Sugar snap peas and high blood pressure

For those with high blood pressure, following a healthy diet is very important in keeping blood pressure levels at a good level. One way to do this is to incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Among these are sugar snap peas, as the following guidelines will suggest.

The very essence of early summer, emerald-green sugar snaps are so tender you can eat them up — pods and all. No fussy sauces or flourishes are needed — just delicate flavourings like these.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

• 750 g (1 1/2 lb) sugar snap peas
• 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) grated lemon zest
• Salt to taste

1.  Remove strings from both sides of sugar snap peas. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add sugar snaps, lemon zest and salt to skillet and cook, stirring, until peas are just tender, about 4 minutes.

Serves 4

You can grate the lemon zest for this recipe on a box grater, but for a more attractive presentation try making tendrils of lemon zest.

• To do this, use either a zester or a vegetable peeler. Remove wide strips of lemon zest with the peeler; then, with a paring knife, cut the strips into very fine slivers.
• For a simple, heart-smart meal, serve the sugar snaps with grilled chicken and steamed new potatoes — another early summer delicacy.

•  Sugar snap peas and other edible podded peas (such as snow peas) supply three times as much vitamin C as shelled peas.
• To get the most vitamin C, eat the peas raw or cook them briefly, as in this recipe.

Each serving provides:

Key Nutrients: 130 Calories, 20 Calories from Fat, 3 g Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 4 g Protein, 14 g Carb, 4 g Fibre, 20 mg Sodium.

Blood pressure nutrients: 12 mg Vitamin C, 2 mg Magnesium, 30 mg Potassium, 86 mg Calcium.