Tuesday, June 19, 2012

BELL PEPPER HEALTH BENEFITS


Healing Benefits of Bell Peppers
 Photo Credit bell pepper image by Chef from Fotolia.com
    
Bell peppers are available in a variety of colors, including red, yellow and green. Although the three are similar in calorie content, the vitamin and mineral content varies widely among the three types of peppers. Try adding one or all of these nutrient-dense vegetables to your next salad or stir-fry to increase the vitamin C and B content. 

All three types of bell peppers contain a similar amount of calories per cup. Green peppers are the lowest in calories, with 30. Yellow peppers contain 40 calories per cup, and red peppers contain 46 calories. Each type of bell pepper contains between 7 and 10 g of carbohydrates, 1 and 2 g of protein and less than 1 g of fat. Red peppers contain the most fiber, with 3.1 g per cup. Green peppers contain 2.5 g and yellow contain 1.3 g.

Bell peppers are packed with several nutrients.  They are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid.  Bell peppers also contain a large amount of phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity.  Those phytochemicals include chlorogenic acid, zeaxanthin, and coumeric acid.  

When comparing the nutrient values of the different bell peppers, studies have shown that red bell peppers have significantly higher levels of
nutrients than green.  Red bell peppers also contain lycopene, which is a carotene that helps to protect against cancer and heart disease. 


 Possibly due to their vitamin C and beta carotene content, bell peppers have been shown to be protective against cataracts.  Just like other nutrient-dense vegetables, bell peppers contain many different powerful phytochemicals.  Bell peppers have also been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes probably due to their content of substances such as vitamin C, capsaicin, and flavonoids.  Although chili peppers contain a higher amount of those substances, bell peppers should still be promoted especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.


Bell peppers belong to the plant family Capsicum annuum and are native to countries like Mexico, Central, and Northern-south America. The main producers of this vegetable species are China, Turkey, Romania, Spain, Mexico, and Nigeria. They are also called sweet peppers, are glossy in appearance and come in a variety of colors, like red, yellow, orange, purple, brown, and black.
Due to their high vitamin and mineral content, bell peppers are known for their beneficial effects on a number of systems in the human body, like cardio-vascular system and optic system, and are also important for maintaining general health and hygiene.
To help you get a clear idea about the nutritional value of bell peppers, a Food Rating Chart has been provided in the lines below.
Bell Pepper Nutrition Facts
Amount of Bell Pepper: 1 large
Total Weight of Bell Pepper: 164 g
Nutrients
Amount
Basic Components
Protein 
1.6 g
Carbohydrates
10.3 g
Water
151 g
Ash
0.8 g
Calories
Total Calories
213 KJ
Calories From Fat
18.4 KJ
Calories From Carbohydrate
167 KJ
Calories From Protein
27.2 KJ
Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber
3.4 g
Glucose
3182 mg
Fructose
3706 mg
Fats
Total Fat
0.5 g
Poly Fat 
0.1 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A
5135 IU
Vitamin A
Alpha Carotene
Beta Carotene
32.8 mcg
2663 mcg
Thiamin
0.1 mg
Riboflavin
0.1 mg
Niacin
1.6 mg
Vitamin B6
0.5 mg
Betaine
0.2 mg
Vitamin C
209 mg
Vitamin E  (Alpha Tocopherol)
2.6 mg
Vitamin E (Beta Tocopherol)
0.1 mg
Vitamin E (Gamma Tocopherol)
0.2 mg
Folate
75.4 mcg
Vitamin K
8.0 mcg
Pantothenic Acid
0.5 mg
Minerals
Calcium
11.5 mg
Iron
0.7 mg
Magnesium
19.7 mg
Manganese
0.2 mg
Phosphorus
42.6 mg
Potassium
346 mg
Selenium
0.2 mcg
Sodium
6.6 mg
Zinc
0.4 mg
Saturated Fats
16:0 Palmitic
41.0 mg
18:0 Stearic
3.3 mg
Mono Fats
18:1 Oleic
3.3 mg
Poly Fats
18:2 Linoleic
73.8 mg
18:03 Linolenic
41.0 mg
Other Fats
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
41.0 mg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids
73.8 mg
Amino Acids
Alanine
42.6 mg
Arginine
59.0 mg
Aspartate
466 mg
Cystine
31.2 mg
Glutamate
346 mg
Glycine
45.9 mg
Histidine
27.9 mg
Isoleucine
34.4 mg
Leucine
59.0 mg
Lysine
59.0 mg
Phenylalanine
82.0 mg
Proline
39.4 mg
Serine
82.0 mg
Threonine
65.6 mg
Tryptophan
19.7 mg
Tyrosine
14.8 mg
Valine
50.8 mg

Sources: http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofbellpeppers.html
               http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/nutritional-value-of-bell-peppers-5766.html
               http://www.livestrong.com/article/445243-healing-benefits-of-bell-peppers/#ixzz1yGlWRHha
              Murray , Michael N.D.. The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods.
               New York: Atria Books, 2005.

              Centers For Disease Control And Prevention-5 A Day.
              National Agricultural Library-USDA. usda.gov.
              Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia