Add This Bone-Building Bean To Your Diet

Legumes are an exceptional source of fiber, protein, and many other important nutrients, so it's valuable to incorporate a variety of them into your diet. In this article, you'll learn all about an underappreciated variety of legume: the black-eyed pea, a nutritious bean named after its recognizable black spot. You may also know them as cow peas.

Black-eyed peas are common in Southern and Indian cuisines, but belong in any bone-healthy diet balanced with alkalizing ingredients because, like most legumes, they are acidifying.

All About Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas originated in Africa, and are now grown and enjoyed worldwide. The beans are creamy white with a black “eye” where they attach to the pod.

In America, black‑eyed peas are famous in Southern cooking—especially as the traditional New Year’s Day dish. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is said to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year.

While science hasn't weighed in on black-eyed peas' ability to bring good fortune, research has shown their concrete nutritional benefits.

Synopsis

Black-eyed peas are enjoyed worldwide and are famous in America for their place in Southern cooking and celebrations of the New Year.

Nutritional Profile of Black-Eyed Peas

Like many legumes, black-eyed peas are an excellent source of fiber and protein. They also contain key bone-building minerals, such as the Foundation Supplements zinc, copper, magnesium, and iron.

This is the nutritional content of one cup (170g) of boiled black eyed peas.¹

Calories 198
Total Fat 0.91 g
Saturated Fat 0.24 g
Sodium 6.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 35.5 g
Dietary Fiber 11.1 g
Total Sugars 5.6 g
Protein 13.2 g
Vitamin A 25.7 IU
Folate (Vitamin B9) 355.7 mcg
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 0.35mg
Iron 4.3 mg
Calcium 41 mg
Potassium 475.4 mg
Zinc 2.2 mg
Copper 0.46 mg
Manganese 0.81 mg
Selenium 4.3 mcg

Synopsis

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Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of fiber, protein, zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, and other vitamins and minerals listed above.

Health Benefits Of Black-Eyed Peas

The nutritional content of black-eyed peas confers a variety of health benefits.

Digestive Health Benefits – Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which acts as a prebiotic to stimulate beneficial gut bacteria. Supporting a healthy microbiome can reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Reductions in inflammation also have bone-health benefits because inflammation harms the bone remodeling process.²

Improved Heart Health – Legumes are heart-healthy foods. Research shows that they may help reduce multiple heart disease risk factors. For example, a study with 42 women found that eating a low-calorie diet enriched with one cup of legumes per day for six weeks reduced triglyceride and blood pressure levels— both linked to better heart health.³ Additionally, black eyed-peas are high in heart-healthy antioxidants.

Youthful, Healthy Skin – Black-eyed peas are rich in compounds that support healthy skin, such as protein, zinc, and Vitamin A. They also promote the production of collagen and stimulate the growth of new skin cells. Together, these impacts can reduce signs of aging and help your skin stay youthful and bright.

Anemia Prevention – Adequate dietary iron is essential for preventing anemia, and black-eyed peas are an excellent source of iron. Anemia occurs when red blood cell levels or hemoglobin levels dip too low, resulting in fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.

Bone Health Support – Many of the previously listed impacts confer bone health benefits. More directly, black-eyed peas provide you with essential bone-building minerals like magnesium and calcium. The anti-oxidant qualities of black-eyed peas help to protect the bone remodeling process. Black-eyed peas' protein content helps build muscle– essential for growing stronger bones– and their fiber supports digestion, reduces inflammation and facilitates nutrient absorption to maintain high-quality bone tissue.

Synopsis

The nutritional content of black-eyed peas confers several significant health benefits, including improved digestion, a healthier heart, youthful skin, immune system protection, reduced risk of anemia, and most importantly, improved bone health.

Incorporating Black-Eyed Peas Into Your Diet

Black-eyed peas are easy to incorporate into your diet. These versatile and flavorful beans are available dry, canned, or frozen. If you buy canned, make sure they don’t contain chemical additives and that the can is BPA-free.

If you buy them dried, soak them for at least 6 hours to make them easier to cook and digest.
Next, bring a pot of water or broth to a boil, add the beans, and simmer for about 45 minutes. You can add spices, greens, and chicken or meat to enhance flavor.

The cooked beans make an excellent addition to soups, grain bowls, salads, and as a side dish. Don't overlook a bean salad as a delicious way to get a wide variety of nutritious legumes in a single dish!

Black-eyed peas can provide a hearty base for a salad or a soup, making your dishes filling, satisfying, and delicious.

Synopsis

Buy black eyed peas dried, frozen, or canned. Be sure to soak for about six hours before cooking if you purchase them dried. Then incorporate into soups, salads, or season as a side that's both flavorful and filling.

What This Means To You

If you don't have black-eyed peas in your cupboard, you're missing out on a delicious bone-building legume. Try adding them to your next soup or salad, or as an unctuous side dish.

Trying new bone-healthy foods is a great way to expand your palate while you improve your health. The Save Institute's cookbook and meal planner, Bone Appétit, offers an easy way to do just that. Bone Appetit contains over 200 recipes designed to provide your bones with everything they need.

Keep exploring delicious ways to enhance your health and strengthen your bones!