Red and yellow bell peppers. Bell pepper: beneficial properties. What are the benefits of bell pepper? Application in dietetics

Sweet bell pepper is a type of vegetable pepper bred in the last century by Bulgarian breeders. Its ancestors come from America, where they can still be found growing wild. Why is bell pepper so beneficial for us?

It contains a large amount of fiber, nitrogenous substances, soluble sugars, pectins, starch and essential oils.

In addition, bell pepper is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, PP, as well as microelements: iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, fluorine, chlorine, zinc, sulfur.

Pepper serves not only as a vitamin supplement, but also as an antidepressant.

Vitamins PP, B1, B2 and B6 effectively fight depression, insomnia, improve memory and restore strength.

Pepper contains the hormone of joy, but, unlike chocolate, which also contains it, its consumption does not lead to the accumulation of excess fats and sugars.

Pepper is indispensable for expectant mothers. By including it in her menu every day, a pregnant woman will strengthen her hair, nails, teeth and bones. Pepper is also necessary for men suffering from baldness.

Known not only for healing, but also anti-aging properties bell pepper. You can make simple face masks from it. For example, with egg and sour cream. Grind the pepper into a paste, add a beaten egg and a teaspoon of sour cream, then apply to the face and hold for 15 minutes. Several such procedures, and your skin will noticeably freshen.

Pepper juice can be used as a moisturizing toner. It nourishes the skin with vitamins and minerals, preventing its premature aging. And if you also drink a glass of juice a day, you can not only improve the condition of your skin, but also protect yourself from colds.

There are many varieties and types of bell peppers, but we usually distinguish them by color: red, yellow, green. Despite the similar chemical composition, multi-colored paprika differs in its properties. Let's see what she can do.

What are the benefits of red bell pepper?

Red peppers owe their bright color to carotenoid pigments. lycopene. This substance is a powerful antioxidant that cleanses the body of toxins and protects cells from destruction.

That is why lycopene is used in the treatment and prevention of cancer, such as lung, pancreatic, ovarian and prostate cancer.

Red pepper contains much more vitamin C than lemon or black currant - 128 mg per 100 g. This amount is 4 times the body’s daily requirement, but there is no need to be afraid of an “overdose” - excess vitamin is quickly eliminated.

The effect of ascorbic acid is enhanced vitamin P, which has a hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect. This duo strengthens blood vessels, reducing the permeability of their walls.

The benefits of red pepper are largely determined by the presence of an alkaloid capsaicin, which can be recognized by its bitter taste. Despite the fact that sweet pepper contains less than 0.01% of it, it has important biological effects. Capsaicin stimulates the functioning of the digestive organs, reduces blood pressure and prevents the formation of blood clots. By thinning the blood and normalizing its circulation, the alkaloid eliminates symptoms such as dizziness, weakness and poor circulation in the extremities.

Fiber, which red pepper is rich in, absorbs all harmful substances that enter the body with food: bile acids, toxins and cholesterol, promoting their rapid elimination.

Another important element, which is more abundant in red paprika than in other varieties, is zinc. It is necessary for normal brain function and stimulation of sexual activity.

Red pepper - golden fund beta carotene. Its content is 7 times higher than the reserves of yellow and green peppers. One large paprika contains almost 1 mg of vitamin A.

For this reason, pepper literally saves smokers and those around them. Carcinogens from cigarette smoke cause beta-carotene deficiency, and only a “pepper” diet can replenish it.

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of bell pepper for vision. To improve it, it is enough to consume 30-40 g of the product every day.

The benefits of yellow and green bell peppers

Yellow peppers contain a lot of carotene and virtually no lycopene, which is why they are yellow.

It contains even more ascorbic acid than red pepper. One fruit can provide us with 5 times the norm of vitamin C.

Yellow pepper also contains a lot potassium and iron. Potassium ensures normal functioning of the heart, nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Thanks to it, more oxygen enters the brain, improves heart rate and improves the passage of nerve impulses. Iron protects the body from bacteria and is involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin and thyroid hormone.

Due to high concentration B vitamins, yellow bell pepper slows down the aging process of blood vessels and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Green pepper contains p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids, which remove potential carcinogens from the body.

In addition, it has large reserves phytosterols– substances that regulate fat metabolism. With their help, the body accelerates metabolism, reduces cholesterol levels and increases the elasticity of blood vessels.

Green peppers are a favorite of everyone who wants to lose weight. 100 g of vegetable contains 2.6 g of carbohydrates, 0.9 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat and only 20 kilocalories. But it is worth considering that pepper stimulates the appetite, so its inclusion in diets may have the opposite effect.

Evgeny Shmarov

Reading time: 8 minutes

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The family of vegetables called Pepperaceae consists of 700 species. And, of course, the most popular of them is sweet bell pepper.

Nowadays it is eaten in various dishes - salads, soups, stews, borscht, pies and so on.

