# Pea soup. Is it a no no!



## Katieb (Jan 5, 2012)

Anyone know if pea soup is OK? I have a fair amount of a ham joint left over and have had a request from the family to make pea soup (soak dried peas, add carrots, onions, stock and ham). I would have thought this is really high in carbs? I know the only real way to know is to try and test, but anyone had any good or bad experiences with this? Thanks. Katiex


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## Copepod (Jan 5, 2012)

All depends how much carrots etc, but there's not carbohydrate in ham, very little in stock, onions & peas and moderate in carrots, but they'll be only a minor part of the total soup, so I'd just go for it! 

Unless you include potatoes, rice or noodles, soup is generally pretty low carbohydrate. Even if you include some flour or rice flour or cornflour, it's not usually much.


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## Katieb (Jan 5, 2012)

Copepod said:


> All depends how much carrots etc, but there's not carbohydrate in ham, very little in stock, onions & peas and moderate in carrots, but they'll be only a minor part of the total soup, so I'd just go for it!
> 
> Unless you include potatoes, rice or noodles, soup is generally pretty low carbohydrate. Even if you include some flour or rice flour or cornflour, it's not usually much.



Thanks Copepod

It won't need potatoes, rice, noodles or cornflour and only a couple of small carrots for a big pan. I'll give it a go! Interesting that the dried peas aren't too high in carbs. I thought they would be! Katie


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## AlisonM (Jan 5, 2012)

I had pea soup for lunch today, veg stock, carrots, onions, ham, split green peas and garden peas. Yummy it was. And no appreciable effect on the numbers. Mind you, they've been through the roof lately anyway, at least the soup didn't make things worse.


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## Newtothis (Jan 5, 2012)

If anyone has a recipe can you post it please..will give it a go...


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## Katieb (Jan 5, 2012)

Newtothis said:


> If anyone has a recipe can you post it please..will give it a go...



I just buy a pack of dried peas, follow the instructions to soak overnight, fry off an onion, couple of carrots, stick of celery (in olive oil), add peas, cover with stock (I make my own chicken stock, but boullion or stock cubes will do), add lean ham or diced, cooked chicken, cover and simmer for an hour or so until it's the consistency you want. If the peas don't break down as well as you'd like, add a teaspoon of bicarb of soda (I like mine mushy!). Yummy!!  Katiexx

Ps. Seen a good recipe substituting the peas for cauliflower and green beans, then blitzed in a blender, then add meat for flavour! Might give it a go! Another one to add to cauli mash repertoire!


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## Pigeon (Jan 5, 2012)

Actually I think dried peas are quite high in carbs, like lentils. Maybe Copepod was thinking of fresh garden peas?

I had some ham and pea soup a while ago for lunch and guesstimated the carbs. My BG at 2 hours later was fine, but had gone up to 13 by dinner time! So I guess they are quite slow release, low GI. If I ate it again I would split my insulin dose - obviously that's not much help to you though. I don't know how these types of food work for D/E controlled T2s, but at least it shouldn't cause a fast increase in BG. Try it and see - testing before and after, if you have the strips.

Hope you enjoy it, mine was yummy!


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## trophywench (Jan 6, 2012)

According to Collins, dried peas, boiled are 19.9g carbs per 100g weight after cooking.  Fresh are 10g.  Tesco's OB frozen Petits Pois are 5g and their OB canned Marrowfats are 13.1g.  All per 100g weight after cooking.

So the short answer is I haven't a clue because I dunno what weight the peas in a whole pack would be after cooking - but I spose it might say on the packet? eg X number of portions of Yg (weight) per portion?


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## Katieb (Jan 6, 2012)

trophywench said:


> According to Collins, dried peas, boiled are 19.9g carbs per 100g weight after cooking.  Fresh are 10g.  Tesco's OB frozen Petits Pois are 5g and their OB canned Marrowfats are 13.1g.  All per 100g weight after cooking.
> 
> So the short answer is I haven't a clue because I dunno what weight the peas in a whole pack would be after cooking - but I spose it might say on the packet? eg X number of portions of Yg (weight) per portion?



And I suppose it depends how thick your soup is ie. it's not just peas, but stock and veg. So, the only way to know is to try and test! I'll let you know! Thanks for all the advice! Katiexx


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## Copepod (Jan 6, 2012)

I was thinking of reconsistituted dried peas, which are approximately the same carb content as fresh peas - no point considering carb content of something you can't eat ie still dry dried peas. 

As Katie B has also picked up the key point is that there's more to pea & ham soup than just peas!


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## Phil65 (Jan 6, 2012)

I often have home made soup, pea and ham hock, Tomatoe and red pepper, broccoli and stilton, mixed root vegetables......I nearly always estimate 30g of carb for a large bowlful, always seems to be right.


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## Katieb (Jan 6, 2012)

Phil65 said:


> I often have home made soup, pea and ham hock, Tomatoe and red pepper, broccoli and stilton, mixed root vegetables......I nearly always estimate 30g of carb for a large bowlful, always seems to be right.



