Peppers Nutrition

Healthy Foods

Vegetables

Peppers Nutrition: Facts and Benefits

• One of the hottest peppers in the world is the Bhut Jolokia which is 401.5 times hotter than Tabasco sauce! Also known as the Ghost Chilli & it's cultivated in India
• Nutrition Fact: Peppers and Chillies are members of the Capsicium family
• The nutrition of peppers is high providing B vitamins, and vitamins C, E and K
• The benefits of peppers are fantastic as they can strengthen the immune system
• Peppers were discovered by Christopher Columbus!

Peppers Nutrition: What are Peppers?
Peppers are fabulous vegetables, or vegetable fruits, that vary in color, size, strength of taste and appearance! They are usually very vibrant in color and the main varieties include red peppers, green peppers, orange and yellow peppers. This vegetable belongs to the Capsicium family along with Chillies. Peppers are wonderfully colorful, packed full of goodness and nutritional value. There a picture of peppers further down the page which shows some of the different varieties.

Peppers Nutrition: History and Information about Vitamins, Nutrients and Health Benefits
The name pepper derived from the spice pepper! Although this vegetable has nothing to do with the spice, it was originally thought that the seeds had something to do with it - hence how the name of the vegetable originated! The spice was hot and some varieties of peppers could also be very hot so this clouded the judgement of the explorers at the time! The pepper was discovered during the travels of Christopher Columbus to parts of America. Peppers are popular throughout the world and there are hundreds of countless recipes available. These vegetables are extremely popular throughout the Mediterranean as well as other parts of the world.

Peppers Nutrition: What is the Hottest Pepper in the World?
One of the hottest pepper in the world is the Bhut Jolokia which is 401.5 times hotter than Tabasco sauce! It is also known as Ghost Peppers and it is cultivated in India. Other varieties of the world's hottest peppers include Naga Viper Pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Infinity Chilli.

Peppers Nutrition: Red, Yellow, Green Varieties of Pepper (What vitamins do they provide?)
There are many different types of peppers which are grown in different size, shapes and strengths. The strength of peppers can often be gauged by its color. This vegetable is often known by different names which may include bullnose peppers, jose pepper, banana pepper, bell peppers and sweet peppers. The following details provide some interesting facts and information about some of the available varieties of peppers:

Green peppers nutrition - this type is milder than the red variety but not as sweet tasting. Green peppers are excellent in stir frys, roasted or great eaten raw in salads!

Yellow and Orange peppers nutrition - these types are sweet in taste, almost as sweet as red peppers. They are excellent served raw in salads but they are also good for roasting or for using in stir frys.

Red peppers nutrition - this is the most mature type of pepper, it is basically a ripened green pepper! Red pepper is generally very sweet. They are fantastic roasted, eaten raw in salads, or baked and roasted.

Purple Black peppers nutrition - this variety is very similar to green and compliment salads very well when served raw. Black peppers turn green when they are cooked!

Mediterranean cooks will often use smaller, slimmer varieties of peppers which are stronger, more pungent than the commonly known bell pepper. Often, they will fry them whole in olive oil and sea salt. This is a popular tapas dish that is served in countries such as Spain and the Canary Islands. It is a delicious recipe that is simple to make! Be careful not to eat too many if you are not used to this type of food as some peppers, particularly the smaller, fresher ones, can be very hot! 

Peppers Nutrition: Picking and Storing to retain Vitamins, Nutrition and Health Benefits
When picking the healthiest peppers, touch the skin to ensure it is very firm. Tender or limp peppers will not provide as much nutritional value as they are not as fresh. Look for peppers that have unmarked skin and look smooth and glossy. To maintain the nutrition of peppers for as long as possible, keep them in the refrigerator. If they are left on the side or in a warm place, their nutritional value and health benefits will quickly decrease and the vegetable will deteriorate.

Peppers Nutrition: Preparing for Cooking to retain Nutrition and Health Benefits
When preparing peppers for cooking, follow the quick and easy instructions below to retain the nutrition of the vegetable(for preparation guide for stuffed peppers, please refer to the guidelines further down the page):

• Wash the peppers thoroughly under cold running water
• Cut the top away - to save as much pepper as possible, use a knife to cut around the stem, then pull it away
• Slice the pepper into quarters (leave whole if stuffing)
• Take each quarter and scrape the seeds and any excess white flesh away
• Rinse the pepper under cold running water to remove all seeds completely
• Stir-fry - slice the pepper thinly in long strips
• Roasting - cut peppers into generously sized segments
• Salads - dice or slice peppers thinly
• Grilling - cut peppers into quarters

Peppers Nutrition: How to Cook and retain Vitamins, Nutrition and Health Benefits
Peppers are versatile and can be cooked in many different ways including baking, frying, roasting, grilling and stir frying. They are fantastic when cooked on a barbeque (BBQ), particularly on skewers along with chunks of chicken and slices of mushroom! The can also be eaten raw which is a fantastic way of obtaining as much of their nutritional value as possible. The cooking process decreased the vitamin content of vegetables so where possible, they should always be eaten raw!

Stuffed Peppers Nutrition (Recipe):

Stuffed peppers are easy to make and are crammed full of nutrition. They are a great recipe option for vegetarians as they are full of flavor and essential health benefits.

• Cut the top off the pepper, otherwise leaving it whole. Scrape the core out and rinse the seeds away under cold running water.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
• Stuff the peppers with the desired ingredients for example - ground beef, rice, onion, peas, halloumi, garlic, herbs, spices such as paprika, tomato, chorizo - there are numerous delicious ingredients that can be used to suit your taste!
• Place the top back on the pepper
• Place on a baking tray, season with salt and pepper as desired, drizzle with olive oil
• Place in the oven and allow to cook for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and cooked through

Roasting Peppers Nutrition:

• Follow the preparation guidelines before starting to roast the peppers. (All colors can be used for roasting - roasted red peppers are lovely as they are sweet but the other varieties are just as nice).
• Place the segments in a baking tray, along with other vegetables of your choice, such as onions, garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, aubergine, courgette (zucchini) - whatever roasting vegetables you like, they are all healthy and packed with vitamins which are good for you, so try as many varieties as you can!
• Drizzle with olive oil. Place in a preheated oven at 200 to 220 degrees.
• Allow to roast for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
• Keep a close check on the vegetables and shake the baking tray once or twice during the roasting process to prevent them from burning or sticking to the tray.

Health experts and nutritionists believe that a well-balanced diet that includes at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day will help to considerably improve our lifestyles and ultimately extend our lives