Peas: Green Peas Nutrition, Health Facts and Forms Compared

Peas, usually meaning green peas or garden peas, are the small round seeds shelled from the pods of the pea plant, Pisum sativum. Are peas healthy? By USDA numbers, a cup of cooked green peas supplies about a third of the Daily Value for fiber, 17% for protein and a quarter or more for vitamin K, folate, thiamin and manganese, with almost no sodium unless salt is added. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans group green peas with starchy vegetables, not with dried beans. This guide covers peas nutrition for fresh, frozen and canned peas, how they compare with their relatives, and the safety points worth knowing.

Peptide Labs does not sell peas or pea products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What are peas?

The word covers several foods, and the differences matter for nutrition labels and recipes:

• Green peas (garden peas, English peas): immature seeds removed from inedible pods and eaten fresh, frozen or canned. These are the focus of this guide.
• Baby peas (petits pois): small, tender green peas. USDA’s canned pea entry notes that it includes baby types.
• Snap peas and snow peas: varieties with edible pods, eaten whole. USDA lists them separately as edible-podded peas, with less protein and fiber per cup than shelled peas.
• Split peas: mature pea seeds that are dried and split. They count with beans and lentils in the Dietary Guidelines.
• Chickpeas and black-eyed peas: different plants that share the name. See our chickpeas guide for those.

Peas nutrition: USDA values per serving

The table below uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy database, with FDC ID numbers so you can check each entry. Percent Daily Values (%DV) use the FDA Daily Values. Serving sizes are the ones USDA lists for each entry.

For one cup of boiled green peas (160 g), USDA also lists:

Are peas healthy? What the numbers show

Peas are one of the more nutrient-dense vegetables by these measures. A few points stand out:

• Fiber: close to a third of the Daily Value per cooked cup. For context on how fiber adds up across a day, see our high-fiber foods list.
• Plant protein: more protein per cup than most vegetables, though less than dried pulses such as lentils. Our high-protein foods guide compares other sources.
• B vitamins: thiamin, folate, niacin and vitamin B6 each reach 20% DV or more per cooked cup.
• Vitamin C: raw peas list 40 milligrams per 100 g in USDA data versus 14.2 milligrams for boiled peas, so cooking method changes this number more than most. See foods high in vitamin C.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: USDA lists 2,593 micrograms per 100 g of boiled green peas. There is no Daily Value for these pigments; our lutein guide explains what is and is not known about them.
• Iron: peas supply nonheme iron. NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements notes that vitamin C eaten at the same meal improves nonheme iron absorption.

Nutrient density is not a health promise. Peas are one part of an overall eating pattern, and no single vegetable changes health outcomes on its own.

Green peas: vegetable, starch or legume?

Botanically, peas are legumes. For eating guidance, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 say that “green peas, which are not dried before consumption, are grouped with starchy vegetables,” and the beans, peas and lentils subgroup “does not include green beans or green peas.” Dried split peas do count in that subgroup, and snow peas are listed with other vegetables. Our starchy vegetables guide covers how that grouping works, and edamame is another green legume eaten young.

The starchy label simply reflects that green peas have more carbohydrate than leafy or watery vegetables: 25 g per cooked cup versus a few grams for a cup of chopped celery.

Fresh, frozen or canned green peas

All three forms supply fiber and protein. The main differences in USDA data are sodium and a few vitamins:

• Sodium: regular canned peas, drained, list 273 milligrams per 100 g in USDA data, compared with 2 milligrams for no-salt-added canned peas. USDA’s rinsed entry lists 231 milligrams per 100 g, a modest drop. Our low-sodium foods guide explains how to read sodium on labels.
• Vitamin C: fresh raw peas list the most; frozen and canned entries list much less.
• Vitamin K and vitamin A: these vary between entries. USDA analyzed different samples for each form, so differences reflect variety and processing together.

Frozen peas are usually the easiest way to have peas on hand year-round, and no-salt-added canned peas close most of the sodium gap.

Pea protein is a different product

Pea protein isolate and concentrate are extracted from dried peas and used in plant protein powders, bars and dairy-free drinks. Some supplement capsules also use pea protein or pea starch as a carrier. These processed ingredients are not the same as eating whole peas, and this guide makes no claims about them. For how protein powders compare, see our protein powder guide and whey protein explainer.

Safety: allergy, vitamin K and gas

Pea allergy: a 2021 review in Trends in Food Science and Technology describes allergies to garden peas and field peas as well documented and says peas should not be marketed as hypoallergenic. Peas are legumes, like peanuts and soybeans, and researchers have studied possible cross-reactivity. Peas are not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, so check ingredient lists for pea protein if you react to peas. An allergist can help sort out symptoms.

Vitamin K: a cooked cup supplies 35% DV. People who take warfarin are advised by NIH and MedlinePlus to keep vitamin K intake consistent from week to week and to talk with their clinician before changing their diet. See foods high in vitamin K.

Gas: legumes contain galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), a FODMAP that gut bacteria ferment, producing gas. Monash University notes that most people eat high FODMAP foods without problems. If peas bother you, our guides to gas and bloating and the low FODMAP diet explain the options; a clinician or dietitian can help with ongoing symptoms.

Choosing, storing and cooking peas

• Fresh pods should be bright green, firm and full. Shell them close to cooking time.
• Frozen peas cook in a few minutes and can go straight into soups, pasta, rice and stir-fries.
• For canned peas, look for “no salt added” on the label, or drain before use.
• Mashed peas with lemon and herbs make a simple spread; peas also blend well into soups.
• Keep fresh peas refrigerated and use them within a few days, since they lose sweetness quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Celery: Benefits, Nutrition Facts, Allergy and Research, Snap Peas: Sugar Snap Peas Nutrition, Snow Peas and Cooking, Split Peas: Split Pea Nutrition, Soup and Split Peas vs Lentils, Types of Peas: English, Snow, Snap and Dried Peas.