Bell Pepper / Capsicum

Also known asCapsicum · Sweet Pepper · Bell Pepper · Capsicum annuum · 甜椒 · 灯笼椒

Name: Bell pepper, also called capsicum or sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) — a hollow, blocky, thick-walled pepper that comes in green, red, yellow, orange, purple and brown, and has no heat. Green, red, yellow and orange peppers also have their own pages.

Description

Peppers are native to Central and South America, where they have been cultivated for thousands of years. Columbus took them to Europe, and they spread quickly through the world. The name “pepper” was a mistake, since Columbus was looking for black pepper. Bell peppers lack capsaicin, the compound responsible for heat in chillies, because of a recessive gene.

The different colours are mostly different stages of ripeness: green peppers are unripe, and as they ripen they turn yellow, orange and red, becoming sweeter and richer in nutrients. Some varieties are bred to ripen to yellow, orange or purple.

Main nutrition value

A mild, sweet pepper eaten raw or cooked, with colour indicating ripeness and sweetness.

Per 100g · Source: USDA FoodData Central (Foundation Foods)

23 kcal

Nutrition Information

Protein0.7g

Total Fat0.1g

Carbohydrate3.8g

Dietary Fibre0.9g

Other Nutrients

Calcium — Ca7.5mg

Iron — Fe0.2mg

Magnesium — Mg9.0mg

Phosphorus — P16.8mg

Potassium — K163.1mg

Zinc — Zn0.1mg

Copper — Cu0.1mg

Manganese — Mn0.1mg

Vitamin C — Ascorbic Acid99.5mg

Vitamin B1 — Thiamin0.04mg

Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin0.1mg

Vitamin B3 — Niacin0.6mg

Vitamin B6 — Pyridoxine0.2mg

Vitamin B9 — Folate22.2µg

Show all nutrients

Nitrogen0.1g

Bell peppers are an exceptional source of vitamin C, especially the red ones, which provide several times more than an orange, and also provide vitamin A, vitamin B6 and carotenoid antioxidants.

How best to be consumed

Bell peppers are eaten raw and cooked, and can be sweet and crisp or soft and smoky.

1. Slice raw into salads, crudités and sandwiches, or dip in hummus.
2. Roast or char until blackened, then peel and marinate in olive oil for a sweet, smoky flavour.
3. Stuff with rice, meat or grains, and bake.
4. Add to stir-fries, fajitas, stews, curries and pasta sauces.
5. Store in the fridge, where they keep for a week or two.

Overconsumption could cause…

Bell peppers are safe and healthy in food amounts.

1. Reactions in a small number of people sensitive to nightshade plants, such as joint or digestive complaints, though evidence is limited.
2. Gas or indigestion in some people from the skin and seeds, and green peppers in particular.
3. Pesticide residues on conventionally grown peppers, so wash well or buy organic.
4. Allergic reactions in rare cases, including in people with latex or birch pollen allergies.

GroupsFruit VegetablesNightshade family (Solanaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CFresh

Related foodsGreen PepperJalapeñoEggplant / AubergineJapanese EggplantCherry TomatoBeefsteak Tomato

Wikipedia — Bell pepper, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pepper