Eating peas raw is usually not a problem. We will explain which dishes are suitable and what you should consider when buying the vegetables.
Eating peas raw: That’s why it works
You can eat peas raw or boiled. According to the NDR, the vegetable does not contain any toxic ingredients such as phasin, as is the case with many other legumes. Phasin belongs to the lectins and can be harmful to red blood cells and intestinal cells.
In principle, there are three types: sugar peas, wrinkled peas and pate peas. You can not only eat sugar snap peas raw, but also with their shell. For the other pea varieties, we recommend removing the pod before consumption. Although this is not poisonous, it is inedible due to the existing pigment layer. Young peas taste particularly good because they have a sweet taste.
With their crunchy consistency, you can use raw peas in quick salads or as a topping for soups or sauces. However, you should eat raw peas in moderation. Because of the high proportion of indigestible fiber, raw peas are less well tolerated than cooked peas, especially for people with a sensitive stomach.
You should keep this in mind when buying peas
If you want to eat peas raw, it is worth buying them fresh. Vegetables are in season from June to September. You can find other seasonal times of different types of fruit and vegetables in our Utopia seasonal calendar. When planning your meal, keep in mind that fresh peas can only be kept in the fridge for up to two days and you should therefore eat them promptly. If you want to keep them for a longer period of time, peas can also be frozen well.
The pea has its origins in the oriental region. Nowadays it is mainly grown in Canada, the USA, Russia and Chile. But there are also important growing areas in Europe, for example in Spain, France and Germany. We recommend purchasing peas from German cultivation as seasonally as possible in order to avoid long transport routes and thus high CO2 emissions.
When buying, also pay attention to organic quality if possible. Organic peas come from ecological agriculture that works in a resource-saving manner and avoids chemical-synthetic pesticides.
