Split Peas Nutrition

Split peas, often used in soups, are a source of protein, minerals and vitamins. If you cook them without salt, split peas are also low in sodium. One cup contains less than 1 percent of the maximum amount recommended per day. Dietary reference intake, or DRI, percentages listed are for adults under 50. Dietary reference intakes are the recommended amounts for each nutrient per day.

Calories

One cup of cooked split peas contains 231 calories, almost 100 percent of which come from protein and carbohydrates. One cup of peas contains only .76g of fat, which provides fewer than nine of the 231 calories. Like all legumes, split peas also contain no cholesterol.

Protein

Most legumes are high in protein, and split peas are no exception. One cup of cooked peas contains 16.4g of protein, which supplies 36 percent of the DRI for women and 29 percent for men. Split peas are not a complete protein because they do not provide all nine essential amino acids. However, split peas are only missing one essential amino acid, taurine, and contain large amounts of some other essential amino acids, especially threonine, leucine and lysine.

Amino Acids

According to the minimum essential amino acid requirements listed in "The Healing Nutrients Within" by Dr. Eric R. Braverman, the requirements for threonine, leucine and lysine are 8, 16 and 12 mg/kg per day, respectively. Based on these requirements, a 175 lb. adult would need 640mg of threonine, 1,280mg of leucine and 960mg of lysine per day. One cup of split peas provides over 90 percent of the requirement for all three of these amino acids.

Carbohydrates

One cup of split peas contains 41.4g of carbohydrates, which make up more than 160 of the 231 calories. Nearly half of these carbohydrates are fiber, of which there are 16.3g per cup. This supplies more than 50 percent of the DRI of 28g of fiber. The fiber in split peas is soluble fiber, which slows digestion and lowers cholesterol.

Minerals

Split peas contain large amounts of many minerals, including iron. One cup of split peas supplies 32 percent of the DRI for iron for men and 14 percent for women. However, the iron in vegetarian sources like split peas is harder for the body to absorb than that from animal sources. You can increase the absorption of the iron in split peas by eating them with meat or a food high in vitamin C. One cup of split peas also provides 28 percent of the DRI of phosphorus, 36 percent of potassium, 39 percent of copper and more than 30 percent of manganese.

Vitamins

One cup of split peas provides 31 percent of the DRI for folate, which helps make new cells. Because of this, folate is especially important for women during pregnancy and for newborns. One cup of split peas also supplies 23 percent of the DRI for pantothenic acid and more than 30 percent for thiamin.