Bell Peppers Red Yellow Green Orange
SuperFood
Bell Peppers Red Yellow Green Orange
Bell peppers originated in Mexico, but they have traveled to all corners of the world and are essential to countless national cuisines. Bell peppers are the mild-mannered members of the capsicum family—not fiery, but sweet, which is what they are often called.
In addition to the relatively common colors of red, yellow, green, and orange, bell peppers can be found in many other colors from white to black, with purple, blue, maroon, and brown in between. As with other brightly colored fruits (peppers are technically a fruit, though they are used primarily as a vegetable in cooking), the pigments are a rich source of phytochemicals with antioxidant potential, including chlorogenic acid (which slows the release of glucose in the bloodstream), zeaxanthin (one of the two pigments, along with lutein, that are found in the retina), and coumaric acid (which may help prevent stomach cancer by inhibiting the formation of nitrosamines).
Green bell peppers are somewhat less sweet in taste and may have fewer phytochemical pigments than the other colors.
106 A good source of vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, and the B vitamins thiamine, B6, and folic acid, peppers lower homocysteine levels in the blood (which reduces a known risk factor for heart attack) and provide support for eyes against retinal degeneration.
Peppers are low in calories, high in fiber, and 93 percent water by weight. They are one of the best vegetables for sustained release of hydration into the system— a kind of time-release water.
Nutritional Facts :
One-half cup of chopped raw bell peppers provides 14 calories, 3.2 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.9 g dietary fiber, 316 IU vitamin A, 45 mg vitamin C, 11 mcg folic acid, 89 mg potassium, 10 mg phosphorus, 5 mg calcium, and 5 mg magnesium.






























