Split peas: plenty of fiber, and a cholesterol result that belongs to pulses as a group

A 2026 meta-analysis of 38 randomized trials with 2095 people found that a median 4.6 oz (130 g) of whole pulses a day, over a median 6 weeks, lowered LDL cholesterol by 5.4 mg/dL (95% CI 3.1 to 7.3; metric: 0.14 mmol/L, 0.08 to 0.19), with similar results across pulse types. That is a finding about pulses as a group, and its authors asked for more trials on dried peas specifically. The one direct pea trial is less clear. In 6 weeks, adults with mildly high cholesterol who ate 4.2 oz (120 g) a day of cooked yellow and green peas had LDL 4.3 mg/dL (0.11 mmol/L) lower than a rice group (95% CI 0.29 lower to 0.07 higher), which did not reach significance. Beans in the same trial did reach it, at 0.21 mmol/L. The paper does not say whether its peas were split. On the plate, a cup of split peas cooked from dried, 180 g, gives about 211 calories, 14.9 g protein, 14.8 g fiber and 648 mg potassium, according to a US survey record whose recipe includes salt.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What a real portion looks like

• A cup (180 g) of split peas cooked from dried without added fat provides about 211 calories, 14.9 g protein, 14.8 g fiber and 648 mg potassium. — US dietary survey food record Evidence E source
  Per 100 g cooked: 117 calories, protein 8.29 g, carbohydrate 20.97 g, fiber 8.2 g, iron 1.28 mg, folate 61 ug DFE, potassium 360 mg, sodium 233 mg (recipe salt)

What cooking and storage change

• UK tables show dried split peas going from 0.70 mg to 0.11 mg thiamin and from 910 mg to 270 mg potassium per 3.5 oz (100 g) after boiling in unsalted water, as water rises from 12% to 67%. — UK food composition table records, raw and boiled Evidence E source
  Per 100 g raw vs boiled: energy 328 vs 126 calories, protein 22.1 vs 8.3 g, iron 5.40 vs 1.70 mg, potassium 910 vs 270 mg, thiamin 0.70 vs 0.11 mg, water 12.1 vs 67.3 g

What it does to your health

• A 2026 meta-analysis of 38 randomized trials found that about 4.6 oz (130 g) of whole pulses a day, including peas, lowered LDL cholesterol by 5.4 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L) over a median 6 weeks, with similar effects across pulse types. — 2095 participants in 38 trials of at least 3 weeks, median 130 g/day of pulses (n = 2095) Evidence A source
  LDL-C -5.4 mg/dL (95% CI -7.3 to -3.1; metric: -0.14 mmol/L, -0.19 to -0.08); non-HDL-C -8.5 mg/dL (95% CI -12 to -5.4; metric: -0.22 mmol/L, -0.30 to -0.14); GRADE moderate to high
• In a randomized crossover trial in 25 young men, a 250 calories meal of canned yellow split peas lowered appetite and food intake at a pizza meal 260 minutes later compared with macaroni and cheese. — 25 men, mean age 21.3, BMI 21.6; single test meals of chickpea, lentil, yellow split pea or macaroni and cheese (n = 25) Evidence B source
  Lower appetite before the pizza meal and lower food intake (p < 0.05) for lentil and yellow pea; yellow pea did not lower glucose after the second meal
• In a randomized crossover trial in 35 men, a fiber-matched meal of fava beans and split peas was followed by the same later energy intake and appetite as meals based on veal and pork or eggs. — 35 healthy men aged 18 to 50, four iso-caloric test meals about 3550 kJ with 19% energy from protein (n = 35) Evidence B source
  No difference in ad libitum energy intake, hunger, satiety or fullness across meals (all p > 0.05)
• In a case-control study of 186 African-American adults undergoing colonoscopy, eating legumes such as dried beans, split peas or lentils was associated with lower odds of colorectal adenoma. — 186 African-American men and women, mean age 58, undergoing colonoscopy (n = 186) Evidence C source
  OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.91)
• A 2026 systematic review of 40 human studies found that pulses gave lower blood glucose responses than wheat products or white rice in 28 of 40 studies and lower insulin responses in 16 of 24. — 40 acute human intervention studies of non-oil-seed pulses (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, lupin) vs starchy controls (n = 40 studies) Evidence B source
  Lower postprandial glucose in 28/40 and insulin in 16/24 studies vs control
• In a 6-week randomized trial in adults with mildly high cholesterol, 120 g a day of cooked yellow and green peas did not significantly lower LDL cholesterol against rice, while the same amount of beans did. — adults with mild hypercholesterolemia, Edmonton and Winnipeg, 3 parallel arms of 60, 6 weeks (n = 180) Evidence B source
  Peas vs rice LDL -4.3 mg/dL (95% CI -11 to 2.7; metric: -0.11 mmol/L, -0.29 to 0.07); beans vs rice -0.21 (95% CI -0.39 to -0.03); no change in triglycerides, glucose, insulin or blood pressure

