Pea porridge: health benefits and harms

Peas as a culture were popularized by the eastern countries - Tibet, India and China. It was from there that he came to Europe and remains today one of the most nutritious, healthy and tasty foods used both in raw and in cooked form.

Composition and calorie content

The composition of the culture includes vitamins - E, A, B, PP, necessary for human health, as well as the most important micro and macro elements - calcium, iodine, iron, fluorine, boron, potassium, sulfur, sodium, magnesium.

Energy value - 85 kcal per 100 grams of cooked porridge on the water without adding oil. Proteins and carbohydrates - 6.5 g and 17 g, respectively. There are no fats.

What is useful pea porridge

General benefit

Speaking about the beneficial properties of pea porridge, it is difficult to exaggerate them. At a minimum, the amount of protein in the composition can be compared with red meat. It is because of this that in fasting, following a diet and the presence of an allergy to meat products, peas become the main dish on the table.

The amino acid lysine, which is a large part of the composition, calms the nervous system, improves mood, fights stress and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

Vitamin E helps to normalize the body's metabolic processes, stabilize the functioning of internal organs, and eliminate toxins. Due to the beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair, it is considered a vitamin of youth. The result after regular inclusion of peas in the diet will not be long in coming.

Pea porridge includes the entire complex of vitamin B, which strengthens the immune system and increases its resistance to viral diseases. This dish is also recommended for smokers and people who consume a lot of caffeinated drinks. B vitamins destroy and remove toxins.

In order to establish the body's work and get rid of possible problems, it is necessary to include porridge in the diet at least 1 time per week.

For women

1. Fights skin problems in the form of acne, rashes and acne.
2. Restores damaged structure, strengthens and promotes hair and nail growth.
3. Relieves abdominal and lower back pain during critical days.
4. Regulates hemoglobin during menstruation.
5. Relieves the symptoms of menopause.

For men

1. Helps with baldness.
2. Reduces the risk of prostate disease.
3. Improves potency.
4. It promotes muscle growth during sports.
5. Useful when working in hazardous industries.

During pregnancy

1. Stabilizes the hormonal background.
2. Reduces the risk of premature birth.
3. Favorably affects the development of the fetus.
4. Strengthens the developing body of the child.

In this difficult period, eating pea cereals should be treated with caution. They can lead to severe gas formation, which is fraught with discomfort and severe pain, especially in the later stages. In the early stages, peas can increase toxicosis. To avoid this, when cooking, you can add dill or caraway seeds. They will reduce the risks of bloating.

When breastfeeding

For the mother, porridge has only a beneficial effect:

• cleanses blood vessels;
• dilutes blood, which reduces the risk of thrombosis;
• strengthens the nervous system;
• improves the gastrointestinal tract.

But from eating peas during lactation until the baby is 9 months old, you should refrain. In addition to colic, pea cereals will not give anything to the child.Therefore, during this period, a woman should not eat porridge.

For kids

Peas are one of the most controversial foods in a child’s diet. Pediatricians cannot come to a single conclusion, although they pay attention to the beneficial properties of legumes that help strengthen the body and fight infections. Pea porridge is absorbed and excreted by the body for a long time. Also, it always contributes to gas formation, which can cause colic and pain in a child. That is why it is forbidden to give it to a baby up to 9 months. And after the child’s body gets used to other vegetables and fruits, you can start giving porridge with 0.5 teaspoon per day, observing the body’s reaction and the baby’s behavior. From 3 years of age there are no contraindications to inclusion in the diet (this dish is given to the child up to two times a week).

Can I eat with weight loss

Pea porridge has long been recognized as the best product for weight loss. Thanks to it, you can not only get rid of extra pounds, but also improve the body, nourish the blood and organs with useful substances.

Compliance with the diet with the inclusion of peas is easy and does not bring discomfort and hunger. And also they can replace some familiar and more high-calorie foods - such as potatoes, bread and meat.

In addition to the fact that porridge has a small amount of calories and there is no fat, it has a diuretic effect and quickly removes excess fluid from the body without dehydrating it.

