Even though peas are a food that is ignored and dreaded by many taste-wise, it's actually one of the top plant sources of protein and fiber, which is why it has managed to earn the "trend' status, especially among members of the vegan fitness community. 

The humble peas are a plant food with several health benefits and have nothing to envy from other protein sources (plant or animal alike). Especially for people who follow more active lifestyles, peas are what we call a "superfood". According to a new French study, people who consumed pea protein after resistance training have shown the same increase in strength and muscle mass as those who drank a protein drink post workout.

Pea protein, like whey protein, is an excellent source of branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which contribute significantly to muscle gain claims the researcher of the study. Nicolas Babault, Ph.D., professor of Exercise Science at the University of Burgundy -Franche-Comté. And as some people have difficulty digesting whey protein, protein from peas is an excellent alternative.

Peas are also one of the top superfoods that help keep you healthy. A study found that a meal with peas and split peas made participants feel just as satiated and full as a dish with meat and eggs, with the same amount of protein and fiber as its animal counterpart.

How can you get pea protein?

Nowadays, there are many vegan and fitness products that include good amounts of protein in their formulas or use pea protein exclusively with no other basic ingredients added--from protein shakes to protein bars and fortified frozen meals. A cup of cooked peas (dry or frozen) specifically yields around 8 grams of pea protein. However, since taking all your protein straight from cooked peas is hard, you should aim to take around15-25 grams of extra pea protein from supplemental products.

Some health food stores do carry pea protein products but if you can't find anything with these amounts of pea protein in regular stores, you may look these up online in sites like Amazon, Ebay, or Vitacost. 

The taste of such products is an issue for many who don't like peas in the first place but there are products with natural flavorings that help mask the taste of peas e.g pea protein shakes with vanilla or chocolate flavor.

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published