For those who enjoy the spicier things in life, wasabi peas are a must have snack staple. This Asian-inspired snack offers a crunchy bite with lots of heat. At first glance, wasabi peas may seem to have it all. They’re plant-based and an inexpensive and convenient option for many. For those following a gluten-free diet, though, this popular spicy snack may not always be a safe choice.
Wasabi Peas are not typically gluten-free, as many popular wasabi pea brands contain gluten. There are, however, a number of brands that offer gluten-friendly wasabi pea products. It is important to read ingredients lists to ensure that no gluten-containing ingredients were used. The best gluten-free alternative to wasabi peas is Harvest Snaps Wasabi Ranch Green Pea Snack Crisps.
In this article we’ll discuss a brief overview of wasabi peas, review their nutritional content, and offer several alternatives to traditional wasabi peas. Let’s dig in!
Contents
What is wasabi?
Wasabi is essentially Japanese horseradish. It is derived from the stem of the Wasabia Japonica plant. It is generally a paste or powdered consistency that boasts a bright green color and characteristically sharp, spicy flavor. It is a staple in Japanese cuisine, especially sushi and noodle dishes. Because cultivating the Wasabia Japonica plant is extremely difficult, ‘real’ wasabi is an expensive commodity. As a result of its expensive nature, much of the wasabi we consume is not real wasabi. Instead, it is a mix of horseradish, mustard, and food coloring that offer nearly identical flavor experiences to real wasabi.
What are wasabi peas?
Wasabi peas are a wildly popular snack in Japan. They have become increasingly popular in the United States as a spicy treat that pairs well with beer. Wasabi peas are typically made from marrowfat peas. These are fully mature peas that have been allowed to naturally dry in the field. Once the peas are harvested, they are roasted then coated with oil, starch, and wasabi powder.
Do wasabi peas use real wasabi?
Wasabi peas get their signature flavor from being coated in wasabi powder. Most commercial wasabi powder products do not contain any real wasabi because it is very expensive. Because of this, many of the wasabi pea products on the market today do not, in fact, use real wasabi.
Are wasabi peas healthy?
Upon first glance, many would assume that wasabi peas are a healthy alternative to other fat-laden snack items like chips and crackers. While you wouldn’t be wrong in these thoughts, it’s important to review a few key pieces of wasabi pea production before making that determination for yourself.
Wasabi peas are a vegetable-based snack that offer a decent amount of healthful nutrients. In a ⅓ cup or 30 gram serving, you’ll get roughly 2-3 grams of fiber, 4-5 grams of protein, and percent daily values of potassium, iron, calcium around 4%, 8%, and 2%, respectively.
The argument could be made that this dried pea snack offers a variety of different beneficial nutrients compared to other snacks available. However, their caloric density at approximately 130 calories per ounce, the use of oils like palm and sunflower, added sugar, and considerable use of sodium in some ways negate the positive aspects of this snack. If you’re not careful, overeating this spicy snack could pack in quite a few calories along with a relatively high amount of sodium. For those aiming to make the most health-conscious decisions, it is recommended to stick with serving size recommendations when it comes to wasabi peas and to continue eating whole, fresh vegetables daily to ensure adequate consumption of essential nutrients.
Are wasabi peas gluten-free?
Many of the top-selling brands of wasabi peas contain gluten by way of the wheat flour that is used in their products. Despite these popular brands’ use of gluten, other manufacturers have created quality wasabi peas without the use of gluten-containing ingredients. As always, it is extremely important to review food labels and ingredient lists to ensure you are purchasing a 100% gluten-free product. Let’s review some available wasabi pea products and their gluten status.
Wasabi Pea Products and Gluten Status
Hapi Hot Wasabi Peas
This brand is the most popular and #1 purchased wasabi pea product according to Amazon.com purchase data. Due to its use of wheat flour, this product is not considered gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Glutinous Rice Flour
- Wheat Flour
- Sugar
- Palm Oil
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Salt
- Dextrin
- Horseradish Powder
- Glucose
- FD&C Yellow No. 5
- FD&C Blue No. 1
Nutritional Information (per ⅓ cup, 30g):
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 20g
- Total Sugars: 3g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 5g
Medley Farms Hot Wasabi Peas
This product is one of the few that uses real wasabi powder to coat its crunchy peas. It is considered gluten-free due to no gluten-containing ingredients being used, but is packaged in a facility that processes other wheat products.
Ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Glutinous Rice Flour
- Corn Starch
- Sugar
- Salt
- Soybean Oil
- Wasabi
- Artificial Colors: FD&C Yellow 5 & Blue 1
Nutritional Information (per ⅓ cup, 30g):
- Calories: 110
- Total Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 16g
- Total Sugars: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
Nuts.com Wasabi Peas
While this product does not use real wasabi, it is considered to be gluten-free. This company does disclose that the product is packaged in the same facility as peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and milk products.
Ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Glutinous Rice Flour
- Sugar
- Palm Oil
- Soybean Oil
- Corn Starch
- Salt
- Wasabi Powder (Mustard Powder)
- FD&C Blue No. 1, Yellow #5
Nutritional Information (per ~1 ounce, 28g):
- Calories: 104
- Total Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Sodium: 172mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 15g
- Total Sugars: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
Simple Kitchen Freeze-Dried Wasabi Peas
This brand of wasabi peas is certified gluten-free, meaning they meet strict standards for gluten-free safety. Due to their freeze-drying process and limited use of ingredients, this brand preserves a large amount of the naturally occurring nutrients found in peas, reduces total fat and sodium content, and creates a much lighter, gluten-friendly snack. This brand of wasabi peas is also tree nut free, peanut free, vegan, and dairy free.
Ingredients:
- Peas
- Wasabi Flavor (Modified Starch, Maltodextrin, Allyl isothiocyanate, Water)
Nutritional Information (per ⅓ cup, 30g):
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 14g
- Total Sugars: 10g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
Alternative Options
For those who aren’t huge fans of wasabi peas, but are still looking for a snack that provides a hint of spice and a lot of crunch, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few of our favorite gluten-free alternatives!
Harvest Snaps Wasabi Ranch Green Pea Snack Crisps
These crispy snap peas provide a creamy, yet zingy flavor that is certified vegetarian friendly, gluten and nut-free. Harvest Snaps are also lower in sodium compared to most wasabi pea products, while still providing 4g of fiber and 5g of protein per serving.
Ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Canola Oil
- Rice
- Wasabi Ranch Seasoning (cultured nonfat milk, salt, milk, maltodextrin, sugar, tomato powder, onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavors [including mustard], yeast extract, natural flavors [pasteurized milk, cultures, salt, enzymes], white distilled vinegar powder, dehydrated parsley, chili pepper, spice, citric acid, lactic acid, whey, wasabi powder)
- Calcium Carbonate
- Vitamin C (for freshness)
Nutritional Information (per 1oz, ~22 pieces):
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 5g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 16g
- Total Sugars: <1g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
Bhuja Crunchy Seasoned Peas
This crunchy pea snack is as close to wasabi peas as you can get, without the wasabi. Instead it uses a unique blend of spices to bring about an Indian-inspired savory flavor sure to impress. These snack peas are gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free.
Ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Sunflower Oil
- Salt
- Maltodextrin
- Spices (paprika chili)
- Vegetable Powder
- Tapioca
- Cane Sugar
Nutritional Information (per .88 ounce):
- Calories: 100
- Total Fat: 4.5g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 14g
- Total Sugars: 1g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
The Good Bean Sweet Sriracha Crunchy Chickpeas
These protein-packed roasted chickpeas are an awesome gluten-free alternative to wasabi peas. They provide a kick of spice with a touch of sweetness. The Good Bean brand prides themselves on being vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO.
Ingredients:
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Safflower Oil
- Sugar
- Maltodextrin
- Hot Sauce (aged red peppers, vinegar, salt, garlic powder)
- Paprika
- Spice
- Yeast Extract
- Vinegar
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Sea Salt
- Natural Flavors
- Tocopherols
Nutritional Information (per 1 ounce):
- Calories: 120
- Total Fat: 3g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 18g
- Total Sugars: 2g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
Main Takeaways
Wasabi peas are a tasty, crunchy, spicy snack sure to please all spice seekers. Many popular brands use gluten-containing ingredients, so it is always encouraged for you, the consumer, to read food labels and ingredients lists to be certain an item is 100% gluten free. The trend seems to be moving towards more gluten-friendly options as more companies have developed amazingly delicious wasabi pea products without the use of any gluten. This tiny snack packs a good bit of beneficial nutrients in with its high power flavor, but does also bring along some added fat, sugar, and sodium. As with any processed snack food, it is important to always refer to serving size recommendations to avoid overconsumption. If wasabi peas aren’t your thing, or you’re just looking for an alternative, there are several great substitutes available that offer a lighter, perhaps slightly healthier choice to consumers.
Related Questions
Are wasabi peas vegan?
Wasabi peas are naturally a vegan product. They are plant-based and utilize no animal-derived ingredients during manufacturing.
Are wasabi peas dairy free?
Yes, wasabi peas are naturally dairy free. The manufacturing process does not typically use dairy-containing ingredients, but the product could be packaged in a facility that does process milk products. Be sure to review food labels and ingredient lists to be certain.
What are some proposed health benefits of real wasabi?
Although real wasabi is expensive and oftentimes hard to come by, it has been reported that it could provide some benefit to our health. The extract from wasabi has shown in some studies to have antibacterial characteristics. Specifically, it proved most effective against two of the most common types of bacteria that cause food poisoning. against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, wasabi may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties as a result of its main active compounds, ITCs, or isothiocyanates.