Green Pea Glycemic Index
Low GI · The honest verdict
Gentle on blood sugar
Glycemic index
48–54
reported range
Glycemic load
6
Low GL
This food's glycemic index is 48–54, which is Low GI.
Green peas are generally a good choice for blood sugar management — their fiber and protein slow digestion, and the glycemic load per half-cup serving is low. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice; people with diabetes should discuss portion sizes with their care team.
GI numbers vary by source, ripeness, and how a food is prepared. This is general nutrition information — not medical advice. If you manage diabetes, confirm specifics with your care team.
Key facts
Green peas provide about 4 g of fiber and 4.5 g of protein per half-cup cooked serving, both of which slow digestion.
A glycemic load of 10 or below is classified as low — green peas score about 6 per half-cup serving.
Legumes as a food group are consistently associated with improved blood sugar control in clinical nutrition research.
What's actually inside
Per 100 g, with your typical serving noted as 1/2 cup (80 g), cooked. The carb family is what moves blood sugar — fiber is the number that softens the spike.
- Total carbs
- 12g
- Net carbs
- 8g
- total carbs minus fiber
- Fiber
- 4g
- slows the glucose rise
- Sugars
- 4.5g
- Protein
- 4.5g
- Calories
- 67kcal
Notable nutrients
- Vitamin K19 mcg
- Vitamin C11 mg
- Folate50 mcg
- Thiamine (B1)0.2 mg
- Iron1.2 mg
Is it a smart choice for blood sugar?
GI is only half the story — portion (glycemic load) and what you eat it with decide the real-world effect. Here's the honest read.
The verdict
Diabetes-friendly in moderate portions
Green peas are generally a good choice for blood sugar management — their fiber and protein slow digestion, and the glycemic load per half-cup serving is low. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice; people with diabetes should discuss portion sizes with their care team.
Portion guidance
A half-cup serving of cooked green peas carries about 8 g of net carbs and a low glycemic load. Larger portions — say 1.5 cups or more — will add up meaningfully in carbs, so it helps to pair them with protein or healthy fat to keep the meal response gentle.
This is general nutrition information, not personal medical advice. Blood sugar responses are individual — if you have diabetes or prediabetes, your care team can tell you how this fits your plan.
How to keep the spike small
The same food can land differently depending on how it's cooked and what it's eaten with. Use these levers to your advantage.
Boiling or steaming
Raises GICooking softens cell walls and gelatinizes starch slightly, making carbs marginally more available than in raw peas. The effect is modest compared to more starchy vegetables.
Eating them cold (chilled cooked peas)
Lowers the spikeCooling cooked legumes encourages resistant starch formation, which is digested more slowly and produces a lower glucose response.
Pairing with protein or fat
Lowers the spikeAdding chicken, cheese, or olive oil to a pea dish slows gastric emptying and blunts the overall glucose curve of the meal.
Pureeing or mashing
Raises GIBreaking down cell structure increases surface area for digestion, potentially raising the GI slightly compared to whole peas.
Pairing tip
Toss green peas with olive oil and feta, or stir them into a protein-rich dish like a chicken stir-fry or salmon salad. Acid (lemon juice, vinegar) added to the dish can also help moderate the glycemic response.
Why GI numbers vary
Published GI values for green peas range from about 48 to 54 across different studies. The variation reflects differences in pea variety (fresh vs. frozen vs. dried), ripeness at harvest, cooking method, and the relatively small sample sizes typical of GI testing. Most sources agree the food is in the low-to-medium zone, with typical values clustering at the lower end of that range.
Not medical advice. This page is general nutrition information about Green Pea. It isn't a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, or another condition affecting blood sugar, confirm any dietary decisions with your doctor or care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally yes. Green peas are a fiber- and protein-rich legume with a moderate GI and a low glycemic load in normal portions, which means they digest relatively slowly and produce a modest blood sugar response. Most diabetes nutrition guidance treats them as an acceptable carbohydrate source rather than a food to avoid. Portion size still matters — confirm specifics with your care team.
Published values for green peas typically range from about 48 to 54, which puts them at the low end of the medium GI category or just within the low GI threshold of 55. Because sources report slightly different numbers depending on preparation and study methodology, we list a range rather than a single precise value.
Yes, but modestly. A half-cup serving has about 8 g of net carbs and a glycemic load of around 6, which is low. The fiber and protein in peas slow digestion, so blood sugar rises gradually rather than sharply. Eating very large amounts or pureeing them can increase the response somewhat.
Green peas sit in the middle of the legume GI range. Chickpeas, lentils, and black beans tend to have slightly lower GI values (28–40), while green peas land a bit higher at 48–54. All are substantially lower-GI than starchy foods like white rice or white bread, making them a relatively blood-sugar-friendly carbohydrate choice.
Frozen peas are typically processed at peak ripeness and blanched briefly, which preserves their fiber structure. Canned peas are cooked longer and stored in liquid, which can soften them more — potentially a slightly higher GI. The difference is likely small in practice, but fresh or frozen peas are generally the better choice.
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Reviewed by
Curex Editorial TeamReviewed for accuracy
Last reviewed July 2026