An Analysis of Wasabi Peas Nutrition Info

An Analysis of Wasabi Peas Nutrition Info
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Wasabi is a green condiment with a pungent taste, resembling horseradish. It traces in origin to Japan, where it finds widespread use as a sushi condiment. Wasabi peas are dried green peas with a wasabi coating. Frying and seasoning wasabi-coated peas makes for a spicy and crunchy snack.

Image Credit: flickr.com/Paul Downey

Nutrition Info

An oz (28.3 grams) of natural wasabi peas provides 118 calories, 3.8 grams of fat including 0.9 grams of saturated fat, 123 mg of sodium, 16.1 grams of carbohydrates, including 1.9 grams of dietary fiber, and 1.9 grams of sugar, 4.7 grams of protein, and 18.9 mg of calcium.

A standard serving size (30 grams) or 1/4 of a cup of wasabi peas available at Trader Joe’s provides 120 calories including 25 calories from fat, 3 grams of fat including 1 gram of saturated fat, 240 mg of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates including 2 grams of sugar and no dietary fiber, and 4 gram of protein.

The same serving size of Wild Oats’ wasabi green peas provide 130 calories, 3 grams of fat including 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 230 mg of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates including 4 grams of dietary fiber and 3 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein, and 15 mg of calcium.

Comparison

An analysis of wasabi peas nutrition facts reveal that natural wasabi peas compares slightly better against standard potato chips that contain 155 grams of fat including 95 calories from fat, 10.6 grams of fat including 3.1 grams of saturated fat, 149 mg of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates and 1.9 grams of protein per oz serving size. Surprisingly, the same serving size of Lays Classic Potato Chips though higher in calories and fat, has lesser sodium levels (180 mg) compared to the sodium levels of wasabi peas at Traders Joe (240 mg) and Wild Oats’ (230 mg).

Comparing wasabi peas with tortilla chips provide almost the same nutritional values, with tortilla chips marginally higher in fat but marginally less in sodium.

Comparing wasabi peas with popcorn, the same one-oz quantity of air popped popcorn provides 110 calories, including 12 calories from fat, 1.3 grams of fat including 0.2 grams of saturated fat, 2 mg of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates including 4.1 grams of dietary fiber and 0.2 grams of sugar and 3.7 grams of protein, making it a healthier snack option.

Health Benefits

An analysis of wasabi peas nutrition reveals that like all foods, it provides some health benefits but can also cause some harmful effects.

Wasabi has anti cancer, anti microbial, and anti inflammatory properties that extend to wasabi peas. Similarly, green peas are a rich source of nutrients such as folic acid, manganese, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and B Vitamins.

Wasabi peas are a high protein snack, and make for a good source of protein necessary for proper muscle growth and maintenance, and for creating hormones and enzymes. Vegetarians would find wasabi peas especially useful for their daily proteins.

Wasabi peas health benefits extend to the high dietary fiber levels found in most wasabi peas versions. Dietary fiber reduce cholesterol levels, prevent colon cancer and help in weight control.

Wasabi peas are also a rich source of calcium that contributes to maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. The traditional source of protein is dairy products, and those allergic to dairy products would do well to consume wasabi peas instead.

Another major wasabi peas health benefits is that it contains zero cholesterol.

A major disadvantage of wasabi peas, especially the ones found in grocery shelves of Traders Joe and Wild Oats’ is high sodium content. Just one serving of such wasabi peas provides about ten percent of the recommended maximum level of 2400 mg of sodium, and most people consume more than one serving. Excess sodium intake can cause high blood pressure and heart disease.

Wasabi peas are high in carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar raises insulin level, which inhibits the release of growth hormones and depresses the immune system. Sugar also promotes storage of body fat, which causes weight gain.

The amount of calorie count per serving of wasabi peas is small when considering the recommended daily intake of about 2000 to 2700 calories, but most people do not resist the temptation of eating more and more of this snack, reading to a potential risk of high calorie intake.

References

CalorieKing.com “Calories in Wasabi Peas.” https://www.calorieking.com/foods/search.php?keywords=wasabi+peas&showresults=yes. Retrieved 11 January 2011.

Other nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com. Retrieved 11 January 2011.