Split Peas

Dry pea processors turn mature field peas into whole peas, split peas and flour. Removing the hull creates a separate fiber stream; the remaining seed halves supply starch and protein.^5,6

1. 01 // Source Dry field peas Processors start with mature seeds harvested dry, rather than fresh green garden peas.
2. 02 // Process Dehulled Milling removes the outer seed coat, leaving the starch and protein rich inner seed.
3. 03 // Process Split The inner seed separates into halves, which can then be milled into flour.
4. 04 // Output Split pea halves The dry halves go to food or feed makers whole or after milling.

1. 01

   Supplies kibble starch

   Starch provides energy and helps form kibble during extrusion. Split peas bring that starch through a dry pulse ingredient that manufacturers can mill into flour.^5,6

2. 02

   Adds plant protein

   Dehulled pea flour was about one quarter protein on a dry basis. That protein contributes to the food's crude protein figure, which does not identify its plant or animal sources.^5,8

How much One controlled diet contained 20% split peas alongside 40% lentils for 30 days; the study did not test split peas alone.¹

1. Critics say

   Split peas raise protein without adding meat

   Evidence

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

   Dehulled pea flour contained 24.6 to 25.3% protein on a dry basis. That protein contributes to a food's crude protein figure. The figure alone cannot tell an owner how much came from meat.^5,8

2. Brands say

   Split peas give dogs slow release energy

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   An 8-dog crossover trial used whole smooth pea flour, not split peas. Its peak glucose of 4.7 mmol/L was not statistically different from rice's 5.0, and time to peak did not differ across diets (p = 0.20).²

3. Owners say

   Split peas cause heart disease in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   A 30-day diet with 20% split peas and 40% lentils caused significant drops in red blood cell counts and a rise in plasma phosphate but did not diagnose DCM. A separate trial found early heart changes using noncommercial wrinkled pea flour. FDA says the dietary connection remains unknown.^1,3,4,7

4. Critics say

   Split peas are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   Tested dehulled pea flour supplied about 52% starch and 25% protein on a dry basis. Both contribute to kibble. The useful question is how heavily the whole recipe relies on pulse ingredients.⁵

5. Owners say

   Removing the hull removes all pea fiber

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   Dehulling removes the fibrous outer coat, but it does not remove all fiber from the seed. Feedipedia reports that the hull accounts for 7 to 14% of pea seed weight.⁶