For weight loss, you can use pea cereals both in the form of the main and only dish during fasting days, and additional during diets. It can be combined with vegetables, and because of the nutritional properties after it, a feeling of satiety will remain for a long time. If you eat a tablespoon of porridge during snacks, the likelihood of eating hunger with something sweet or harmful will be reduced.

Pea porridge in medicine

Due to the variety of micro and macro elements in the composition, it is not only recommended, but also indicated by doctors for some serious and even chronic diseases. The inclusion of pea porridge in the diet is prescribed for removing sand from the kidneys, with high blood pressure and hypertensive crisis, reduced and unstable intestinal motility, osteoporosis. And also it is indispensable for people whose work is associated with hard physical labor, and athletes.

With diabetes

With a disease of both types, pea porridge is indicated for several reasons:

• helps the body absorb insulin better and faster;
• promotes weight loss and is the best preventive measure against obesity;
• normalizes the gastrointestinal tract;
• strengthens the immune system.

But as with any serious illness, you should consult your doctor before use. Peas are prohibited for cholecystitis and nephritis, and this can threaten the worsening of diabetes. Therefore, in the presence of these diseases, even taking into account the medicinal properties of the dish, you should abandon it.

Important: the glycemic index of pea porridge is 35 units.

With pancreatitis

In the chronic course of the disease, peas, like all legumes, are recommended to be excluded due to the high level of starch content, which negatively affects the functioning of the stomach and pancreas. Enveloping the stomach, it upsets the metabolism, which leads to acute pain.

But in the initial stages, peas can be consumed after a special procedure that removes starch from the fruit. To do this, soak the peas in warm water for at least 3 hours, then rinse with cold water until it becomes clear. After that, pour water with soda for another 3 hours. Cooking after soaking should continue for at least 1.5 hours over low heat.

You need to consume no more than 150 g per day in the morning. But with any manifestations of discomfort, pea porridge must be discarded, as the problem may worsen.

With gastritis

Gastritis is a disease in which the mucous membrane of the walls of the stomach becomes inflamed. Therefore, any dishes containing solid fibers and vegetable protein are difficult to digest, causing the production of large amounts of gastric juice, which can lead to an ulcer. This is due to the slowdown of the stomach leads to increased pain and worsening.

But there is no need to completely abandon cereals. It is only necessary to reduce the portion size and consume it only in the morning, but not on an empty stomach. It is necessary to protect the body from viruses and infections, against the background of which the pain in gastritis can intensify. You can add turmeric or a few drops of lemon juice during cooking, they will help the stomach digest food faster.

For constipation

Peas are prohibited in chronic constipation.

Pea powder helps in the treatment and prevention of constipation. To do this, grind a small amount of dry peas in a coffee grinder and take a teaspoon twice a day. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the appearance of swelling. When it appears, the procedure must be abandoned, this can cause an aggravation of the problem.

With gout

Despite the useful substances and the saturation of peas with protein, it contains purines, which cause acute attacks of pain and exacerbation of the disease. Therefore, peas in any form from the diet should be excluded.

For the liver

Macronutrients that make up porridge from peas can not only remove toxins from the liver, but also contribute to its recovery. And vitamin E maintains cell integrity. That is why with the long-term use of antibiotics, pea cereals should be in first place in the list of dishes.

But you need to refrain from cereals if there are already problems with the body or the disease is in remission.

Harm and contraindications

The benefits of pea porridge are not in dispute; even Hippocrates mentioned it in his treatises. But there are categories of people to whom its use is strictly prohibited due to such pathologies:

1. Inflammation of the stomach and duodenum. Due to increased gas formation, peas in these diseases can provoke an exacerbation.
2. Cholecystitis. Since peas are difficult to digest, porridge and any other dishes from it are forbidden to eat.
3. Gout. Legumes are catalysts for uric acid in chronic disease. It contributes to increased pain and deterioration in general.
4. Diseases of the kidneys and diuretic system. It accelerates the production of urea, is a strong diuretic, and provokes pain in organs.
5. Chronic constipation or weak intestines. Inability to cope with a heavy product will clog the intestines.
6. Intolerance to any component. Due to the extensive composition of micro and macro elements, amino acids and vitamins, an allergic reaction can be caused.

