Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers are full of great health benefits—they’re packed with vitamins and low in calories! They are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Bell Peppers also contains a healthy dose of fiber, folate, and iron.

Aside from being a vegetable full of nutrients, bell peppers also give a low-calorie crunch with every bite. Try eating snappy Bell Peppers instead of high-calorie chips and crackers with your favorite dips.

Bell peppers are one of those vegetables that can be easily found everywhere. You'll find in it from a crisp, fresh Greek salad to a baked-and-stuffed weeknight entree to colorful party veggie trays for a healthy group snack. They are a very versatile vegetable that comes in several colors. Now, you might be wondering what its main health benefits are.

Here are some of the Health Benefits of Bell Peppers:

• Eye Health: Bell peppers contains many types of carotenoids including alpha-carotene, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids are a phytonutrient that is responsible for coloring in many fruits and vegetables. And researchers have found that they help heal eyes and ward off eye disease because they absorb damaging blue light as it enters the eye.
• Prevent Cancer: Carotenoids also have powerful antioxidant effects that can prevent certain types of cancers. Make sure to let bell peppers ripen to maximize the number of antioxidants benefits they possess- ripening increases the carotenoid content in bell peppers. They also have sulfur which helps prevent certain cancer.
• Boosts Immunity: Bell peppers contain a high amount of vitamin C which increases with ripening as well. 1 cup of sliced red bell peppers gives you 157% of your daily vitamin C content, making them an excellent way to stay healthy and free from sickness.
• Balances Mood: If you are feeling blue, try to consume bell peppers as it also contains vitamin B6 which helps your brain produce two chemicals that affect your mood which is the serotonin and norepinephrine.
• Natural Sleep Aid:  Eat some bell peppers if you’re having trouble falling asleep at night! The vitamin B6 found in bell peppers also aids your body needs to regulating its internal clock by melatonin production.
• Weight Loss: Bell peppers are an ideal snack option because it is very low in fat and calories. This small amount of fat is just enough to provide reliable storage for bell pepper’s fat-soluble nutrients.
• Beautiful Skin: Bell peppers contain a good amount of Vitamin E, which helps keep your skin looking fresh and young and your hair strong and vibrant.
• Lowers Cholesterol:  Bell peppers also contain capsaicin which is a nutrient that helps lower bad cholesterol in the body.
• Helps With Pain: The bell pepper help relieves chronic pain in a way. The vitamin C and vitamin K in bell pepper has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce swelling and protect against osteoporosis. 
• Heart Healthy: Bell peppers help prevent heart disease and diabetes because of their anti-inflammatory properties of it which also lowers inflammation in arteries.

Bell pepper, when eaten in moderation, does not have any adverse health effects. However, they may trigger allergies in some people.

Bell peppers are mainly made up of water and carbs. They are very high in vitamin C and contain other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K1, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. For these reasons, they may have several health benefits. With that, bell peppers are an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

NOI Kimberly Tanador, RND

References:

What are Peppers?

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/pepper-glossary

Bell Peppers FAQs: Your Top 10 Questions Answered

https://www.naturefresh.ca/bell-pepper-faqs-facts/

Top 10 Health Benefits of Bell Peppers

https://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-bell-peppers/

5 Nutritious Reasons to Keep Crunching on Bell Peppers

https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/bell-pepper-nutrition