I learned something great about cowpeas, which I didn’t realize before growing them. You can actually pick them at any time during the growing season. The tender, young pods can be eaten just like green beans. The larger, still green pods can be shelled, and the peas can be boiled and eaten fresh.
Can you eat cowpeas as green beans?
Fresh cowpeas in their pods can be prepared like green beans, while dry cowpeas can be cooked and used in soups, stews, fritters, salads, or combined with grains such as rice or millet. The most well-known variety of cowpea in the US is the black-eyed pea, which is a subspecies classified as Vigna unguiculata subsp.
How do you eat cowpeas?
Both the green and purple podded varieties, as well as the yard long beans, are easily found. The pods are eaten raw or stir fried, and some may even add it to a soup or eat them steamed. Raw cowpeas are commonly added to papaya salad and make a great vegetable to dip into chili sauce dip.
Can humans eat cowpea?
In traditional Southern cuisine, the cooked beans are mixed with meat, spices, and leafy greens. However, they also make a great addition to soups, stews, and salads. Black-eyed peas are very versatile and can be added to a variety of recipes, including soups, stews, and salads.
Is cowpea same as beans?
Black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata) are a variety of the cowpea and are part of the family of beans & peas (Leguminosae or Fabaceae in the USA). Although called a pea, it is actually a bean. Both peas and beans are legumes, and both have edible seeds and pods.
What do I do with cowpeas?
Young cowpea pods are best eaten fresh, canned, or frozen. Dry cowpeas must be soaked and boiled before eating.
What are the health benefits of cowpea?
Being intrinsically rich in flavonoids, magnesium and potassium, cowpea regulates normal functioning of the cardiac muscles and lowers the inflammatory markers. While the abundance of dietary fibre and protein helps to diminish bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, triglycerides and control blood pressure.
Do you need to soak cowpeas?
The black-eyed pea, which is also known as a cowpea, doesn’t necessarily need to be soaked. But if you find yourself short on time, soaking black-eyed peas can make a true difference in regards to cooking time.
Why are peas called cowpeas?
The first written reference of the word ‘cowpea’ appeared in 1798 in the United States. The name was most likely acquired due to their use as a fodder crop for cows. Black-eyed pea, a common name used for the unguiculata cultivar group, describes the presence of a distinctive black spot at the hilum of the seed.
Are cowpea leaves edible?
They attract pollinators and beneficial microorganisms, and of course, the beans and new growth are edible. The beans (25% protein), young shoots, pea pods, and leaves of a cowpea plant are all edible.
What is the edible part of cowpea?
Edible Parts
Leaves are used boiled or stir-fried; green pods used fresh, steamed, stir-fried or sautéed; dry seeds used in soups, stews, purees, ground into flour, or fermented.
Is cow peas good for diabetics?
The cowpeas are abundant in soluble fibre and can be helpful for people suffering from diabetes. It can help you to regulate our blood sugar levels and keep that diabetes at bay. The cowpeas has a low glycemic index and be good for your blood lipid profile.
Does cowpeas cause gas?
Abstract. Abdominal discomfort after eating cowpeas is known to be a major constraint on their greater consumption. Problems associated with cowpea consumption were identified by questionnaire in 448 randomly selected families. Some (28%) of the respondents had never experienced flatulence.
Are cowpeas beans or peas?
Cowpeas are beans, not true peas like the English pea (Pisum sativum), but they’ve been called peas for so long that there’s no going back now.
What is another name for cowpea?
cowpea, (Vigna unguiculata), also called black-eyed pea or southern pea, annual plant within the pea family (Fabaceae) grown for its edible legumes.
Are black-eyed peas inflammatory?
Inflammation is at the root of most diseases, but a healthy diet including one to two servings of black-eyed peas per day can help fight chronic inflammation and prevent so many serious health problems. This anti-inflammatory effect is what provides so many of the following black-eyed pea benefits.
Are cowpeas and field peas the same?
Field peas are cowpeas, so named because they were grown as a rotational crop in the fields instead of in kitchen gardens. Dozens of different types—what we now call heirloom selections—were grown in Southern communities that valued them for their flavor and ability to flourish in local conditions.
When should you pick Cow peas?
When are cowpeas ready to pick? Cowpeas are typically ready to harvest around 60-90 days after planting, depending on the variety. The pods should be green and slightly tender to the touch before they are picked. If they are allowed to mature further on the plant, the pods will become hard and dry.
How do you store cow peas?
Harvesting Cowpeas
To harvest dry cowpea pods, pick after the pods have dried on the vine. Fresh beans can be cooked and eaten or frozen. Dried peas can be stored in jars or food storage containers for future use.
Which beans are the healthiest?
9 Healthy Beans and Legumes You Should Try
- Chickpeas.
- Lentils.
- Peas.
- Kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Soybeans.
- Pinto beans.
- Navy beans.
Is cowpea a carbohydrate or protein?
Abstract. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a legume consumed as a high‐quality plant protein source in many parts of the world. High protein and carbohydrate contents with relatively low fat content and complementary amino acid pattern to that of cereal grains make cowpea an important nutritional food in the human diet.