image via pixabay
Green peas on top of being one of the healthiest foods in the world, is also one of the more environmentally friendly crops.
Most of us are fully and horrifically aware of the damage livestock farming does on the environment. But did you know that even with all that collateral damage of the meat trade, only 5% of the original protein survives the conversion and journey of animal feed, to animal, to meat on you dinner plate? This is an unsustainable and detrimental protein source.
There are other, green ways to receive your necessary protein intake. A typical 1 cup serving of green peas is packed with 8 grams of protein. All this protein without the saturated fat and cholesterol in a serving of meat.
My vegetarian plug aside, green peas also benefit the environment by essentially resetting the nitrogen levels in nutrient depleted soils. There are many ways that growing green peas is good for the Earth. Because of the shallow root system of this legume, growing green peas causes less soil erosion than other crops. Rotating green peas with other crops has been proven to be beneficial for pest reduction. The small plant remainders left behind after harvesting peas breaks down easily, replenishing the soil with the many vitamins and minerals of the crop.
What’s good for your body, is good for earth. So celebrate this amazing little legume, and go eat some peas.