Yellow and green split peas — the backbone of Caribbean peas soup and Southern split pea soup. Budget tier 1: one of the cheapest protein sources available. 16g fiber per cup rivals most medications for cholesterol management.
Jamaican split pea soup (peas soup) is the Caribbean national comfort food — made with yellow split peas, scotch bonnet, thyme, and pimento (allspice). Trinidadian dhal: yellow split peas cooked with turmeric and cumin, served over rice. Both traditions carried to the US South through Caribbean-American migration.
Split peas' 16g fiber per cup is clinically meaningful for cholesterol reduction — soluble fiber (beta-glucan type) binds bile acids in the gut and forces the liver to pull cholesterol from the blood to make more bile. Harvard Nurses' Health Study: women eating legumes 4+ times per week had 22% lower heart disease risk. Glycemic index of split pea soup: 60 (vs. white rice: 89) — significant for the 46% of Black adults with prediabetes or T2D. The fiber feeds Faecalibacterium prausnitzii — the beneficial gut bacteria most depleted in T2D.
Split peas do NOT require soaking — hull is already removed. Rinse thoroughly. Simmer green split peas 20-30 minutes; yellow 25-35 minutes. Stir frequently — they thicken quickly.
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