Delicious, healthy and reasonably priced, there seems to be no downside to canned peas. Although... wait a minute, there is still one thing: his mystery. This product is carefully hidden from the consumer’s eyes under dense packaging and a colorful label, and therefore choosing a can of peas from six or seven offered in the store and then not regretting it is not an easy task. You can be guided by the cost. You can rely on a manufacturer you already know. You can rely on intuition... Or you can “turn on” all five senses and act like a good detective.
We look carefully...
...for packaging. Of course, glass containers for canned food are better. Firstly, it will not hide stale (cloudy filling with a thick consistency) and overripe (shapeless, damaged) peas. And secondly, it will not enter into a chemical reaction with the contents of canned food.
But we often deal with tin cans, so we will choose from them. Let's carefully examine the surface of the selected sample: there should be no dents or swelling on the can - this is a clear sign of bombing. In other words, the product has deteriorated and gases have formed inside, which “damage” the container. By the way, unopened peas can be stored at room temperature, but if the container is open, it is better to keep them in the refrigerator and use them within several days.
...on the label. The manufacturer of the “correct” peas will definitely indicate his address, will not forget about the expiration date and storage conditions of the product, and will also describe the composition in detail. Give preference to canned foods that do not contain food additives, sweeteners or other flavor enhancers. Of course, manufacturers can claim that “chemistry” is necessary to preserve peas, but this is not so; heat treatment is quite sufficient. The ideal composition of canned food is, in fact, peas, water, sugar and salt.
...at the production date. Ideally, young, green and juicy peas should be selected for preservation “straight from the garden.” But in practice, dry peas that have been soaked and then preserved can end up in jars. To avoid being left with beans, carefully examine the product's manufacturing date. The best peas are produced at harvest time, usually in the summer, June or July. In addition, the date can “tell” whether the product is spoiled: the maximum shelf life is 5 years.
...for the pea variety. For canning, smooth-grain and marrow varieties are usually used. Smooth grain peas are large, round and smooth, beautiful and representative, with a mealy taste - they are added to salads and used to decorate dishes. The brain one is smaller, oval in shape, tasty, sweet and aromatic. It will also be good in salads, but unlike smooth grain, it will not just complement them, but will add its own unique flavor note. It also makes excellent pates, purees and pie fillings.
...by the weight of the main product (peas). Few people are interested in the amount of filling: only thrifty housewives use it for soups and sauces, but usually the brine is simply poured out. Another thing is the peas themselves. In tin cans that look exactly the same, it can be either 250 or 300 g. The difference is actually huge! After all, 50 g is two heaped tablespoons. This is exactly how many peas are needed to prepare two servings of Olivier salad or three bowls of pea soup.
Let's listen
Shake the can of peas slightly before placing it in the basket. An ideal product should make a minimum of sounds. If the peas helplessly hit the wall, it means there is not enough brine in the container. Gurgling and croaking contents indicate that there is a lot of air in the jar, which reduces the quality of the product. And only the rustling proves that the canned food was rolled according to all the rules.
Unfortunately, we can only “turn on” our senses of touch, smell and taste at home. But this is not bad either: next time we will know for sure which manufacturer is more decent. Moderately ripe and well-cooked peas feel elastic to the touch and offer little resistance when crushed. If they also smell nice, put them in your mouth without delay. Or add to dishes. Have no doubt: good canned peas will complement any salad, be it traditional vinaigrette, Olivier salad or less traditional meat and seafood salads. It is a welcome guest in soups, hot vegetable dishes, casseroles and pastas, such as with ham. They can be used to decorate roasts and pizza. It will make a delicious vegetarian pate and rice with vegetables... You never know what else! If only I had a jar of my favorite, proven peas in my bins, there would always be a use for it.
Pros and cons of green peas
Pros:
Lots of protein. There is no less of it in green peas than in beef (18-20 g per 100 g of product). This product will help replenish protein reserves during diets and fasts, especially in combination with cereals.
Satisfying. Thanks to the optimal combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as the high content of starches, peas take a long time to digest, which means they drown out the “eternal voice of hunger” for a long time.
Protection for the heart and blood vessels. Peas contain a lot of lecithin and unsaturated fatty acids, which have a good effect on the cardiovascular system. In Latin American countries, where legumes are in high demand, coronary heart disease is rare.
