Dried Peas

Dried peas are a harvested crop, not a processing leftover. Growers let field peas mature before collecting the seeds. Food makers may remove the hull and grind the seeds before adding them to kibble.⁷

1. 01 // Source Mature field peas Field peas are harvested when the seeds have ripened and dried.
2. 02 // Process Hull removed optionally Removing the hull cuts fiber and increases the remaining seed's share of starch and protein.
3. 03 // Process Ground Grinding breaks seed cells and exposes their starch and protein to digestive enzymes.
4. 04 // Output Dried peas Whole or ground dry seeds reach the kibble plant as a starch and protein ingredient.

1. 01

   Supplies kibble starch

   Peas replace some grain starch in a recipe. Their starch supplies energy and takes part in forming extruded kibble; the same seeds also bring protein.^1,6

2. 02

   Raises crude protein

   Pea protein counts toward the crude protein guarantee. That number does not separate plant protein from animal protein or show whether the amino acids are balanced.^1,6,9

3. 03

   Works at production scale

   An industry ingredient analysis ranked peas as the leading specialty crop used in dog food by volume. It shows substantial use, not a cost advantage.¹⁰

How much A dog metabolism trial used 44.14% ground dried peas by recipe weight; that test level does not describe a typical food.¹

1. Critics say

   Peas add protein without adding meat

   Evidence

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

   Dried peas average 23.9% crude protein on a dry matter basis. A 10-dog test used them as a protein ingredient. They raise a food's protein figure without adding meat, but the recipe still needs enough methionine.^1,6,9

2. Brands say

   Peas give dogs slow-release energy

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   In an 8-dog trial, blood glucose responses differed among pea, lentil and rice diets after 7 days of feeding. The results depended on the pulse variety and did not show a health benefit for healthy dogs.²

3. Owners say

   Peas cause heart disease in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   An 8-dog, 28-day trial found changes in heart measures with wrinkled pea flour, which a correction says was unavailable commercially. A 60-dog, 18-month industry-authored trial found no clinical DCM. Neither result proves what peas alone do.^3,4,5,8

4. Critics say

   Dried peas are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   The seeds average 51.3% starch and 23.9% protein on a dry matter basis. Both have jobs in a recipe. The useful question is how heavily the complete food relies on peas.⁶