Eat More Red Bell Peppers! Here Are 5 Amazing Benefits

by John Griffith
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Fun fact! Did you know peppers botanically classify as a fruit and not a vegetable? Yep, that’s right. Peppers are a fruit. Known under plenty of names such as red bell peppers, sweet peppers and capsicum, this delicious sweet and earthy fruit has plenty of benefits. Domesticated in Mexico around eight thousand years ago, the pepper has become a household must have. It’s perfect for many dishes ranging from salsa to stuffed peppers. A great thing about them is that they can be consumed both raw and cooked, and they are a great choice for a low-calorie snack.  However, not only is the pepper super versatile when it comes to cooking. Red bell peppers, alongside green, orange, and yellow ones are amazing for the body. Today we will take a look at some of the benefits that come alongside consuming red peppers regularly.

Fun fact: peppers are a fruit

a whole pepper and halved red peppers on a wooden board

Red Bell Peppers Benefits

Red peppers are rich in all kinds of plant-based antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. They are also low-calorie, so if you are on a weight loss journey, feel free to stack on peppers. However, there are many more incredible benefits. Here are some.

Nutritional Value

Red peppers may be composed primarily from water, but they are high in vitamin C and A. Just half a cup of peppers can help you reach all of your vitamin C needs for the day. It can also reach nearly half the needs for vitamin A. Not only that, peppers also have potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin K and B and folate.

Just half a cup of peppers can help you reach all of your vitamin C needs for the day

a lot of red bell peppers

Stress Relief

Stress is horrible, both for your mind and your body. Magnesium, alongside the vitamin C found in peppers, do wonders in promoting adrenaline production. This means peppers can help the body deal with stress better and easier.

Peppers can help the body deal with stress much easier

woman sitting in front of computer stressed with messy hair

Immunity Booster

Having a strong immune system is crucial in staying healthy. Since peppers are packed with vitamin C, this makes them a great immunity booster. However, keep in mind that thermally processed peppers do lose around a quarter of their vitamin C content, so eating them raw is best! The C vitamin helps fight off any cell damage and also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Too much inflammation in the body can lead to chronic problems. That’s why it’s good to consume foods with an anti-inflammatory effect.

To get the full benefits of red bell peppers, it’s best to consume them raw

red bell peppers growing on a plant

Good For Eye Health

Who said only carrots are good for a healthy vision? Since red bell peppers are high in beta-carotene and vitamin A they have a good effect on the body’s overall eye health and vision. Their lutein and zeaxanthin content also help fight off eye cataracts and macular degeneration.

Peppers have beta-carotene and vitamin A, making them good for overall eye health and vision

close up of womans eye blue green

Prevent Constipation

Red peppers are high in plant fibers. Fiber is great for maintaining a healthy gut and having good digestion. When consumed in their raw form, peppers may help prevent issues in the gut such as constipation. Not only that but the fiber also plays an important role when it comes to lowering “bad” cholesterol levels in the body.

When consumed in their raw form, peppers may help prevent issues in the gut

standing red bell pepper with other peppers in background

Skin Health

Thanks to the high content of vitamin A, peppers are great for supporting good skin health. Vitamin A is great for helping out skin cells regenerate, boosting the growth of white blood cells and even healing wounds faster!

Vitamin A is great when it comes to supporting healthy, glowing skin

woman with one eye closed and glowing skin

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are very significant. Free radicals that oxidase cells within the body can be very destructive to the body. These radicals are usually at fault for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The antioxidants in peppers, mainly flavonoids protect the body against this oxidation. Eating foods high in antioxidants should be a must when it comes to your everyday diet.

Free radicals that oxidase cells within the body can be very destructive to the body

halved red peppers on a table

Increase Metabolic Rate

Some research has shown that eating red peppers activates a thermogenesis, which consequently increases the metabolic rate of the body. While they aren’t as potent as chili peppers, which help us sweat everything out, they still have some mild thermogenic action. This means they manage to increase the heart rate and blood pressure.

The mild thermogenic action in peppers helps increase the metabolic rate of the body

hand intertwined with measuring tape

These were all the amazing red bell pepper benefits we had for you today. We hope you found this article helpful. Try to include more bell peppers into your diet in order to gain the benefits and maintain a healthy life.

Include bell peppers into your daily diet to reap the many benefits

how to grow bell pepper in pots

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.