Black-eyed peas are one of those underrated foods that everyone knows about (especially with the help of a certain music group), but probably don’t actually add them to the grocery shopping list. If you have already included food like black-eyed peas as part of your everyday meal, then continue to do so! However, if you haven’t yet discovered firsthand the benefits of eating black-eyed peas, then we recommend that you give it a shot. Black-eyed peas nutritional factors will prove advantageous to you in the long-run.

Top 7 Health Benefits of Black-Eyed-Peas

1. Helps with Digestion

Fiber is an essential filament for healthy eating. There are two different types of fiber. They are: Insoluble fiber and  soluble fiber . Both types originate from plants and are forms of carbohydrates. The major differences are that soluble fiber can absorb water while insoluble cannot. Soluble fiber can be found in foods like oatmeal, nuts, beans, apples, and blueberries, while insoluble fiber can be found in the skins and seeds of fruits as well as in whole-wheat bread and brown rice and black-eyed peas.

The fiber in black-eyed peas consists of both insoluble and soluble fiber, though it slightly leans towards the soluble category. These types of fiber can help one avoid constipation, lower cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar and aid in weight loss.

2. Decreases Chance of Getting Anemia

Anemia is a condition in which a person has fewer red blood cells than what is considered normal. It can cause fatigue and weakness. Black-eyed-peas can combat this as they contains high levels of folate and other B-vitamins, which are key to making normal red-blood cells.

3. Helps Lower Blood-Pressure

Black-eyed-peas contain potassium, which is a mineral that helps decrease the chance of getting heart disease and maintaining blood pressure at a steady level. There are approximately 690 milligrams of potassium per 1-cup serving of black-eyed-peas. That’s approximately 15% of your daily intake.

4. Helps Fight Stroke, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Osteoporosis

As mentioned in the second example, black-eyed-peas contain good folate levels, which help in preventing conditions like anemia, poor immune functioning, and digestive disorders. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin, whose main function is to help reproduce cells. Folate works alongside B12 and B6 in order to ensure proper care for the homocysteine metabolism which is amino acid occurring in the blood plasma found in all human beings. Homocysteine is linked to diseases like heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis. Proper consumption of black-eyed peas helps avoid such a scenario.

5. Supports Healthy Skin

Black-eyed peas contain Vitamin A (as beta-carotene), which helps protect the skin and mucous membranes.  They also contain antioxidants, which not only help to prevent skin damage but also aid in repairing already damaged skin.

6. Contributes to Good Vision

Healthy consumption of black-eyed peas can help with one’s eyes because the beta-carotene, pro-vitamin A, transforms into Vitamin A. Black-eyed-peas also contain zinc and bioflavonoids, which help protect the eyes from UV light and prevent one from getting macular degeneration and cataracts.

7. Promotes Healthy Pregnancy

Black-eyed-peas is the perfect dish for “eating for two”,  as it consists of many important nutrients such as fiber, protein, folate, iron and many more. Vitamin B9 is an especially important supplement for pregnant women to intake as it plays a major part in DNA synthesis. It’s essential that they consume vitamin B9, especially in the pre-pregnancy and post-pregnancy stages because otherwise, they will become vulnerable to neural tube defects. It is also important for pregnant women to intake more iron because their blood increases at a more drastic level than the average person.

Don’t know how to prepare black-eyed peas? Check out these recipe ideas!

Sources:

https://draxe.com/black-eyed-pea-benefits/

http://health.facty.com/food/nutrition/7-impressive-health-benefits-of-black-eyed-peas/4/

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/kind-fiber-beans-peas-oats-2009.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrient-black-eyed-peas-2334.html 

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/insoluble-soluble-fiber

https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/homocysteine

http://gettinghealthier.com/best-foods-for-great-vision/ 

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