With all its composition, peas, and, accordingly, all dishes from it, can give the opposite effect. Most often this happens due to overeating, non-compliance with the diets prescribed for a certain disease, as well as due to non-compliance with the doctor’s instructions.

How to choose peas for porridge

For the preparation of pea porridge, peas in any form are suitable - whole, crushed or halved. Only the time it takes to cook depends on their condition.

Whole peas must be soaked for 6–8 hours with cold water before cooking. It should swell, absorb as much water as possible and become soft. It is suitable for making soups and cereals, when preference is given not only to taste and useful properties, but also to appearance.

Chopped and halved cooks faster. Soaking for 1-2 hours will be enough. Ideal for mashed soups and cereals.

The main features of quality peas are:

1. Friability - peas should be separately from each other.
2. Uniformity of color and size.
3. The state of the peas - they must be dry and hard.

At the same time, the shelf life of dried peas for cereals should not exceed 12 months.

How to cook pea porridge: recipes

On the water

Porridge prepared according to this recipe is often served in kindergartens and hospital facilities. And all because it is rich in vitamins and nutrients that are necessary for children, as well as for people during rehabilitation or in the postoperative period. And she is very easy to prepare.

Rinse the peas soaked previously for 8 hours under cold water. Pour it into the pan, pour water 1: 2, respectively. Put on a strong fire, after boiling - reduce to a minimum. During cooking, it is important to constantly stir the porridge so that it cooks evenly, and also does not burn at the bottom. After 40 minutes, when the porridge boils, turn off the fire, salt and leave it under the lid for 10 minutes.

Before serving, you can add a small piece of oil for taste. And you can also sprinkle it with pre-cooked frying from onions and carrots.

Porridge on the water is perfect as a side dish for meat dishes, but do not forget that peas are a nutritious product containing a sufficient amount of protein. Perhaps you should not saturate the dish with another source of protein. Therefore, for the benefit of the body and figure, it is better to use porridge as an independent full-fledged dish, adding only vegetables to it.

In a slow cooker

Soaking procedure required. If you want to start the day with porridge, then peas should be soaked overnight. And in the morning it will be ready for use. Porridge is being prepared for a long time, so for people who are accustomed to eating early, you need to get up 2.5 hours before breakfast.

To prepare, you need to wash the peas with cold water, put in a bowl and pour boiling water 3 cm above the peas. Add salt, for digestive problems - turmeric. Turn on the “Extinguishing” mode on the multicooker for 2 hours, close the lid. After turning off, you do not need to immediately put the porridge in the plates. She needs to brew for 15 minutes so that she absorbs moisture as much as possible and enriched with taste and useful properties.

Without soaking

Despite the fact that legumes are particularly whimsical pre-treatment, housewives around the world are in no hurry to exclude them from their daily diet. They came up with a few tricks to simplify the process if pea porridge was wanted suddenly.

1. During boiling, add soda to peas with a calculation of 1 teaspoon per 2 liters of water. Cooking in this case will take about 1.5 hours.
2. Add the sunflower oil to the porridge until it boils. It will make an invisible additional “cover” in the form of a film, which will speed up the cooking process.
3. Add half of the potatoes at the beginning of cooking and pull it out 3 minutes after boiling. Starch promotes the accelerated digestion of peas.
4. When cooking pea soup, you need to lay the legumes for meat in the broth. So they are saturated with taste, smell, and will also be ready at the same time as meat by the time the remaining ingredients are added.

Porridge with meat

You can’t do without soaking in this recipe, so peas must be poured with water in advance. The amount of ingredients can be taken at your discretion.

