Diet and Nutrition Are Bell Peppers Good for You? By Ann Pietrangelo Published on December 12, 2023 Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, RDN Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Nutritional Value Vitamin Levels Antioxidants & Plant Compounds Health Benefits Who Should Avoid Them? Most people think of bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) as vegetables. But they're actually fruits in the nightshade family. Also known as sweet peppers, they come in various colors, including green, yellow, orange, and red. Green peppers are picked off the vine early. They're the least ripe and the least sweet. Red peppers stay on the vine the longest, making them the sweetest. Bell peppers have many health benefits and contain nutrients such as vitamin C and other antioxidants. This article discusses what you need to know about bell peppers, their health benefits, and who should avoid them. Westend61 / Getting Images Bell Pepper Nutrition One medium-sized raw green pepper provides the following: Calories: 24 Protein: 1 gram (g) Fat: 0.2 gFiber: 2 gSugar: 2.9 g Red bell peppers have more time to ripen, which is reflected in the slight differences in nutritional content. One medium-sized raw red bell pepper has the following: Calories: 31Protein: 1.2 gFat: 0.36 gFiber: 2.5 gSugar: 5 g What Are the Healthiest Vegetables? Carbs You get most of the energy you need from dietary carbohydrates. A medium raw green bell pepper has about 5.5 g of carbs, while a red pepper has approximately 7.2 grams. About 77% to 79% of the calories in bell peppers are made up of carbs. Because bell peppers are not highly processed and contain a good amount of fiber, they're low on the glycemic index (GI), a measure of how quickly a food increases blood glucose levels. Low-GI foods, such as peppers, are good for your heart. Eating healthier carbs, such as those from fruits and vegetables, can help with weight and blood sugar control. That makes bell peppers a good choice for people with diabetes. Vitamins and Minerals in Bell Peppers Green peppers are rich in B vitamins and provide decent amounts of copper, vitamin K, and manganese. One medium green pepper also has the following: Vitamin C: 95.7 milligrams (mg)Iron: 0.4 mgCalcium: 11.9 mgPotassium: 208.3 mgPhosphorus: 23.8 mg Red peppers are rich in vitamin A and several B vitamins, including B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folate). Plus, they have reasonable amounts of manganese and vitamins E and K. One medium red pepper also provides the following: Vitamin C: 152 mgIron: 0.51 mgCalcium: 8.3 mgPotassium: 251.1 mgPhosphorus: 30.9 mg Antioxidants and Other Plant Compounds The abundant vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. And bell peppers are rich in phytochemicals, including phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoids, with powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help protect against free radicals, which damage DNA. Bell peppers are also high in amino acids. Amino acids are essential to many body functions, including breaking down food, repairing tissue, and growing. Health Benefits of Bell Peppers Bell peppers are low in calories and nutritionally dense. They're low on the glycemic index and high in several vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Bell peppers of every color are a fine addition to a rich, varied diet. Research shows a positive association between eating fruits and vegetables and reduced mortality due to heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative diseases. Eye Health Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, an antioxidant important to eye health. Antioxidants can help prevent or delay eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Red bell peppers are also high in vitamin A, which helps the retina turn light into images. Vitamin A also helps eyes stay moist and may help prevent dry eye. Orange bell peppers, in particular, have abundant lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that are essential to eye health. Anemia Prevention Iron-deficiency anemia occurs when you don't have enough iron in your red blood cells. You must get iron in your diet since the body doesn't make it. Bell peppers provide some iron but are also high in vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron. Keep in mind that peppers lose some vitamin C during cooking. Inflammatory Conditions and Arthritis Antioxidants in bell peppers may help reduce inflammation, a hallmark of arthritis. Vitamin C protects against cell damage and preserves bone, including the joints. Who Should Avoid Bell Peppers? If you enjoy them, having a bell pepper every day is safe. However, choosing various colorful fruits and vegetables is key to gaining the most health benefits. Bell peppers are part of the Capsicum genus, which includes other peppers, including chili, jalapeño, and cayenne. Some other peppers contain capsaicin, a chemical that makes it feel like your mouth is burning. But bell peppers do not have capsaicin. Moderate consumption of bell peppers shouldn't cause ill effects, but they can trigger allergies in some people. Bell Pepper Allergies Bell pepper allergy is more likely to cause respiratory symptoms than symptoms of the mouth or skin. This includes rhinoconjunctivitis (congestion, sneezing, cough) and headache. Allergy to bell pepper is often associated with the celery-birch-mugwort-spice syndrome. This syndrome to offending pollen is an oral allergy syndrome that may include allergies to: Carrots Celery Coriander Peppers Fennel Parsley Sunflower You should also avoid bell peppers if you have nightshade intolerance or nightshade allergies. Foods in this group include tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. Summary Bell peppers come from the Capsicum genus, along with spicier peppers such as chili and jalapeno. Unlike their cousins, bell peppers have a mild, sweet flavor. And they have a lot to offer besides great texture, color, and taste. Bell peppers are bursting with nutrients, including all the vitamin C you need daily. Unless you have a food intolerance or allergy to peppers, eating bell peppers daily is safe. However, healthy eating should include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. 16 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. MyFoodData. Green bell peppers. MyFoodData. Sweet red bell peppers. Campos V, Tappy L, Bally L, Sievenpiper JL, Lê KA. Importance of carbohydrate quality: what does it mean and how to measure it? J Nutr. 2022;152(5):1200-1206. doi:10.1093/jn/nxac039 University of Washington Medical Center. Glycemic index. Harvard Medical School. A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index. Anaya-Esparza LM, la Mora ZV de, Vázquez-Paulino O, Ascencio F, Villarruel-López A. Bell peppers (Capsicum annum L.) losses and wastes: source for food and pharmaceutical applications. Molecules. 2021;26(17):5341. doi;10.3390/molecules26175341 MyFoodData. Amino acid protein calculator. MedlinePlus. Amino acids. Chávez-Mendoza C, Sanchez E, Muñoz-Marquez E, Sida-Arreola JP, Flores-Cordova MA. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in different grafted varieties of bell pepper. Antioxidants (Basel). 2015;4(2):427-446. doi:10.3390/antiox4020427 American Academy of Ophthalmology. 36 fabulous foods to boost eye health. Tufts University. Which color of bell pepper has most nutrients? Nationwide Children's Hospital. Anemia: Iron deficiency. Arthritis Foundation. Best vegetables for arthritis. North Carolina State University. Capsicum annuum (grossum group) The University of Manchester. Allergy information for: Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum). Stanford Medicine. Oral allergy syndrome. By Ann Pietrangelo Pietrangelo is a health writer who has authored two books: one focused on multiple sclerosis and the other on triple-negative breast cancer. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit