Category Archives: Pulses on the Plate

Without a doubt the majority of Americans are familiar with the traditional dried green pea. 

Split-pea soup, a thick and homey concoction of green pea soup, ham and pepper, has been a tried and trusted source of protein and iron since Greek and Roman times.  With so much familiarity and trust of an old staple like the green pea, is there room for an upstart?

Enter, the Yellow Pea.  Yellow peas are also a legume, and can be purchased whole or split.  They have a soft texture and mild flavor which is often described as “earthy”.    The yellow pea is similar to the lentil both in cooking versatility and nourishment.  In fact, they are very rich in protein, vitamins, fiber, iron and zinc.

 Yellow peas are usually marketed as a dry packaged product.  However, yellow peas can be used in any way that green peas are used, and make an excellent split pea soup as well.  They can be used to make dips and spreads, or just included in other foods for nourishment and texture.

 However, the potential of the yellow Pea to the American diet is significant.  Yellow peas are often milled to create gluten-free flour; and yellow pea flour has a naturally low glycemic index, meaning it is much healthier for a diabetic diet.  A recent study in the Journal of Food Science recommended the use of whole yellow pea flour as an alternative ingredient in producing “tasty, low glycemic foods that help prevent and manage type 2 diebetes.”

 U.S. dry yellow peas are also the cheapest dry legume in the world, because they yield far higher volume than dry green peas. With that in mind, they are growing in popularity in the international market, including Africa.  Examples of international product applications include fruit-flavored dry pea drinks in Indonesia, extruded snacks in Asia, industrial starch in France and enriching pastas and breads in the U.S. 

In fact, most of the U.S. yellow pea crop is exported.   India is the dominant export market for U.S. yellow peas, taking about 1/3 of our whole yellow pea export volumes.  Yellow peas are used in the traditional Indian dish called dal, and are also used to make besan, a flour used in Indian cooking to make both savory and sweet dishes.  Indians consume dal and besan on a daily basis.

China is also an important export market for U.S. yellow peas. China extracts the starch from yellow peas to make the thin glassy noodles that they call ‘vermicelli’ (courtesy of Marco Polo).  China produces large volumes of vermicelli for both domestic consumption and export, and since pea production in China is trending downward, their whole pea export requirements continue to expand.

 Another use of U.S. yellow peas is the food aid sector.  Food aid organizations often include yellow peas in their plans because yellow peas provide a cost-effective way of adding protein to food aid rations.  In addition, yellow split peas cook very quickly, and that helps in situations where cooking fuel is scarce.

So there you have it; two powerhouse peas in the pulse arsenal of goodness and nutrition.  Yellow-peas have the added distinction of being low-cost, non-GMO and a natural protein-enhancer that can be added to a wide range of food products to boost nutrition.