What people believe that the data does not support

• Split peas are not automatically blood-sugar friendly: in one trial reviewed in 2026, a split yellow pea snack did not lower glucose, while pinto bean and chickpea snacks did. — one acute trial (Johnston et al) cited in a 2026 systematic review of pulses Evidence C source
  Split yellow pea and green lentil snacks: no significant effect on glucose; whole yellow pea snack: higher glucose response than control

Who this works differently for

• In a 16-week randomized trial in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a low-GI diet of lentils, beans, split peas and chickpeas cut the insulin response to glucose more than the TLC diet, by 121 vs 27 uIU/mL x min. — 95 women aged 18 to 35 with PCOS randomized, 61 completed (30 pulse, 31 TLC), 16 weeks with exercise and counseling (n = 61) Evidence B source
  Insulin AUC -121.0 vs -27.4 uIU/mL x min (p = 0.05); LDL-C -7.7 vs -3.9 mg/dL (-0.2 vs -0.1 mmol/L) (p = 0.05); TC/HDL-C -0.4 vs 0.1 (p < 0.001)
• In a randomized crossover trial in 6 healthy adults on 4 days of bed rest, a pulse-based diet with split peas lowered HOMA-IR from 1.48 to 0.88, while it stayed at 1.37 on a hospital diet. — 6 healthy adults, 30 years on average, 4 days of bed rest per diet, 1-month washout (n = 6) Evidence B source
  HOMA-IR 1.48 to 0.88 vs 1.38 to 1.37 (p = 0.022); bone resorption marker Ntx +33% vs +89% (p = 0.035)

The bottom line

Boiling changes the numbers a lot. UK tables list dried split peas at 910 mg potassium and 0.70 mg thiamin per 3.5 oz (100 g) raw, and at 270 mg and 0.11 mg once boiled in unsalted water. Part of that drop is simply added water, which rises from 12 to 67 percent of the weight, so compare cooked with cooked. The US record for cooked split peas carries 233 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g) because its recipe adds salt, and that part is up to the cook. Blood sugar is where split peas get less credit than pulses in general. A 2026 systematic review of 40 single-meal studies counted lower glucose after pulses than after wheat products or white rice in 28 of them, and lower insulin in 16 of 24, without pooling them into one estimate. In one trial that review describes, a split yellow pea snack did not significantly lower glucose, while pinto bean and chickpea snacks did. A whole yellow pea snack even raised glucose more than the control. Those were processed snacks, and we have that trial only as the review retells it. Two short meal studies looked at fullness. In 25 young men, a single 250 calories meal of canned yellow split peas lowered appetite and cut how much they ate at a pizza meal 260 minutes later, compared with macaroni and cheese. In 35 healthy men, a meal of fava beans and split peas matched meals based on veal and pork or eggs for later intake and appetite, with no significant difference between any of them. The rest is weaker. In a 16-week trial of women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a low-GI diet of lentils, beans, split peas and chickpeas cut the insulin response to a glucose test by 121 against 27 uIU/mL x min on a standard lifestyle diet. Only 61 of the 95 women finished, and the difference sat right at p = 0.05. Six healthy adults on four days of bed rest saw HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance, fall from 1.48 to 0.88 on a pulse diet. It stayed near 1.37 on a hospital diet, a result from six people over four days. A case-control study of 186 African-American adults linked eating legumes such as split peas with lower odds of colorectal adenoma (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.91), an association from a small sample with a very wide interval. We found no studies on allergy, pregnancy, children or drug interactions for split peas, so this page cannot say who should be careful with them.

