Green Pepper

Name: Green pepper — an unripe bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), picked before it changes colour, with a crisp texture and a slightly bitter, grassy flavour. Red, yellow and orange peppers, which are riper, have their own pages.

Description

Green peppers are bell peppers harvested at the immature stage, which is why they are cheaper, since growers can pick them earlier, and why they are less sweet than red, yellow and orange peppers. Left on the plant, they would ripen to other colours, though some varieties stay green.

They have a sharper, more vegetal flavour, a firm bite and a slightly bitter edge, which makes them a classic in dishes such as stuffed peppers, Philly cheesesteaks, fajitas, Cajun “holy trinity” cooking with onion and celery, and stir-fries.

Main nutrition value

Green peppers are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and fibre, and are very low in calories, though they have less vitamin C and carotenoids than the ripe colours.

How best to be consumed

Green peppers are crisp and savoury, and hold their shape when cooked.

1. Slice into stir-fries, fajitas, stews and pasta sauces.
2. Stuff with rice, beans or meat, and bake until tender.
3. Use raw in salads, salsas and with dips.
4. Sauté with onions and celery as a Cajun or Creole base.
5. Store in the fridge, where they keep for a week or two.

Overconsumption could cause…

Green 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, since green peppers are harder to digest than ripe ones.
3. Pesticide residues on conventionally grown peppers, so wash well.
4. Bitterness that some people dislike.

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

Related foodsBell Pepper / CapsicumJalapeñoEggplant / AubergineJapanese EggplantCherry TomatoBeefsteak Tomato

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