Minuses:
Gases. Peas are “heavy artillery” for delicate digestive organs, especially for those that are not very healthy. To avoid suffering from flatulence, give preference to canned food, it is easier to digest. And don’t turn peas into a meal on their own, but add little by little to salads and vegetable dishes. The more “neighbors” he has on the plate, the better.
High calorie content. 300 kcal/100 g is no less than in rice, and more than in bread. Therefore, those who are watching their figure should eat peas not in jars, but as part of mixed dishes.
Green peas are an indispensable ingredient for Olivier salad and vinaigrette, a good side dish for meat and poultry, and goes well with pasta or mashed potatoes. Green peas are considered a completely dietary product. Like all legumes, it is a source of relatively complete protein. In canned food with natural peas, vitamins, such as vitamin C, are perfectly preserved, unlike many products.
When choosing green peas, keep in mind that these canned foods are made either from fresh raw materials or from reconstituted ones.
- Canned foods made from reconstituted peas have lower nutritional value than those made from fresh peas.
- Canned food made from fresh green peas contains more vitamin C than those made from dried and then reconstituted peas.
How can green peas be dangerous?
As it grows and matures, it accumulates pesticides. Canned food made from low-quality raw materials containing high levels of pesticides can be harmful to health.
Also, canned green peas usually contain salt. Excessive consumption of salty foods can provoke diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys.
Which green peas are better, and what violations are typical for this category, you can find out by reading the results.
We continue the topic “How to choose...” and this time the object of my attention was an equally popular product for the New Year's table - canned Green Peas!
As you know, almost no salad can do without it. And during the holidays it is one of the popular products on the shelf.
Green peas are a very healthy product in any form.
And even when canned, green peas retain almost all the valuable nutrients in which they are so rich: potassium salts, phosphorus, calcium, B vitamins, carotene, vitamin C and PP, oxalic acid, purines, fiber. And green pea protein contains all the essential amino acids, albeit in small quantities.
This concludes my short excursion about usefulness.
And now I’ll tell you how to choose delicious canned green peas.
1. Inspect the appearance of the container.
Canned green peas on our shelves are more often found in cans.
When purchasing, you need to pay attention, first of all, to the appearance of the can.
Cans that are dented or touched by rust should never be taken, because a piece of enamel inside could break off.
And when the metal interacts with the product, oxidation of the metal will occur. And this will negatively affect the quality of the product.
Under no circumstances should you use such a product!
Glass containers are definitely better! Here you can evaluate the color and appearance of the peas.
But when examining glass containers, you also need to be careful: the lid should not be swollen.
This means that air has entered the jar, and this can also lead to oxidation of the product, and the product will be dangerous to your health.
2. Appearance of the product (in glass containers)
The peas should be whole, bright, without separated skins or sprouts.
The color of canned peas can be green or light green
olive
or even yellow
But the peas must be the same color and shape.
If there are brown beans in the jar, the batch is defective!
A cloudy white sediment at the bottom of the jar indicates that there is a lot of starch in the peas, that is, the product is overripe and will be tough.
3. We carefully study the label!
The most important thing is to choose green peas according to GOST (GOST 15842-90) and pay attention to the type of canned food: the most delicious peas will be of the highest grade or “extra”!
Reading the composition.
Ideal composition: fresh vegetable peas, water, sugar, salt.
If a preservative is used, it means the technology is broken or something is wrong with the equipment.
It also contains calcium chloride: it is a hardener.
I also do not recommend buying these peas.
First, let's look at the varieties of green peas:
- brain - the highest grade. After cooking it turns even greener. Smooth grain - contains less sugars. After cooking it becomes gray-green in color; sugar - not processed;
PS. The word "brain" on a can of canned sugar peas means they are the best variety of sugar snap peas.
Look not only at the expiration date, but also at the manufacturing date.
The most delicious peas are obtained during the harvest season: June or July.
If the peas were made in winter or autumn, then dry peas were used, those that were previously soaked and steamed, and then preserved. Such a product is unlikely to retain the vitamins and other beneficial properties of green peas, and its taste will be strongly reminiscent of starch.
Sometimes on store shelves you can find canned food made from freeze-dried peas that have undergone a “recovery” process. But the quality of such canned peas is much lower than that of brain peas. Freeze-dried peas are usually manufactured according to specifications. It tastes harsher. Although the price per jar is much lower. You can also recognize it by the date of manufacture.
Happy shopping!
