Field Peas

Field peas are grown for dry seed rather than picked tender as a vegetable. Farmers harvest the ripe crop for food and feed. Mills can remove the hull or grind the seeds before they reach a kibble plant.^5,10

1. 01 // Source Ripe pea seeds Field peas mature on the plant and are harvested for their dry seeds.
2. 02 // Process Shelled and dried The seeds are separated from their pods and sold as a dry crop.
3. 03 // Process Hulls removed optionally Removing the outer coat lowers fiber and raises the remaining seed's protein and starch share.
4. 04 // Process Seeds ground A mill may grind the dry seeds into flour for mixing into a kibble recipe.
5. 05 // Output Dry peas or flour Whole seeds or ground peas arrive at the plant and cook with the rest of the recipe.

1. 01

   Supplies kibble starch

   Pea starch supplies energy and helps an extruded kibble hold its shape. It gives manufacturers a starch source for recipes made without grain.^1,5

2. 02

   Adds plant protein

   Whole dry peas average about 24% protein. That protein contributes to the bag's crude protein figure, which does not distinguish plant protein from animal protein.^6,8

3. 03

   Fills bulk recipe slots

   Peas supply starch and protein from the same dry crop. That can reduce reliance on animal protein, and an industry audit found peas led dog food specialty crops by volume.^4,9

How much An 18-month dog trial used foods containing 15 or 16.4% whole yellow peas alongside separately added pea protein.¹

1. Critics say

   Field peas raise protein without adding meat

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Whole dry peas average 23.9% crude protein. The bag's protein figure counts that plant protein alongside animal protein, but the figure alone does not show the food's amino acid balance.^6,8

2. Owners say

   Field peas cause canine heart disease

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   An 8-dog, 28-day trial found subclinical heart changes with experimental wrinkled pea flour. A longer, brand-funded trial found no clinical DCM in balanced pea-containing foods. FDA has not identified a cause.^1,2,3,7

3. Brands say

   Field peas give dogs low-glycemic energy

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In an 8-dog crossover trial, only 1 wrinkled pea diet had a significantly lower glycemic index than rice. No pea diet significantly lowered peak glucose. The trial does not support calling field peas low-glycemic fuel.⁴

4. Critics say

   Field peas are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Published dry-seed samples contain 43.4 to 57.5% starch and 19 to 28.5% protein. Peas supply energy and protein, although a small dog trial found lower digestibility for some pea diets than for rice.^4,6