Contain essential minerals such as iron and manganese – Iron is important for oxygen transport and manganese helps with blood sugar support, calcium absorption, hormone production and nerve function.
- Rich in fat soluble vitamins A and K. Vitamin A is important for immune function whilst vitamin K is important for blood clotting
When included as part of a balanced diet, the addition of snow peas is a great contributor to ensure you get the recommended daily allowance of many essential nutrients.
If you have a fussy eater an easy way to get them eating their peas is by growing their own. You only need a small patch or pot and a trellis to grow your own. My son (now 3) refuses to eat store bought peas (actually to be truthful most store bought veggies!) but he will happily eat any produce he has grown himself. Our snow peas have become a favourite crunchy snack to pop in lunch boxes for kindy either with a dip or eaten straight up!)
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