Sweet summer crunch: The health marvels of sugar snap peas

Juicy, crispy, and sweet sugar snap peas will soon appear in stores and on stands. They're a fantastic addition to many dishes but taste best eaten raw, pod and all. However, be careful! They are sometimes confused with another vegetable.

As June turns to July, the eagerly anticipated sweet sugar snap peas are expected to appear. They're worth paying attention to for their taste, vibrant colour, and health benefits. However, many people mistake sugar snap peas for green peas, which is a significant error.

While they look similar, sugar snap peas and green peas are not the same. In short, green peas are the immature, young grains of leguminous field peas, whereas sugar snap peas are a young variety of field sweet peas.

Peas are young, green grains, and peas are mature, dried grains, so we can eat peas raw. We only eat the seeds with green peas, whereas sugar snap peas can be eaten whole, with a pod included (as they lack a parchment lining inside the pod). Green peas tend to be somewhat bland, while the sugar variety, as the name implies, boasts a sweet, pleasant taste (yet with fewer calories than green).

Sugar snap peas can be tossed into salads, sandwiches, lunch dishes, or soups. They are also great for cooking or frying. For many, the taste of summer is encapsulated in pods sautéed in butter with breadcrumbs.

Sugar snap peas are a source of potassium, benefiting heart function and regulating blood pressure. They are also a rich source of vitamin C and B vitamins, such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9. These are crucial for the nervous system's proper functioning. Sugar snap peas also contain vitamins A and E, essential for maintaining healthy skin and hair, thus contributing to our beauty.

Besides, sugar snap peas are rich in lutein, which benefits our vision. They also boast a high protein and complex carbohydrate content, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable for an extended period.

Furthermore, sugar snap peas are a source of many vital minerals, like magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc, all essential for our body's optimal functioning. They are also rich in fibre, which supports the digestive system, improves circulation, and aids in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.