Vegetables

Peas nutrition, before and after the heat.

1 cup of peas is 117 calories and 7.9 g of protein. That is USDA’s figure for “Peas, green, raw”. Where it earns its place is vitamin C and thiamin. Pick a portion in the panel and it recalculates on the spot; the nutrient table further down moves with it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central records 170419, 170420 and are worked out locally, with no sign-up.

How many calories are in peas?

Count 117 calories for 1 cup of peas, or 81 for every 100 g. The portion weights in the table are USDA’s own measurements.

What peas offers in protein

For protein, 1 cup of peas gives you 7.9 g, which fills 16 percent of the daily 50 g benchmark. Protein supplies 27 percent of the energy in peas, which helps a day’s total without carrying it.

Its energy is 4 percent fat, 70 percent carbohydrate and 26 percent protein, meaning it behaves as mostly a carbohydrate in a meal.

How preparation changes peas

Weight is fixed at 145 g throughout, so the rows differ only in how the peas was prepared.

Peas in the kitchen

Fresh podded peas lose sugar quickly after picking. Look for pods that are plump, firm and bright green, snapping cleanly when bent. Flat mangetout and thick-walled sugar snaps should be crisp and tender. Avoid yellowing pods or dry, woody stems. Frozen peas are usually processed immediately after harvest, preserving their sweetness well.

Peas require minimal cooking. High heat quickly softens their skins, but overcooking turns the bright green grey and destroys the sweet flavour. The most common mistake is boiling them too long. Steaming or brief blanching keeps them plump. Wrinkled dried marrowfats require soaking before long, slow simmering to collapse into mushy peas.

Serve British garden peas warm with butter and fresh mint, or cold in dressed potato salads. They bring sweetness to salty pancetta in Italian pasta dishes and offset the rich spices in Indian samosas. Pureed, they form a classic pairing with battered fish, or a vibrant base for spring soups.

Everything USDA measures in peas

Top of the list for 1 cup of peas: vitamin C (64 percent of the Daily Value), thiamin (32 percent of the Daily Value), vitamin K (30 percent of the Daily Value). The remaining nutrients are tabulated underneath and update live.

Fibre runs to 5.7 g per 100 g, or 20 percent of the Daily Value.

Putting peas into a day of eating

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 cup of peas accounts for 6 percent of them, and for 16 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Peas recipes, with the numbers

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Breakfast · British

Mashed Peas on Toast

Mashed green peas seasoned with butter and pepper, served on toasted wheat bread.

15 min · serves 2

288kcal

11gprotein

11gfat

37gcarbs

Ingredients

• 250g frozen peas 250 g
• 20g unsalted butter 20 g
• 30g whole milk 30 g
• 80g wheat bread, toasted 80 g
• 2g table salt 2 g
• 1g ground black pepper 1 g

Method

1. Boil the peas in a saucepan of water for 3 minutes, then drain.
2. Return the peas to the saucepan and add the butter, milk, salt, and black pepper.
3. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until it forms a coarse paste.
4. Spoon the mashed peas evenly over the toasted bread.

Summed from 6 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Dinner · British

Pea and Ham Frittata

An egg frittata cooked in a frying pan with peas, diced ham, and cheddar cheese.

25 min · serves 2

413kcal

31gprotein

26gfat

12gcarbs

Ingredients

• 200g whole eggs 200 g
• 150g frozen peas, thawed 150 g
• 80g cured ham, diced 80 g
• 50g cheddar cheese, grated 50 g
• 10g olive oil 10 g
• 2g table salt 2 g

Method

1. Whisk the eggs, salt, and cheddar cheese together in a bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Add the peas and ham to the pan, stirring for 2 minutes.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the pan.
5. Cook without stirring for 8 minutes, then place under a preheated grill for 3 minutes to set the top.

Figures are per serving and come from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · British

Pea and Mint Soup

A smooth green soup made with sweet frozen peas, fresh mint, and vegetable stock.

20 min · serves 2

244kcal

12gprotein

7.2gfat

35gcarbs

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter 15 g
• Yellow onion, chopped 110 g
• Vegetable stock 500 g
• Frozen peas 400 g
• Fresh mint leaves 10 g
• Table salt 3 g

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the liquid to a boil.
4. Add the frozen peas and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the fresh mint leaves and remove the saucepan from the heat.
6. Blend the mixture with a hand blender until completely smooth.

Per serving, from 6 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

A plate built around peas

One way to build a meal around peas, costed from the same records. Substitute freely; the method carries over.

Vegetables: where peas sits

All figures are for 100 g. Check the form column before comparing a raw food with a cooked one.

Peas: common questions

How many calories are in 1 cup of peas?

USDA measures 1 cup of peas at 117 calories, or 81 calories for each 100 g. The record used is “Peas, green, raw” (FDC 170419).

How much protein is in peas?

1 cup of peas has 7.9 g of protein. By weight that is 5.4 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 16 percent of the Daily Value.

Is peas good for weight loss?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on peas. For planning: 1 cup of peas is 117 calories and 7.9 g of protein, 27 percent protein by energy, so pair it with something that carries more protein.

Is peas high in carbs?

21 g in 1 cup of peas, of which 8.3 g is fibre and 8.2 g is sugar.

Should frozen peas be thawed before cooking?

No. Cooking them straight from the freezer preserves their texture and bright colour. Thawing makes them wrinkled and soggy. Drop them directly into boiling water or add them to hot dishes at the very end of cooking.

How do you keep fresh peas from turning dull when cooked?

Plunge them into iced water immediately after boiling. This rapid cooling stops the cooking process instantly and locks in their vibrant green hue. Drain them thoroughly before tossing with butter or oil to serve.

Sources

• Peas, green, raw — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170419
• Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170420
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9