The "top stream" is on the market! Fresher than Chinese cabbage, high in vitamin C! It is the soul of Sichuan people's winter table

In Sichuan's winter, peas are an indispensable green vegetable on the table. As the "top vegetable" on the table, how much do Sichuan people love it?

Some people say: "Pea tips make Chengdu people take the initiative to order a simmered hot pot" and "Winter is coming when pea tips are boiled." According to data previously obtained by "Chengdu Release" from the Chengdu Agricultural Products Central Wholesale Market, the average daily sales volume of pea tips in November 2023 was about 20 tons.

Now is the time when pea tips are fresh and plump. Today we will talk about why so many people like pea tips? How did pea tips occupy the hearts of Sichuan people in winter? What is unique about them?

Pea tip. Copyright image from the photo library. Reproduction may lead to copyright disputes.

Pea tips and pea shoots

What is the difference between the two?

When it comes to pea tips, many people may be a little confused and think that pea tips are pea sprouts. In fact, they are different.

Pea seedlings are pea seedlings that germinate through soilless cultivation, just like soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts.

Pea seedlings. Copyright image from the photo library. Reproduction and use may lead to copyright disputes.

Pea tips generally refer to the topmost tender leaves of pea plants when the stems and leaves reach a certain degree of maturity. They can continue to grow after being pinched off, a bit like Chinese toon sprouts. Pea tips can be used to make soup or stir-fry. They are fresh, delicious, refreshing, and rich in flavor and fragrance.

Pea tip. Copyright image from the photo library. Reproduction may lead to copyright disputes.

Pea tips are grown in Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guangdong and other places in my country. They are the favorite dish of Sichuan people in winter and the top dish on the dining table. They are also called "pea tips". "Tip" means "the tip" in Sichuan dialect.

When picking pea tips, if you want to eat the freshest and tenderest part, you usually only "pinch" the tenderest tip at the top, about the length of a palm. If you pinch too long, the stem will be too old and affect the taste. The harvesting cycle of pea tips is short. They can be harvested 30 days after sowing, and then every 15 to 20 days. They can continue to grow after harvesting.

Good taste and top nutrition

Fresh pea tips have a moisture content of more than 90%, making them particularly tender. Not only are they delicious, they are also very nutritious! They are known as "the best species in the vegetable circle."

1. Vitamin C is higher than oranges

Among the large family of vegetables, those that are particularly rich in vitamin C are rare. Sprouts are also mostly not rich in vitamin C, such as soybean sprouts, mung bean sprouts, pea sprouts, etc. Their vitamin C content is only between 4 and 8 mg/100 g, while pea tips contain much more vitamin C than them.

A document determined the nutritional components of 97 pea tips and found that the vitamin C content of different varieties of pea tips was between 34 and 76 mg/100 g; and the leaves > tendrils > stems. Other data showed that the vitamin C content of pea tip leaves was as high as 166 mg/100 g.

It can be seen that the vitamin C content of pea tips is the best among sprouts, higher than that of oranges among fruits. Eating 100 grams of fresh pea tips (about a handful of hands) can replenish us with sufficient vitamin C.

2. Rich in Antioxidants

Pea tips are also rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids, polyphenols, carotene, proanthocyanidins, etc. The content of these ingredients is also most abundant in the leaves of pea tips, followed by the tendrils, and the least in the stems.

Therefore, the leaves at the tip of the pea are the part with the strongest antioxidant properties.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

3. Dietary fiber is not bad

Someone measured the main nutrients of 97 different varieties of pea tips and found that the dietary fiber content varied, ranging from 0.3% to 2.2%. The dietary fiber content of pea tips of No. 8 and B-19 peas reached more than 2 grams per 100 grams.

According to the data in the "Chinese Food Composition Table", the dietary fiber content of soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts we usually eat is 1.5 grams/100 grams and 1.2 grams/100 grams respectively.

4. High in protein

The protein content of most vegetables is not high. The cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, loofah, rapeseed, celery, etc. that we usually eat do not exceed 2 grams/100 grams, while the protein content of pea tips can reach 3.5 grams/100 grams, which can do a small part to supplement protein in the diet.

5. Low in calories

As a fresh vegetable with a high water content, pea tips are not high in calories.

The Clinical Nutrition Department of West China Hospital of Sichuan University commissioned the Chengdu Food and Drug Inspection Institute to collect samples of pea tips from 9 different areas in the greater Chengdu area for testing. It was found that the calorie content of pea tips is only 21.6 kcal/100 g. Even if you eat two handfuls, the calorie intake is less than half an apple.

The carbohydrate content is 1.3 grams per 100 grams. Some researchers have also measured that the reducing sugar content of pea tips is very low. The reducing sugar content of tendrils, stems and leaves is only 0.58%, 0.42% and 0.3% respectively, which is really low.

Therefore, even if you are losing weight or need to control your blood sugar, you can rest assured to enjoy the deliciousness of pea tips.

Try eating pea tips like this

Better nutrient retention

The flower language of pea tips is: Don't eat old ones. When eating pea tips, you must choose fresh and tender ones. Old pea tips are not delicious. And you should buy as much as you eat, and don't buy too much to stock up.

This is not only because long storage time will lead to nutrient loss, but also because pea tips easily lose water and become wilted. If the pea tips are picked and stored overnight, they will become soft and droopy, and the taste will deteriorate.

In order to retain the deliciousness and nutritional value of pea tips, attention should also be paid to the cooking process.

1. Wash before picking

Don't rush to pick the pea tips you bought. It is best to wash them with clean water before picking them, and try to rinse them with running water, and don't soak them in water for a long time. This can avoid the loss of water-soluble vitamins and retain more nutrients to the greatest extent.

2. Quick cooking

Pea tips are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are more afraid of heat. In order to minimize nutrient loss, they must be cooked quickly to shorten the heating time of the pea tips.

For example, when stir-frying pea tips, use a high heat and stir-fry method. When making soup, it is best to wait until the pot boils before putting them in. When eating noodles or rice noodles, just throw them into the pot before serving. When eating hot pot, just blanch them for about 10 seconds.

Image source: A social platform

3. Do not heat repeatedly

Eat dishes as soon as possible after they are prepared. Do not reheat them repeatedly to avoid the loss of nutrients due to prolonged storage and repeated heating.

Finally, I would like to ask if you have ever eaten pea tips? What is your favorite way to eat them?

References

[1] Xiang Juan, Pan Shaokun, Ma Yuezhou, Wang Yuanyuan, Lu Ronghai, Chen Ling. Current status, development and advantageous planting areas of pea tip industry in my country[J]. Sichuan Agricultural Science and Technology, 2021(12):72-75

[2] Cui Cui, Sun Jianrong, Zhao Yufeng, Gao Huanhuan, Cheng Chuang, Wang Ruili, Wang Liuyan, Zhou Qingyuan. Genetic diversity analysis and comprehensive evaluation of several nutritional quality traits of pea sprouts[J]. Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 2019, 20(4): 932-948.

[3] Ma Jie, Sun Bo, Xue Shengling, Xia Xue, Tian Yuxiao, Zhang Fen, Wang Song. Analysis of main nutrients, bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity of pea tips[J]. Food and Machinery, 2016, 32(4): 47-51

[4] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review丨Zhong Kai, Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center