Snow Peas: Calories, Nutrition, Eating Raw and How to Cook

Snow peas are the flat, bright green pea pods you see in stir-fries, picked while the peas inside are still tiny so the whole pod is tender and edible. USDA SR Legacy has no entry called snow peas; they share one entry with sugar snap peas, Peas, edible-podded, which lists 42 calories and 60 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 g raw, 67% of the Daily Value. This guide covers snow pea nutrition, are snow peas healthy, can you eat snow peas raw, how they compare with shelled garden peas, and how to cook snow peas.

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

What are snow peas?

Snow peas are a type of garden pea. The NC State Extension plant database lists the pea plant as Lathyrus oleraceus, previously known as Pisum sativum, an annual cool-season vegetable in the bean family (Fabaceae) native to Eurasia. It divides peas into shelling peas, harvested when the seeds are almost or fully mature, and edible pod peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas, harvested while the pods and seeds are young. In NC State’s words, snow pea pods are harvested with barely grown seeds, while sugar snap peas have juicy pods and almost full seeds.

That is why snow peas are thin and flat with a delicate crunch, while sugar snaps are round and plump. If you are choosing between the two, our snap peas guide covers sugar snap peas in detail. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans list snow peas in the other vegetables subgroup, while green peas are grouped with starchy vegetables.

Snow pea nutrition (USDA SR Legacy)

The values below come from the USDA SR Legacy entries Peas, edible-podded, raw (FDC 170010) and Peas, edible-podded, boiled, drained, without salt (FDC 170011), the entries that cover snow peas. Portions use USDA weights of 63 g for a cup of whole raw pods and 160 g for a cup boiled. %DV uses FDA Daily Values; there is no Daily Value for total sugars.

Vitamin C is the headline. Ten raw pods, which weigh 34 g in USDA portion data, provide about 23% of the Daily Value, and a cup of boiled snow peas provides 85%. The boiled cup holds more pods than a cup of loose raw pods, which is why its numbers look higher. Per 100 g, boiling drops vitamin C from 60 to 47.9 milligrams in USDA data. See foods high in vitamin C for other sources.

Vitamin K is the other notable nutrient, at a third of the Daily Value per boiled cup. Our foods high in vitamin K list shows how snow peas compare with leafy greens, which carry far more.

Snow peas vs shelled garden peas

Shelled peas are the mature seeds without the pod, so they are denser and starchier. The table compares 100 g of each, raw, using USDA SR Legacy entries Peas, edible-podded, raw (FDC 170010) and Peas, green, raw (FDC 170419). %DV uses FDA Daily Values.

In USDA data, shelled peas carry about twice the calories, protein, carbohydrate and fiber of snow peas, which matches their place among starchy vegetables in the Dietary Guidelines. Snow peas come out ahead on vitamin C and iron per 100 grams, and the two are almost identical on vitamin K. Our peas guide covers shelled peas in full.

Are snow peas healthy?

Snow peas can be an easy, low-calorie part of a varied diet. Based on USDA SR Legacy data, they are a good source of vitamin C, a fair source of vitamin K, iron and folate, and very low in fat. Their fiber is modest per serving, so they add crunch more than bulk; our high-fiber foods list covers richer sources. No human trial we read tested snow peas on their own for any health outcome, so this guide makes no claims beyond nutrient values.

Two practical cautions apply. Because snow peas contain vitamin K, people who take the blood thinner warfarin are advised by MedlinePlus and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements to keep their vitamin K intake consistent and to talk to their doctor before changing their diet. Pea allergy is also real: a 2021 review in Trends in Food Science and Technology describes well-documented allergies to garden peas, even though peas are not one of the nine major food allergens that FDA requires labels to name.

Can you eat snow peas raw?

Yes. NC State Extension notes that pea seeds, pods, flowers and shoots can all be eaten raw, stir-fried or cooked, and that the flowers and young shoot tips are edible too. Raw snow peas are sweet and crisp, and they work well on a vegetable platter, sliced thin into salads or slaws, or dipped in hummus. Rinse them under running water first, as with any fresh produce, and trim off the stem end and string.

How to pick, store and cook snow peas

Look for flat, bright green pods that snap cleanly and show only small bumps where the peas sit. Skip pods that are limp, yellowing, wrinkled or bulging, which are past their prime. Keep them unwashed in a bag in the refrigerator and rinse them just before cooking.

• String them: snap off the stem end and pull the string down the straight side of the pod; the string is usually thin.
• Stir-fry: add snow peas near the end of cooking so they stay bright green and crisp-tender; they pair well with scallions, garlic and bok choy.
• Blanch: drop them briefly into boiling water, then into ice water, for salads and platters.
• Steam: steam just until the color deepens; overcooked pods turn dull and soft.
• Saute with mushrooms: cooked snow peas and well-cooked morels make a classic spring side dish.
• Frozen snow peas: cook them straight from frozen in a stir-fry or soup.

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: Morels: Nutrition, Cooking Safety and False Morels Explained, Snap Peas: Sugar Snap Peas Nutrition, Snow Peas and Cooking.