Peas are eaten around the world. Peas are part of the legume family which also include beans, peas, peanuts, soybeans and lentils. I especially like green peas made into a salad or stuck to mashed potatoes when eating the two together.
A recent inquiry I received from a DaVita.com visitor asked "What’s the best kind of peas to eat on my kidney (or renal) diet?"
Green Pea Variety
Green peas are a vegetable, but also considered a legume, then tend to be lower in potassium. They are also known as pulses, which are the dry seed of plants. Other examples are lentils, beans, and dry peas. We will talk more about green pea varieties in this blog. Check out this blog Beans in Your Kidney Diet that goes more into bean varieties of legumes.
The range of potassium and phosphorus vary among legumes. Since people on dialysis and those with later stage kidney disease must limit these minerals, peas are one of the foods that deserve special consideration in kidney diet meal planning, but can absolutely remain a stable in the diet. We now know that phosphorus and potassium in plant based foods are not fully absorbed by our body. We may only absorb 40-60% of the nutrients.
The chart below lists different varieties of peas and the nutrient content. By comparing varieties you can see fresh pea pods are a good choice, followed by fresh green peas because these are lowest in potassium and phosphorus. Other peas (legumes) have the greatest mineral content.
| Variety of peas | Cooked portion | Protein (g) | Potassium(mg) | Phosphorus(mg) | Sodium(mg) |
| Green peas boiled and drained | 1/2 cup | 4 | 216 | 94 | 3 |
| Green Peas boiled from frozen | 1/2 cup | 4 | 62 | 62 | 58 |
| Pea pods, snow fresh | 1/2 cup | 1 | 63 | 17 | 2 |
| Snap peas | 1/2 cup | 1 | 63 | 17 | 2 |
| Split green peas | 1/2 cup | 8.1 | 355 | 97 | 2 |
Notice the big difference in protein content for peas. Eating adequate amounts of protein while controlling phosphorus is important for stage 5 kidney patients on dialysis. For vegetarians on dialysis, green peas may provide a good amount of protein toward their daily goal.
Additional considerations for planning peas into your kidney diet include:
- Is your potassium and phosphorus well controlled on your lab report?
- Measure a 1/2 cup portion or the amount recommended by your renal dietitian
- Speak with your renal dietitian for guidelines on what is right for you specific needs.
DaVita.com has several recipes that incorporate peas. Try one or all!