Compared with other foods

Sources

1. spp-daily-r3-01 · food composition dataset
   Split peas, from dried, no added fat | FNDDS code 41303000 | fdc_id 2707420 | 1 cup 10205 = 180 g | 1 oz dry, yield after cooking 40014 = 70 g | per 100 g: Energy 117 kcal, Protein 8.29 g, Carbohydrate 20.97 g, Fiber 8.2 g, Iron 1.28 mg, Folate DFE 61 ug, Potassium 360 mg, Sodium 233 mg
   USDA FNDDS, Split peas, from dried, no added fat, food code 41303000, fdc_id 2707420 · checked 2026-09-28
2. spp-daily-r3-02 · food composition dataset
   Peas, split, dried, raw | CoFID 13-141 | Energy 328 kcal | Protein 22.1 g | Water 12.1 g | Iron 5.40 mg | Potassium 910 mg | Thiamin 0.70 mg || Peas, split, dried, boiled in unsalted water | CoFID 13-142 | Energy 126 kcal | Protein 8.3 g | Water 67.3 g | Iron 1.70 mg | Potassium 270 mg | Thiamin 0.11 mg
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, Peas, split, dried, raw (13-141) and boiled in unsalted water (13-142), OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-09-28
3. spp-daily-r3-03 · meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
   Thirty-eight trials (52 trial comparisons, n=2095) with a median of 6 weeks and dose of 130 g/d (0.5-0.67 cup/d) showed that whole dietary pulses decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (mean difference, -0.14 mmol/L [95% CI, -0.19 to -0.08]), non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (-0.22 mmol/L [95% CI, -0.30 to -0.14]), ... Analyses by pulse type showed similar results. ... Future studies on chickpeas, dried peas, and lentils are warranted.
   J Am Heart Assoc, 2026 · checked 2026-09-28
4. spp-daily-r3-05 · randomized crossover trial
   Males (n = 25; 21.3 ± 0.5 years; 21.6 ± 0.3 kg·m(-2)) randomly consumed 4 isocaloric meals: chickpea; lentil; yellow split pea; and macaroni and cheese (control). ... The lentil and yellow pea, but not chickpea, treatments led to lower appetite ratings during the 260 min prepizza meal period, and less FI at the pizza meal, compared with macaroni and cheese (p < 0.05).
   Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2011 · checked 2026-09-28
5. spp-daily-r3-06 · randomized crossover trial
   We investigated how a meal based on vegetable protein (fava beans/split peas) affected ad libitum energy intake and appetite sensations, compared to macronutrient-balanced, iso-caloric meals based on animal protein (veal/pork or eggs). Thirty-five healthy men were enrolled in this acute cross-over study. ... There were no differences in ad libitum energy intake across test meals (p > 0.05).
   Nutrients, 2018 · checked 2026-09-28
6. spp-daily-r3-08 · case-control study
   In a case-control design, 186 men and women with a mean of 58 years of age were studied. ... Study results revealed that consumption of legumes such as dried beans, split peas, or lentils was negatively associated with risk (OR = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.04-0.91).
   J Natl Black Nurses Assoc, 2006 · checked 2026-09-28
7. spp-daily-r3-09 · systematic review
   Most of the articles in this review reported that non-oil-seed pulses cause lower glucose (28 of 40 studies) and insulin (16 of 24 studies) responses than other starchy foods in the control groups (mainly wheat-flour-based products or white rice).
   Nutr Rev, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
8. spp-daily-r3-11 · randomized controlled trial
   Mean LDL-cholesterol was lower in the bean group (-0.21; 95% CI: -0.39, -0.03) but not the pea group (-0.11; 95% CI: -0.29, 0.07) relative to rice after 6 wk.
   J Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
9. spp-daily-r3-10 · systematic review
   Johnston et al reported a significantly smaller increase in glucose compared with the control following consumption of the pinto bean and chickpea snacks only, but reported no significant effects following consumption of the split yellow pea and green lentil snacks. Consumption of the whole yellow pea snack even led to an increased glucose response compared with the control.
   Nutr Rev, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
10. spp-daily-r3-04 · randomized controlled trial
    We compared the effects of a low-glycemic index pulse-based diet, containing lentils, beans, split peas, and chickpeas, to the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet on cardio-metabolic measures in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Ninety-five women (18⁻35 years) enrolled in a 16-week intervention; 30 women in the pulse-based and 31 in the TLC groups completed the study. ... The pulse-based group had a greater reduction in total area under the curve for insulin response to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (mean change ± SD: -121.0 ± 229.9 vs. -27.4 ± 110.2 µIU/mL × min; p = 0.05)
    Nutrients, 2018 · checked 2026-09-28
11. spp-daily-r3-07 · randomized crossover trial
    Using a randomized, counter-balanced cross-over design with one-month washout, six healthy individuals (30 ± 12 years) consumed the diets during four days of bed rest. ... decreased HOMA-IR (1.38 ± 0.54 to 1.37 ± 0.50 hospital diet vs. 1.48 ± 0.54 to 0.88 ± 0.37 pulse-based diet; p = 0.022), and attenuated the increase in Ntx (+89 ± 75% hospital diet vs. +33 ± 20% pulse-based diet; p = 0.035).
    Nutrients, 2019 · checked 2026-09-28