NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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green-peas

A protein-and-fibre-dense pulse with solid RCT evidence for lower cholesterol and steadier blood sugar.

Strong evidence 🥦Vegetables

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Strong
Research weight
Citations
8 verified / 8
Classification
Vegetables
❝
What the evidence says. Multiple high-quality RCTs / meta-analyses with consistent effects.

Nutrition per serving 1 cup, boiled (160 g)

160gSERVING
  • Sugars 9.5 g6%
  • Fibre 8.8 g6%
  • Other carbs 6.7 g4%
  • Protein 8.6 g5%
  • Other 126.4 g79%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin C25%Fiber31%Potassium9%Folate25%Vitamin A7%Vitamin K35%Vitamin B621%Manganese37%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
134 kcal8.6 g protein8.8 g fiber9.5 g sugar
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin C23 mg25%
Fiber8.8 g31%
Potassium434 mg9%
Folate101 µg25%
Vitamin A64 µg7%
Vitamin K41 µg35%
Vitamin B60.35 mg21%
Manganese0.84 mg37%
Copper0.28 mg31%
Vitamin E0.22 mg1%
Magnesium62 mg15%
Calcium43 mg3%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is green-peas?

green-peas is a vegetable used for pulse-rich diets lower ldl cholesterol by ~5% vs control (rct meta-analysis). NutriDex grades the human evidence as Strong. Green peas are a starchy legume (pulse) whose human evidence is among the stronger in the vegetable world because peas fall within the broader pulse literature studied in dozens of randomized trials. Pooled RCTs show that pulse-rich diets at about one serving (~130 g) per day modestly lower LDL cholesterol and improve fasting glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance, with the largest glycemic benefit in people with type 2 diabetes. Meta-analyses also link pulses to small but significant body-weight reduction even without intentional calorie restriction, driven by their high fibre and protein and low glycemic index. Large prospective cohorts on legumes and hard cardiovascular/diabetes endpoints are less consistent (suggestive of null), so the strongest, most causal signal is on intermediate cardiometabolic markers rather than disease events.

Purported Benefits

✓Pulse-rich diets lower LDL cholesterol by ~5% vs control (RCT meta-analysis)
✓Improve fasting glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance, especially in type 2 diabetes
✓Modest weight reduction even without calorie restriction
✓High plant protein (~8.6 g/cup) and fibre (~8.8 g/cup) promote satiety
✓Rich in folate, vitamin K, vitamin C and manganese

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
Standard serving: 1 cup, boiled (160 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.
Active Compounds
Soluble and insoluble dietary fibreResistant starchPlant protein (globulins, albumins)FolateVitamin K1 (phylloquinone)Lutein and zeaxanthin (carotenoids)Polyphenols (flavonols, phenolic acids)Saponins

Safety & Cautions

Generally very safe and recommended within heart-healthy and diabetes diets. As a legume, peas are high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs, including galacto-oligosaccharides) and can cause gas or bloating, particularly in IBS or with large portions. They are a meaningful source of vitamin K (~41 ug/cup), so people on warfarin should keep intake consistent rather than avoid it. Peas are purine-containing and count toward carbohydrate intake for those managing blood glucose. Legume allergy is uncommon but possible. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining green-peas with any medicine.

Key Studies

Umbrella review & meta-analysis of cohorts Thorisdottir 2023 (Food Nutr Res) ✓ Full text
Umbrella & meta-analysis of 31 cohorts (>2.08 million adults): legume intake showed null associations with total CVD (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.86-1.06) and type 2 diabetes (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.77-1.06), while RCTs showed favourable lipid/glucose effects.
Meta-analysis Effects of Extracted Pulse Proteins 2024 (Nutrients) ✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 7 RCTs (14 comparisons, n=453; median 35 g/day pea/pulse protein over 4 weeks) found extracted pulse proteins lowered LDL-C by -0.23 mmol/L (95% CI -0.36 to -0.10), with parallel reductions in non-HDL-C and apoB.
Systematic review & meta-analysis of RCTs Hafiz 2021 (Eur J Nutr) ✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of long-term RCTs: pulses reduced fasting glucose (ES -0.54; 95% CI -0.83 to -0.24), HbA1c (-0.17; 95% CI -0.33 to 0.00) and HOMA-IR in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Systematic review & meta-analysis of RCTs Kim 2016 (Am J Clin Nutr) ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 21 RCTs (n=940): diets with pulses (median 132 g/d) produced significant weight loss of -0.34 kg (95% CI -0.63 to -0.04) over a median 6 weeks, even without calorie restriction.
Meta-analysis of RCTs Ha 2014 (CMAJ) ✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 26 RCTs (n=1037): pulse intake (median 130 g/d) lowered LDL cholesterol by -0.17 mmol/L (95% CI -0.25 to -0.09), about a 5% reduction.
Systematic review & meta-analysis of RCTs Sievenpiper 2009 (Diabetologia) ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis: pulses alone (11 trials) lowered fasting blood glucose (-0.82; 95% CI -1.36 to -0.27) and fasting insulin (-0.49; 95% CI -0.93 to -0.04).
RCT Chamberlin 2024 (Nutrients) ✓ Full text
12-week RCT in 38 adults with increased waist circumference: 980 g/week cooked green lentils significantly lowered fasting LDL (p=0.02) and total cholesterol (p<0.01) versus control, which rose by 0.29 mmol/L LDL.
Randomized crossover trial Johnston 2021 (Appl Physiol Nutr Metab) ✓ PubMed
Double-blind randomized crossover (n=26): pea protein/fibre fractions added to oat cereal significantly lowered postprandial glucose and insulin responses versus control, dependent on fraction type.
8 sources cited · 8 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about green-peas

What is green-peas used for?

green-peas is most often taken for Pulse-rich diets lower LDL cholesterol by ~5% vs control (RCT meta-analysis), Improve fasting glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance, especially in type 2 diabetes, Modest weight reduction even without calorie restriction, High plant protein (~8.6 g/cup) and fibre (~8.8 g/cup) promote satiety. A protein-and-fibre-dense pulse with solid RCT evidence for lower cholesterol and steadier blood sugar.

Does green-peas work — what does the evidence say?

Strong evidence. Multiple high-quality RCTs / meta-analyses with consistent effects. Green peas are a starchy legume (pulse) whose human evidence is among the stronger in the vegetable world because peas fall within the broader pulse literature studied in dozens of randomized trials. Pooled RCTs show that pulse-rich diets at about one serving (~130 g) per day modestly lower LDL cholesterol and improve fasting glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance, with the largest glycemic benefit in people with type 2 diabetes. Meta-analyses also link pulses to small but significant body-weight reduction even without intentional calorie restriction, driven by their high fibre and protein and low glycemic index. Large prospective cohorts on legumes and hard cardiovascular/diabetes endpoints are less consistent (suggestive of null), so the strongest, most causal signal is on intermediate cardiometabolic markers rather than disease events.

What is the typical dose of green-peas?

Standard serving: 1 cup, boiled (160 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.

Is green-peas safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally very safe and recommended within heart-healthy and diabetes diets. As a legume, peas are high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs, including galacto-oligosaccharides) and can cause gas or bloating, particularly in IBS or with large portions. They are a meaningful source of vitamin K (~41 ug/cup), so people on warfarin should keep intake consistent rather than avoid it. Peas are purine-containing and count toward carbohydrate intake for those managing blood glucose. Legume allergy is uncommon but possible.

How many studies support green-peas?

NutriDex cites 8 sources for green-peas, graded "Strong".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). green-peas: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/green-peas

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_green_peas,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {green-peas: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/green-peas},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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