About Bell Pepper - Tastes As Amazing As It Looks!

Just like their native country, Mexico’s flag, bell peppers come in three vibrant colors: Red, yellow and green. Commonly known as the capsicum, these vegetables, just like eggplants, tomatoes and potatoes, belong to the nightshade family and have been cultivated for over 9000 years in the central and southern parts of America. This hardy vegetable can be grown in a variety of different climates, and is thus widely available worldwide!

Bell peppers have a sweet and tangy flavor, and a crunchy texture! It comes as no surprise then that they are popularly consumed in a variety of ways.
This unique looking vegetable has a brightly colored, smooth glossy coat. This attractive appearance makes the bell pepper a popular choice for garnishing and decorating those delicious dishes on your menu!

Let’s take a look at the treasure trove of nutritional value contained in this tangy vegetable!

Bell Pepper Nutritional Information

Bell peppers are jam-packed with a plethora of nutrients. They are an incredible source of Vitamin B6, vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid and thiamin.
Bell peppers also contain numerous powerful phytochemicals including coumeric acid, chlorogenic acid, and zeaxathin. Bell peppers also contain a sizeable quantity of fiber which helps ward to off colon cancer and helps regulate cholesterol problems!

So how do all of these nutrients affect your body? Read on to find out!

Bell Pepper Health Benefits

Bell peppers are brimming with wholesome, nutritious goodness!  Add this vegetable to your diet keep your body fit and healthy.

Anti Cancer Benefits!

Exposure to chronic oxidative stress and excessive chronic inflammation can increase the risk of cancer. However this threat can be effectively eliminated by regularly consuming fruits and vegetables that contain anti oxidant and anti inflammatory substances. Bell peppers contain a rich store of these all-important substances. They have a rich supply of phytonutrients which help to lower the risk of cancer development. Red bell peppers in particular are better anti-cancer agents as they have additional amounts of carotenes and have a high Vitamin C content. They also inhibit the growth of carcinogenic nitrosamines which can develop in your body when you consume nitrate-rich foods such as sausages, bacon or curd beef.

Anti-Oxidant Benefits!

Bell peppers are packed with a multitude of antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E and manganese. Bell peppers also house a long list of phytonutrient antioxidants such as carotenoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavanoids. Thus, Bell peppers are well equipped to reduce the risk of falling prey to several harmful diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes!

Say Goodbye To All That Unhealthy Weight!

Yes, bell peppers are an amazing way to reduce body fat as they contain 110 grams of water! This moisture content plays an essential role in the fat burning process. Moreover, excess fat can contribute to numerous problems including heart attacks, cholesterol and stroke. However, with the high moisture and dietary fiber content, bell peppers can effectively reduce the risk of contracting these diseases.

 Good for Your Eyesight!

Bell peppers are an amazing source of the carotenoid lutien, and the antioxidant zexathin. Both substances reduce the risk of contracting age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma.

Good for Your Heart!

This wonderful vegetable is full of lycopene and cholesterol lowering soluble fiber! It is also rich in vitamin A and vitamin C, which help to eliminate free radicals that oxidize cholesterol and lead to heart disease. Folate and Vitamin B6 also lower the levels of homocysteine in the body. Red bell peppers in particular are better for your heart than green peppers, as they contain higher levels of lycopene which works effectively to lower the risk of heart disease. And guess what, One cup of bell peppers contains up to 162 milligrams of blood pressure lowering potassium!

How to Enjoy Bell Peppers

For starters, thinly slice bell peppers and relish this crunchy vegetable with your favorite dip. Fancy some stuffed bell peppers? It’s very simple! Slice off the top of the bell pepper, scoop out the flesh on the inside, and then fill it in with a stuffing of your choice!
Or you can enjoy it in the form of a fajita salad. All you have to do is slice up some fresh bell peppers, use all three colors for that added aesthetic appeal, sauté them for about 8 minutes. Now add some chicken breast strips and cook for an additional 10 minutes. To finish off, sprinkle some salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin to taste.
Enjoy this tangy vegetable in soups, stews, stir-fries, salads or even as smoky, grilled bell peppers!

Possible Health Concerns

Commercially cultivated bell peppers may contain slight traces of pesticide reside. Rinse thoroughly to wash out any traces of pesticide before consuming the vegetable.