Cowpeas can be grown in many cultures as a backyard garden plot, and the greens are actually more packed with nutrition than even the peas themselves. All the edible parts of the plants must be cooked first, for human consumption…they are not edible raw.
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 are the benefits of cowpeas leaves?
Cowpea leaves are known to be rich in proteins, vitamins such as provitamin A, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin C, and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron (Kirakou, 2014; Xiong et al., 2016).
Can you eat black-eyed pea leaves?
Black eyed pea leaves can be eaten! Sweet potato leaves, okra leaves, are also edible! In West Africa cassava leaves join these as traditional vegetables along with wild and other cultivated greens! Black eyed peas symbolize the eye of G-d.
Do cow peas leaves have acid?
The mean ascorbic acid content was 627 mg/100 g, zinc content 5.5m g/100 g and iron content 18 mg/100 g. The men nitrate content was 732.5 mg/100 g, total oxalates 5830 mg/100 g and soluble oxalates 3650 mg/100 g, while the lead content averaged 1.03 mg/100 g.
How do you eat cowpea leaves?
Harvesting Cowpea Leaves and Pods
You should pick the young leaves, but not the ones next to the tip of the stem. The younger leaves are more tender, succulent and nutritional compared to the older leaves. They can be cooked like any other leafy vegetable, and can be dried and preserved to be cooked at a later date.
Can cowpeas be eaten like green beans?
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.
Are cowpeas and black-eyed peas the same thing?
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.
Is cowpeas good for weight loss?
Due to their content of protein and soluble fiber, adding black-eyed peas to your diet is a great way to boost weight loss.
Is cowpea a protein or carbohydrate?
Cowpea is a nutritious food source, rich in protein, digestible and nondigestible carbohydrates, and potassium with very low lipids and sodium content. Cowpeas also contain a number of essential amino acids, and polyphenols with antioxidant activity.
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.
Do black-eyed peas raise blood sugar?
The soluble fiber in black eyed peas slows digestion, which helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of blood sugar spikes. This lowered risk makes black eyed peas a healthy food choice for people with diabetes.
Are black-eyed peas good for your liver?
Selenium is a mineral that is not present in most fruits and vegetables but can be found in black beans. It plays a role in liver enzyme function and helps detoxify some cancer-causing compounds in the body.
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.
Is cowpea good for diabetes?
Cowpeas are inherently low in glycemic index, as compared to other legumes and lentils, assists diabetic patients to maintain the blood sugar levels within the normal range. Aside from this, the goodness of soluble dietary fibre and protein keep you satiated, delays gastric emptying time and control blood sugar spike.
Why are cowpeas 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.
How do you preserve cowpea leaves?
Boiled, sun-dried and blanched cowpea leaves were the most utilized forms of the vegetable by 81.5%, 44.9% and 16.5% of the households respectively. The traditional preservation methods practised in the households were sun-drying (77.5%), blanching (27.3%) and a combination of the two (54.1%).
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 do cowpeas look like?
Cowpeas are typically climbing or trailing vines that bear compound leaves with three leaflets. The white, purple, or pale-yellow flowers usually grow in pairs or threes at the ends of long stalks. The pods are long and cylindrical and can grow 20–30 cm (8–12 inches) long, depending on the cultivar.
Do people eat cowpeas?
Cowpeas, also called black-eyed peas or Southern peas, are a staple associated with meals in the American South. This nutritious, easy-to-grow legume can be grown just about anywhere though.
What’s the difference between cowpeas and pigeon peas?
The main differences between Cowpea (Black-eyed pea) and Pigeon pea. Cowpea (Black-eyed pea) contains less Copper, Folate, Manganese, Vitamin B1, Iron, Fiber, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin B5 than Pigeon pea. Daily need coverage for Copper from Pigeon pea is 88% higher.