Health Tips: This antioxidant-rich winter vegetable will keep the digestion and sugar levels fine, making it a part of the diet.

This winter season brings with it many types of vegetables and fruits which are considered especially beneficial for overall health. Green peas available in this season are one such very beneficial vegetable whose consumption can have many health benefits. Consuming green peas, rich in many types of nutrients including antioxidants, can also be beneficial in protecting you from many health problems.

Peas are a vegetable of the legume group. It contains extremely beneficial elements for the body like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, which can help control problems ranging from your eyes to digestion and blood sugar.

To get such benefits, you must make peas a part of your diet.

Peas are rich in many nutrients
Green peas are a good source of macronutrients like many vitamins, protein, and fiber. By consuming 100 grams of peas, 4 grams of fiber, 18 percent of the daily requirements of magnesium, 17 percent of vitamin K, and 12.6 percent of vitamin C can be obtained. All these nutrients help make the body function better and also help in protecting you from many types of diseases.

Protects from eye diseases
Peas contain elements like carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which help protect your eyes from diseases like cataracts and age-related degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin act as filters from harmful blue light, so if you consume peas then it can be very beneficial in keeping the eyes healthy.

Beneficial for digestive health
Peas are rich in a nutrient called coumestrol, which plays a role in protecting against stomach diseases and even cancer. A study conducted in Mexico City in 2009 showed that daily consumption of peas and other vegetables could reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 50%. Apart from this, fiber is also found in high quantities in peas, which is necessary to maintain proper digestion and reduce problems like constipation.

Beneficial vegetable for diabetes patients
Peas are rich in fiber and protein, which helps regulate the way starch is digested. The protein and fiber present in peas also help in controlling blood sugar by slowing down the breakdown of carbohydrates.

Studies show that eating a high-protein diet benefits people with type 2 diabetes by reducing after-meal sugar spikes. Peas also have a low glycemic index, which means they can protect against the risk of sudden spikes in blood sugar.

(PC: Freepik)