Oh Canada!

Oh Canada!...I have discovered your hidden gem called Vancouver, and now I can’t wait to go again. Guess who is the world’s largest exporter of green peas? That’s right, Canada knows a good green thing when they see it.

If you’ve looked at the menu already you will see an abundance of green peas in two of the photos. Like me, you may have thought wrongly for many years that peas are starchy, and therefore a more fattening vegetable than something like the venerable broccoli.  On top of that, they are sweet, so we are deceived into thinking that they couldn’t possibly be as healthy as something more serious,  like onions.  Fresh back from Canada myself, I am excited to set the record straight concerning this healthy and delicious Canadian export, peas.

Antioxidant Power-  Peas are powerful weapons against chronic, internal inflammation and oxidative stress because they have many phytonutrients…phenolic acids, flavanols, polyphenols,  omega 3 fats and newly discovered saponins. (1)

Vitamins-  1 cup of peas would provide 51% RDA for bone- strengthening vitamin K,  approximately 38% vitamin C, and anywhere from 15-30% of vitamins B1, A, B6, B3 and B2 (1)

Fiber- “Few foods provide us with such substantial amounts of protein or fiber (about 8-10 grams per cup for each of these macronutrients) as green peas.” (1)

Protein- One cup of peas provides roughly 20% RDA for protein, which is double that of wheat and three times the plant protein of rice, and roughly half the protein of a 3.5 oz. piece of chicken. (2)

“American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society-recommend legumes as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health” (1)

I hope I have made you a new friend.  Enjoy them heartily in the 7 Layer Salad  and as an optional addition to Soup au Pistou (French vegetable soup). If you make more of the Green Tandoori Chicken than you need for dinner then the extras can extend your menu in chicken calzones (included on recipe) and another salad topping or delicious sandwich. I ran out of time to make my weekly teaching video, so take a look at some of the last few if you’ve missed them.

If you want to hear more about beautiful Vancouver, Canada, see my blog at the address below.

Molly

(1) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=55

(2) http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/highproteinfood.htm

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