The Belle of the Peppers, Red Pepper

Bell peppers, or Capsicum Annuum, belong to the same genus as their spicy relatives the chili peppers. This genus is aptly named, as Capsicum derives from the Greek word kapto (“to bite”) and the Latin word capsa (“box”). However, bell peppers are the only Capsicum variety that contains little to no capsaicin, the compound responsible for spiciness. As a result, they have a sweet and earthy flavor and are commonly known as sweet peppers.

Pepper Palette

You may recall seeing a rainbow of bell peppers in the grocery store. Despite their coloration, these green, orange, and red peppers are all the same plant, just harvested at different stages of ripeness! Green bell peppers are the least ripe, with yellow, orange, and purple peppers being more ripe and red peppers being the ripest. As a result, red peppers have higher levels of nutrients than their less developed counterparts.

Besides their exotic colors and sweet flavor, bell peppers contain important plant compounds, can help fight bacteria, and can help improve digestion.

The Power of Pigment

Bell peppers get their color from carotenoids, a class of yellow, orange, and red plant pigments. One carotenoid is beta-cryptoxanthin, which has antioxidant activity and can reduce your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory conditions.

But what are antioxidants, and what do they do?

Handy Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that help protect the body from a phenomenon called oxidative stress. A lone electron, also known as a free radical, is unstable and would much rather be in a pair with another. In order to obtain this pair, the free radical pulls an electron off of another molecule in a process called oxidation. However, this imbalance, or oxidative stress, has been associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration.

Antioxidants combat oxidative stress by providing an electron to these free radicals so that they can be stable again. Bell peppers contain a class of organic compounds called polyphenols that scavenge these free radicals, and as such they can protect the body from cancer and reduce the risk of other diseases. One study even found that bell pepper extract can protect kidney cells against oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death caused by alcohol consumption.

Variety of Vitamins

Bell peppers have high concentrations of vitamin C and vitamin A. Vitamin C is important for producing collagen, the main structural protein in skin and other connective tissues, and for preserving bone.

Orange and red bell peppers contain the pigment beta carotene, which is later converted by the body into vitamin A. Vitamin A plays important roles in vision and eye health (think carrots!).

Bell peppers are dense in nutrients – a half cup of red bell pepper supplies you with your full daily recommended intake of vitamin C and about half your full daily recommended intake of vitamin A!

Bacteria Bully

Bell peppers have long been used in traditional medicine to treat stomachache, diarrhea, and dysentery. One study found that bell pepper extract was effective against the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium, meaning that it could be used as an antibacterial to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases.

Let’s Digest This …

Finally, bell peppers are a good source of dietary fiber, which adds bulk to stool and promotes regular bowel movements.

Let’s S(Bell) It Out

In summary, bell peppers contain a variety of protective, antibacterial, and digestive properties. But how can we incorporate them into our diet? The answer is easy!

Bell peppers star in dips, salads, pizza toppings, and pasta. They even sneak into your deviled eggs as paprika.

Reap all of these health benefits by letting bell peppers into your life today!