Peas

Overview

Peas provide plant protein, prebiotic fiber, and thiamine (B1), supporting gut health, neurotransmitter synthesis, and mitochondrial function. Thiamine (B1): Pork, sunflower seeds, salmon, peas, rice, lentils. Thiamine is essential for mitochondrial glucose metabolism in the brain leading to ATP production. Peas are part of the legume family with prebiotic benefits.

Food Context

Synergies

• Part of diverse legume intake; dietary diversity (≥30 plant foods per week) supports microbial richness and resilience
• Pair with grains for complete amino acid profile; grain-legume complementarity improves essential amino-acid coverage

Preparation

• Can be consumed fresh, frozen, or dried; fresh peas have higher nutrient content
• Soak dried peas to reduce phytates and improve mineral bioavailability

Essential Amino Acid Profile

Peas provide a strong plant protein source but are not a complete protein.

Notable amino acids:

• Lysine

Limiting amino acids:

• Methionine and cysteine (DIAAS ~65–70)

Protein pairing strategy:

Peas are rich in lysine but relatively low in sulfur-containing amino acids. Combining with grains such as rice, oats, or barley helps create a more balanced essential amino acid profile.

Recipes

no recipes found

Nutrient Tables (per 100 g)

Core nutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Energy	345.6 kcal	—
Protein	21.2 g	—
Total fat	2.4 g	—
Carbohydrates	61.8 g	—

Key micronutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Iron	5.9 mg	32.9%
Zinc	3.7 mg	33.2%
Magnesium	183.9 mg	43.8%
Calcium	71.4 mg	7.1%
Potassium	1243 mg	36.6%

Reference intakes: US Dietary Reference Intakes for adults (19–50 years; using the higher of male/female values where they differ).

Data provenance (core / micronutrient panel): USDA FoodData Central, Blackeye pea, dry, FDC ID 2644284, API, per 100 g edible portion, last checked 2026-03-14

Substances

Substances in this food: editorial (Overview / literature) plus analytical (nutrition table).

7 substances in this food

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Mitochondrial glucose metabolism; ATP synthesis; rapid turnover in CNS

Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)

One-carbon metabolism; methylation; homocysteine recycling

Iron

Oxygen transport; dopamine synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase cofactor)

Zinc

Cofactor in neurotransmission and antioxidant enzymes; dopamine modulation

Magnesium

Enzymatic cofactor (>300 reactions); neurotransmitters; mitochondria; redox balance

Calcium

Bone health; neurotransmission; interacts with vitamin D and K2

Potassium

Electrolyte for nerve transmission, muscle function, and blood pressure regulation

References

• Thiamine (B1): Pork, sunflower seeds, salmon, peas, rice, lentils; essential for mitochondrial glucose metabolism in the brain leading to ATP production Dhir et al. 2019
• Part of legume family with prebiotic benefits; legumes provide prebiotic fiber (GOS - galactooligosaccharides) supporting gut microbiome health
• Thiamine does not exist in a large brain "reservoir"; the CNS maintains small, tightly regulated intracellular pools that depend on continuous, transporter-mediated supply, making deficiency states potentially acute