📊 Full nutrition facts — per 100g (raw)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily value | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 336 kcal | 17% | |
| Carbohydrates | 60.0g | 20% | |
| Dietary fibre | 10.6g | 38% | |
| Protein | 23.5g | 47% | |
| GI | ~33 — Low | — | |
| Folate | 633µg | 158% | |
| Iron | 8.0mg | 44% | |
| Potassium | 1112mg | 24% | |
| Zinc | 3.4mg | 28% | |
| Magnesium | 184mg | 46% | |
| Phosphorus | 424mg | 42% | |
| Thiamine B1 | 0.74mg | 49% |
Based on Australian NRV. Source: FSANZ and USDA Food Composition Databases.
📈 Glycaemic index (GI)
💊 Key vitamins & minerals
✅ Health benefits
Black-eyed peas provide 633µg of folate per 100g of raw beans — 158% of the daily requirement and the highest folate concentration of any common legume, surpassing lentils (479µg), chickpeas (557µg) and kidney beans. Folate is essential for DNA synthesis and repair, neural tube closure during early pregnancy, homocysteine metabolism (cardiovascular protection) and red blood cell formation. A single 150g cooked serving of black-eyed peas provides approximately 100µg of usable folate — a meaningful daily contribution.
At 23.5g of protein per 100g of dried beans, black-eyed peas are among the highest-protein legumes. When cooked (approximately 7–8g per 100g cooked), they complement grain proteins effectively — the lysine in black-eyed peas compensates for the lysine deficiency in rice, corn and wheat, creating complete protein when consumed together. This complementary combination is reflected in traditional meal pairings globally: hoppin' John (black-eyed peas with rice) in the American South, bean fritters with corn in West Africa, and dal chawal in South Asia.
Black-eyed peas provide 10.6g of dietary fibre per 100g, including substantial resistant starch and oligosaccharides (raffinose, stachyose) that pass undigested to the colon where they selectively feed Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Regular legume consumption is one of the strongest dietary predictors of beneficial gut microbiome diversity in population studies. The oligosaccharides responsible for the flatulence associated with beans are also the compounds responsible for the most profound prebiotic effects — they cannot be separated.
Black-eyed peas deliver a comprehensive cardiovascular nutritional package: folate reduces homocysteine (an independent cardiovascular risk factor), potassium (1112mg/100g dry) supports blood pressure regulation, soluble fibre reduces LDL cholesterol via bile acid binding, and iron and magnesium support cardiac muscle function. A meta-analysis of 26 randomised trials found legume consumption significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol. Population studies consistently show legume-dominant diets associated with reduced cardiovascular disease incidence.
⚠️ Who should limit or avoid
Black-eyed peas contain raffinose and stachyose — oligosaccharides that humans cannot digest, which are fermented by colonic bacteria producing gas. Soaking dried beans for 8–12 hours and discarding the soaking water reduces oligosaccharide content by 25–40%. Adding asafoetida (hing) to cooking, using fresh water for cooking, and gradually increasing legume intake to allow gut bacteria adaptation all reduce flatulence. Regular legume eaters develop tolerance within 3–4 weeks.
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas, Vigna unguiculata) are related to fava beans and contain vicine and convicine — compounds that can trigger haemolytic anaemia in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a common genetic enzyme deficiency in people of African, Mediterranean and South Asian ancestry. People with known G6PD deficiency should consult their doctor before consuming large quantities of black-eyed peas, particularly raw or sprouted preparations.
Dried black-eyed peas contain phytic acid and tannins that bind iron and zinc, reducing their absorption. The figures in the nutrition table represent total content. Soaking, cooking, fermenting and sprouting all significantly reduce antinutrient content and improve mineral bioavailability. The practical implication: consume with vitamin C-containing foods to enhance iron absorption, and soak and cook thoroughly rather than eating raw.
🛒 How to source & use black-eyed peas
Dried black-eyed peas are the most economical and nutritionally optimal form — they retain the most resistant starch and oligosaccharides, and you control soaking and cooking. Soak 8–12 hours, discard water, cook in fresh water 45–60 minutes until tender. Canned black-eyed peas are convenient and retain good nutritional value — rinse well to remove sodium and some of the gas-causing oligosaccharides. For recipes where speed matters or batch cooking is difficult, canned is an entirely acceptable option.
The most effective practical strategy: soak dried beans in cold water for 8–12 hours (or quick-soak: bring to boil, turn off, soak 2 hours). Discard all soaking water and rinse thoroughly. Cook in fresh water — this alone reduces the gas-producing oligosaccharide content by 25–40%. Adding a piece of kombu seaweed, bay leaves or asafoetida (hing) to the cooking water further reduces digestive discomfort. Never cook in the soaking water.
Hoppin' John (US South): cook with bacon, onion, rice and seasoning. Akkra/acarajé (West African/Brazilian): soak, blend to paste, deep-fry as fritters. Dal (South Asian): cook with turmeric, cumin, tomato and spices. Salads: cooked beans with capsicum, corn, coriander, lime. Soup: with ham bone, vegetables and herbs. Hummus-style dip: blend cooked beans with olive oil, garlic, lemon. Black-eyed peas absorb flavours beautifully and take on a creamy texture when fully cooked.
🧊 Storage tips & shelf life
Dried black-eyed peas store exceptionally well at room temperature in a sealed container. After 2 years the beans may still be edible but take longer to cook and have reduced nutritional value. Store in glass or hard plastic — paper bags allow moisture and pest entry. Canned beans: store at room temperature, use within best-before date.
Cooked black-eyed peas keep 4–5 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Store with a small amount of cooking liquid to prevent drying. Canned beans once opened: transfer to a sealed container, refrigerate, use within 3–4 days. Never store opened cans in the tin — transfer to glass or plastic.
Cooked black-eyed peas freeze excellently — cook a large batch, cool completely, portion into 200–250g lots (one can equivalent) and freeze flat. Thaw in the fridge overnight or add directly to hot soups and stews from frozen. The convenience of frozen home-cooked beans rivals canned at a fraction of the cost.
📖 About black-eyed peas — complete guide
Black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata) are one of the oldest domesticated food plants — archaeological evidence places cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa at least 5,000–6,000 years ago, with wild ancestors found across the savanna regions of West Africa. They spread eastward to South Asia (where they are still widely cultivated and consumed as lobia), northward to the Mediterranean, and westward across the Atlantic with the African slave trade, where they became foundational to the cuisine of the American South and the Caribbean. In the American South, eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a tradition believed to bring good luck and prosperity — a custom with direct lineage to West African traditions brought to the Americas by enslaved people. The US consumes billions of servings annually in this New Year's tradition alone.
The extraordinary folate content of black-eyed peas — 633µg per 100g dry weight, or approximately 100µg per 100g cooked — makes them one of the most practical dietary folate sources available. Folate deficiency affects hundreds of millions globally and is associated with neural tube defects in pregnancy, cardiovascular disease via homocysteine elevation, and cognitive decline. Australia mandates folic acid fortification of bread-making flour, but dietary sources from whole foods provide folate in its natural form alongside food-matrix cofactors that may enhance bioavailability. For women planning pregnancy, plant-based eaters, and anyone with elevated cardiovascular risk, black-eyed peas represent one of the most cost-effective nutritional interventions available at supermarket prices.