How do you make the tomato and red pepper? Sounds yummy!! Katie


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## Natalie123 (Jan 6, 2012)

Sounds yummy, although no ham for me (veggie). Could you put the recipes in the recipe section so we can all find them later? I have just got myself a blender and want to start making my own soups, tinned ones are very high in salt.


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## cherrypie (Jan 6, 2012)

This is my own recipe for Pea and Ham Soup.  5/6 portions and can be frozen.

1lb peas.
11/2 pints of stock or water.
2 chopped onions.
2 chopped leeks.
Large carrot chopped.
2 chopped celery stalks.
1 teasp. ginger. Optional.
1 teasp. mustard.Optional.
Ham bone.

Soak the peas overnight.  Rinse them and place in saucepan with stock/water.
Add the chopped veggies and ham bone, bring to the boil and then and simmer for 90 minutes.
Take out a third of the soup and blend and then return to the saucepan. (This will thicken the soup).
Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 20-30 minutes.  Then add mustard and ginger and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove ham bone and take off meat and then add it to the soup. Another couple of minutes simmering and it is ready to serve.
If the soup seems too thick then add some more liquid.

The ginger and mustard are optional and you could use a spice of your choice.  I have done it with thyme/paprika.  If not for you then it could be some black pepper or even curry powder.  You could also add some garlic.


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## Copepod (Jan 6, 2012)

Although we like making soup, we don't use recipes, just use whatever veg (sometimes cooked meat / poultry left overs, too) needs using up, which depends on what we've got from our own garden (still getting parsnips, leeks & beetroot, plus garlic harvested months ago, plus onions, spinach, beans, peas, tomatoes, potatoes etc during summer), from supermarket, usually when reduced (eg mushrooms, peppers etc) or given by our neighbour when she wants to discard out of date fruit / veg from fridge or tinned from cupboard. We just add whatever carbohydrate we want in the form of potato / rice / barley / noodles. Best not to add too much stock liquid initially, as it's easier to add more liquid than boil it off. 

Only recipe I ever use is for mushroom soup, so I get the relative quantities of mushrooms and stock right. But it's copyright in a recipe book, so can't post it here.


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## Katieb (Jan 6, 2012)

We also always make home made chicken stock (or turkey!) each time we have chicken (or you can pick up some really good chicken leg deals in the supermarket, cook in oven, remove meat and use legs for stock and add meat afterwards). Simply cover carcass with water, add 3-4 whole peppercorns, an onion peeled and halved, a carrot washed and roughly chopped, leaves from celery (or cabbage/broccoli stalks) and a couple of bay leaves. Bring to boil, simmer slowly for an hour or so, drain, cool and freeze for future use. So much healthier than stock cubes or bought stock. I usally don't add any other seasoning til I use it, then add rock salt to taste if desired. Katiex


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## AlisonM (Jan 6, 2012)

My recipe is much the same as Cherry's, except for the mustard and ginger. I use lots of fresh ground black or mixed pepper, and sometimes a few curry spices. The stock is whatever I have to hand and depends on what meat or fish I've cooked recently, but mostly it'll be chicken. I use thighs a lot too, either for stock or casseroles. One thing I always do with dried peas or beans (or any pulses really) is soak them for a while first and rinse them, it gets rid of a lot of starch and they cook out really tender.

Other than that I just use up whatever is to hand, hence the fresh peas this week.


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## Phil65 (Jan 6, 2012)

Katieb said:


> How do you make the tomato and red pepper? Sounds yummy!! Katie



http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/...pepper-soup-with-crottin-de-chavignol-croutes


It's delicious Katie....although I didn't make it! .......I grew the tomatoes and peppers though


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## Katieb (Jan 6, 2012)

*Results are in!*

Well it was blooming luvly (2 big bowls full)!! Stats were 5 before eating, 6.1 after 1 hour, 5 after 2 hours! So result! Will definitely leave that one on the menu!! Katiexx


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## cherrypie (Jan 6, 2012)

Glad you enjoyed the soup Katie and the blood sugars were OK.
Any type of legumes, peas, beans, are what are called resistant starches
and I have included a couple of links to explain why they do not raise blood sugars very much.  It is always better to test as you may be the exception to the rule.

http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/resistant-starch.aspx
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/Amy-Campbell/resistant_starch_don_t_resist_its_effects/

Beans, chickpeas, added to salads, soups and stews seem to keep my blood sugars in check and you will see from the articles that cold potatoes as in potato salads do not have the same impact as hot meals with potatoes.  We are all individual in our response to foods and that is why it is best to keep a food diary and check foods when you are first diagnosed.


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## Katieb (Jan 6, 2012)

cherrypie said:


> Glad you enjoyed the soup Katie and the blood sugars were OK.
> Any type of legumes, peas, beans, are what are called resistant starches
> and I have included a couple of links to explain why they do not raise blood sugars very much.  It is always better to test as you may be the exception to the rule.
> 
> ...



Thanks Cherrypie, this is really interesting! I never realised any of this, so I am going to experiment with a few more recipes like bean salads etc. Am really grateful for the tip! Katiexx


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