Red Pepper
Red pepper, also called red bell pepper, capsicum, or sweet pepper, has a mildly sweet yet earthy taste. These peppers are fully mature versions of the more bitter green bell peppers.
The red pepper is a variety of Capsicum annuum, a family that also includes jalapeño, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, and a few other hot peppers. While you’ll see other types of peppers that are red in color, only the red bell pepper is colloquially known as “red pepper.”
The heat intensity of peppers is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU). Green, yellow or red bell peppers score a zero on the scale, jalapeño peppers have around 3,500 to 8,000 and habañeros reach 150,000 to 300,000 units.
Technically a fruit, red peppers are commonly found in the vegetable produce section. Fresh, raw bell peppers are mainly composed of water (92%). The rest is carbs and small amounts of protein and fat.
The main nutrients in 3.5 ounces of raw, red bell peppers are:
- Calories: 31
- Water: 92%
- Protein: 1 gram
- Carbs: 6 grams – glucose and fructose – which are responsible for the sweet taste of ripe bell peppers.
- Sugar: 4.2 grams
- Fiber: 2.1 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
Red peppers pack the most nutrition, because they’ve been on the vine longest. They are also an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Each half cup of raw red pepper provides you with 47 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A and 159 percent of your vitamin C. Green peppers are harvested earlier, before they have a chance to turn yellow, orange, and then red. Compared to green bell peppers, the red ones have almost 11 times more beta-carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C. Vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron from your gut and red peppers also contain a decent amount of iron.
Red pepper also have:
- Vitamin B6. Pyridoxine is the most common type of vitamin B6, which is a family of nutrients important for the formation of red blood cells.
- Vitamin K1. A form of vitamin K, also known as phylloquinone, K1 is important for blood clotting and bone health.
- Potassium. This essential mineral may improve heart health.
- Folate. Also known as vitamin B9, folate has a variety of functions in your body. Adequate folate intake is very important during pregnancy.
- Vitamin E. A powerful antioxidant, vitamin E is essential for healthy nerves and muscles. The best dietary sources of this fat-soluble vitamin are oils, nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
- Vitamin A. Red bell peppers are high in pro-vitamin A (beta carotene), which your body converts into vitamin A.
A study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis showed that vitamin K, which is abundant in bell peppers, may help synthesize some proteins that may positively affect blood coagulation. Vitamin K may also play a role in protecting your bones against osteoporosis. People with reduced bone density have lower levels of this nutrient. Interestingly enough, sautéed peppers contain higher amounts of vitamin K than raw peppers.
While bell peppers’ health benefits are numerous, it’s important to note that they’re part of the nightshade plant family along with eggplants and potatoes, and contain high amounts of lectins. These are plant proteins that can attach to cell membranes.
Lectins are antinutrients that can resist digestion, cause negative shifts in the balance of your gut bacteria, trigger inflammation, increase your risk for abnormal clotting and potentially predispose you to leptin resistance. However, you can reduce the lectin content in bell peppers by removing their seeds and washing prior to cooking, since these antinutrients tend to be concentrated in the seeds or skin of fruits and vegetables.
Bell peppers are rich in various antioxidants — especially carotenoids, which are much more abundant in ripe specimens.
The main compounds in bell peppers are:
- Capsanthin. Especially high in red bell peppers, capsanthin is a powerful antioxidant responsible for their brilliant red color.
- Violaxanthin. This compound is the most common carotenoid antioxidant in yellow bell peppers.
- Lutein. While abundant in green (unripe) bell peppers and black paprika, lutein is absent from ripe bell peppers. Adequate intake of lutein may improve eye health.
- Quercetin. Studies indicate that this polyphenol antioxidant may be beneficial for preventing certain chronic conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.
- Luteolin. Similarly to quercetin, luteolin is an polyphenol antioxidant that may have a variety of beneficial health effects.
Bell peppers are usually well-tolerated, but some people may be allergic. Some people that have pollen allergy may also be sensitive to bell peppers due to allergic cross-reactivity.
How to Buy
Peppers should be firm when you buy them.
Bell peppers are sometimes dried and powdered. In that case, they are referred to as paprika.
How to Store
Refrigerate peppers, unwashed, in the vegetable drawer. Keep them dry, as moisture will eventually cause them to rot. The shelf life of red and yellow peppers is four to five days; green, about a week.
How to Cook
Red peppers are versatile:
- Blend them into hummus
- Pile them onto pizza.
- Load them into tacos or a breakfast burrito.
- Puree them into Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
- Stuff them into a sandwich.
- Pulse them into harissa.