Vitamin A

Even though it sounds like one individual vitamin, vitamin A actually refers to a group of substances that includes carotenoids. Peas and carrots contain four carotenoids: alphacarotene, betacarotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Alpha and betacarotene function as antioxidants, and theyre converted into vitamin A, which is essential for vision and healthy skin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that protect your eyes from agerelated diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Peas alone are a good source of vitamin A, but carrots are the real powerhouse. Youll gain more than 600 percent of the daily intake from 1 cup of raw carrots. The same amount of peas has 37 percent.