Cut the pork into pieces and fry for 10 minutes. Add onions, carrots, salt and seasonings, leave to stew without water for 2-3 minutes. Then add peas to them and pour hot water so that it is 3 cm above the level of all products. Cooking is necessary, focusing on the readiness of the peas, as well as the state of boiling, which can be adjusted to taste preferences. But pea porridge with meat is tasty and healthy in any form - both boiled and with whole peas.

How to make pea puree

Everyone has known his taste since childhood, because in schools, children's camps, and sanatoriums, pea puree was everywhere included in the diet. Therefore, if you want to plunge into the early years, you can cook it at home yourself.Cooking does not take much time, and the resulting dish will be an excellent substitute for mashed potatoes. The only thing you should not forget about is preliminary soaking.

Rinse the swollen peas, put in a saucepan and pour water 3 cm above the level. Bring to a boil, remove the first scum, and then reduce the heat to a minimum. The lid should not tightly close the container, as this will provoke boiling. Cook porridge for 1.5 hours, if water is not enough during the cooking process - it can be added.

When the peas are boiled, the water must be completely drained and allowed to stand for several minutes - so the pea absorbs all the remaining liquid and moisture. Add butter, salt and pepper, knead with a nibbler or blender until smooth. Eat better warm.

Is it possible to eat pea porridge at night

In the absence of serious health problems and chronic diseases regarding the use of porridge in the afternoon there are no bans. But nothing can be eaten at night. This will not add benefits to the body, but only cause discomfort and heaviness, deprive sleep. The well-known characteristic of peas is increased gas formation, which can also be a cause of restless sleep. Therefore, including pea dishes in the diet, it is necessary to eat them for breakfast or lunch, so all heavy vegetable proteins will be absorbed faster, without bringing pain in the stomach and bouts of bloating.

Is it possible to give animals pea porridge

Peas and dishes from it are very useful for animals. They improve the condition of the skin, coat, reduce the likelihood of parasites. For puppies that have been taken away from their mother, porridge is the best lure for maintaining stress-free health.

According to many experts, various cereals must be included in the diet of your favorite pet. But you need to remember that the digestive system of animals and humans is very different. Therefore, the usual plant proteins for humans by the cat and dog stomachs are not absorbed. It follows from this that they cannot be fed with the same porridge that a person eats. Legumes are good for health and immunity, but you can only turn them on by adhering to the following rules:

1. Do not add meat products. Pea itself is a heavy and satisfying product, so it is absorbed for a long time, and meat products will only complicate the process.
2. It is advisable to add vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots and celery. They will start the digestive system and the gastrointestinal tract of the animal, which will positively affect the absorption of peas.
3. Start the inclusion of the product on the menu with a teaspoon and carefully monitor the well-being and behavior of the animal.
4. Also, when adding cereals to daily nutrition, you should consult a veterinarian, who, after examination for contraindications, will recommend including peas or refuse it in the pet’s diet.

Interesting facts about peas

1. In archeology, the first traces of peas were found in Switzerland, Germany, Greece and Croatia. They date from the Stone Age - about 18 millennium BC.
2. The appearance of peas in Russia dates back to the VI century BC.
3. For the ancient Chinese, peas were a symbol of wealth and fertility and had to be grown in every home.
4. In Poland, the newlyweds had to dance a dance, holding a bowl of peas in their hands. This was argued by the fact that peas will help the family grow in the shortest possible time.
5. In the Czech Republic, peas were poured from the bowl onto the bride, the number of remaining peas in the dress determined the number of future children.
6. The proverb “under King Pea” came from a fairy tale about Ivan, who defeated the snake with the help of peas. Used in the meaning of "a very long time."
7. In times of famine, pea sausage was invented in Germany. To prepare it, lard and pea flour were used. The product was highly nutritious, after which hunger was not felt for a long time.
8. The punishment of children in the form of standing on peas came from the UK.
9. Thomas Jefferson - the third president of the United States - was a big fan of peas and was engaged in the cultivation and crossbreeding of various species.
10. Garnish of fried peas on lard was a favorite dish of Henry III.

Photo of pea porridge