Nutritional Profile

Bell peppers or capsicums provide 20 calories per 100gm; 0.2g of fat, 0.9g of protein, 175mg of potassium, 3mg of sodium and 4.6g of carbohydrate.

Interesting facts

· Red bell peppers are simply green bell peppers that have been left on the vine to continue to ripen, and so, are sweeter than the green ones because they are ripe.

· Bell peppers are actually fruits because they are produced from a flowering plant and contain seeds.

· They were named by Spanish explorers searching for peppercorn plants to produce black pepper.

· Bell peppers originated from Mexico, and Central and South America. The Spanish and Portuguese explorers were instrumental in spreading cultivation to different parts of the world during their voyages in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Health facts

· Red bell peppers are rich in lycopene, thus making them excellent for a healthy heart whereas green bell peppers are a good source of cholesterol lowering fiber.

· Being high in vitamin A, red bell peppers help to support healthy eyesight, especially night vision.

· Bell peppers also protect your eyes from cataracts due to their high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C.

· Being rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, bell pepper provides several anti-cancer benefits.

Study

Bell peppers contain high levels of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, important for keeping your eyes healthy. The former is also essential in treating macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Researchers at Harvard discovered that just 6 milligrams of supplemented lutein per day can reduce your chance of developing this disease by 43 per cent.