The New Year comes with many commitments to healthier eating and less spending. But what if you can kill two birds with one stone?
According to Professor Tim Spector, founder of Zoe Health, the frozen version of this vegetable comes with more health benefits than it does when it’s fresh. The food expert has urged people to add this staple to their freezer to boost gut health and up your vitamin intake – and it only costs 16p!
In an Instagram video, Spector showed how to get the most out of your meals by using frozen peas in a tasty recipe for butter beans with lemon and parmesan.
The Mirror reported that this was an update on a gnocchi recipe by food website Mob. The original recipe had the aim of cutting back on processed foods.
Spector explained: “I love gnocchi but most of the stuff you buy is ultra-processed, so I’m swapping them out for these butter beans, which are going to go perfectly with this recipe.
“So, I’ve got some edamame here and frozen peas, which I love. I’m going to use crème fraiche, which is a slightly fermented food that adds microbes extra taste and flavour. There you have it – a comforting but nutritionally rich recipe that you’ll love.”
The video’s caption explained why frozen peas are a better option over fresh. Tim said: “Swap fresh peas for frozen. Frozen peas are cheaper and available all year round! Contrary to what you may think, they can actually have more vitamin C than fresh peas.”
He continued: “I’ve also added frozen edamame so you get double the plant points and a boost of plant protein.”
Peas are a superfood packed with many of the nutrients we need to stay in shape. And this is not the first time the food expert has spoken about the benefits of frozen peas over fresh.
In a previous appearance on BBC Morning Live he shared a recipe for pea pancakes, saying: “Most people don’t think of frozen peas as a health food. It’s a good alternative to protein from meat.
“Your gut produces all these chemicals that are key for your immune system, key for your brain, they stop you getting depressed, keep your metabolism under control, control your weight, stop you getting hungry. So the more your microbes get to eat, the more chemicals they can produce, the healthier you are. Forget this five-a-day, what you need is 30-a-week.”
A 910g bag of frozen peas from Ocado costs just £1.45, which works out as just 16p per 100g.
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