This article originally appeared in Well+Good.
Whether or not you believe eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring you good luck, they are an undeniably underrated bean. Kidney, black, red, and pinto beans all tend to get their fair share of love. But black-eyed peas—which despite their name, are actually beans—are cooked with some bacon on January 1 and then often forgotten about the rest of the year.
What makes black-eyed peas so special? First, their taste, which is a combination of nutty and savory earthiness; it’s not like any other bean. Then there’s its rich nutrient density. “Black-eyed peas are nutritionally dense, with fiber, protein, folate, magnesium, copper, thiamine, and iron,” says registered dietitian Melissa Rifkin, RD. “In fact, one cup delivers 20 percent of the daily value of magnesium, calcium, and iron.” She adds that that same one-cup serving has five grams of protein, which is 11 percent recommended daily value for women. “This is one heck of a food!” she says.