This vegetable appeared quite a long time ago - approximately 6 thousand years before the beginning of our era. Today, in its homeland (in Central America), sweet bell pepper is a perennial plant that does not require special attention and sometimes even grows like a weed. In our country, bell pepper is a low annual plant that delights its fans with juicy, tasty multi-colored fruits and is grown in local areas.

Interesting to know! Probably, many are wondering why we call sweet peppers Bulgarian and not American, if the birthplace of this wonderful vegetable is America. The answer is quite simple: sweet peppers first came from America to Portugal and Turkey, and then to Bulgaria. There they still call it simply – sweet pepper. But in the 17th century, the Bulgarians brought the vegetable to Russia, Ukraine and Moldova, which is why we call sweet peppers Bulgarian.

Types of bell peppers

Breeders today have managed to develop a sufficient number of varieties and types of sweet bell peppers, which sometimes amaze us with the variety of colors and shapes. But there is still a general classification of the most popular types, which is based on the color of the vegetable itself.

Yellow bell pepper Most varieties of sweet bell peppers are yellow in color - these are “Alyonushka”, and “Yellow Bouquet”, and “Bagration”, and many others. The main feature of yellow bell pepper is its delicate and juicy taste. It goes well in dishes with other vegetables, as it does not interrupt their aroma and taste.
Red sweet bell peppers, especially the Atlant, Bogatyr and Aries varieties, unlike yellow ones, on the contrary, are characterized by a bright, rich aroma. It is best used in various vegetable salads and stews.
Green bell pepper (or as it is also called - white) has a light yellow-green color and is great for dishes that use a combination of vegetables and meat. Green sweet peppers cannot boast of such juiciness as the previous types, so they do not overcook and tolerate heat treatment well.
Orange Bell pepper is identical in taste to red pepper and looks worthy in dishes due to its bright colors.
Violet Sweet peppers are rare among us. It has a fairly fleshy pulp, which is characterized by astringency and slight bitterness. Most types of purple bell peppers are variants developed by breeders by crossing yellow bell peppers and eggplants.

The nutritional value

Sweet bell peppers, like most other vegetables, are characterized by their rich vitamin composition.

This vegetable contains the most vitamin C. , especially in red and orange varieties. In terms of the amount of vitamin C, pepper surpasses even the notorious lemon - 100 g of vegetable contains 150-200 mg of vitamin C. In addition, bell peppers also contain a significant amount of vitamin A - more than in carrots, B vitamins, especially B 1 and B 2, vitamins P, E and K. This vegetable is not deprived of mineral content. So, sweet bell peppers contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iodine, and fluorine.

Sweet peppers are excellent for dietary nutrition, as they have low calorie content - 100 g of bell pepper contains only 27 kcal.

Nutritional value of 100 g of sweet pepper:

1.3 g – Proteins.
5.3 g – Carbohydrates.
0.1 g – Fats.
1.9 g - Dietary fiber.
0.1 g ‒ Organic acids.
91 g – Water.
4.8 g - Mono- and disaccharides.
0.1 g - Starch.
0.6 g – Ash.

Vitamins contained in sweet peppers:

0.8 mg ‒ Vitamin PP.
1.5 mg - Beta-carotene.
250 mcg - Vitamin A.
0.08 mg ‒ Vitamin B1.
0.09 mg ‒ Vitamin B2.
0.3 mg ‒ Vitamin B6.
10 mcg - Vitamin B9.
200 mg ‒ Vitamin C.
0.7 mg ‒ Vitamin E.

Macro- and microelements contained in sweet bell peppers:

8 mg – Calcium.
7 mg – Magnesium.
2 mg – Sodium.
163 mg – Potassium.
16 mg – Phosphorus.
0.5 mg – Iron.

The benefits of bell pepper

Such a rich vitamin and mineral composition makes sweet bell pepper an incredibly healthy vegetable.

Benefits of bell pepper:

Regular consumption of sweet peppers helps strengthen blood vessels, especially their walls, which generally has a positive effect on the state of the human circulatory system, enhancing its protective properties.
The significant content of vitamin A in bell peppers improves not only vision, but also has a beneficial effect on appearance - hair growth is stimulated, the skin acquires an even and beautiful shade.
The vegetable is a unique antidepressant - it helps to cope with loss of strength, memory loss, and insomnia.
Sweet pepper should become a must-have product for people suffering from anemia, since this vegetable is better than all others in saturating the human body with essential substances and improving the protective properties of the immune system.
For people with diabetes, bell pepper helps restore their strength and fight mood swings.
The vegetable thins the blood well. That is why it is very useful for people with high blood pressure, as it quickly lowers it.
Bell pepper can be used externally to combat diseases such as sciatica and arthritis, in the form of compresses made from the vegetable pulp. Such procedures allow you to quickly forget about pain, and sometimes even get rid of such diseases.
The diet of elderly people or those who perform mental work must necessarily include sweet bell pepper - this vegetable has a beneficial effect on a person’s concentration, and, accordingly, on his memory and mental capabilities in general.
For men, bell pepper helps get rid of bald spots or bald spots, and for women it gives thick and voluminous hair.

On a note! During heat treatment, bell pepper loses almost 70% of its beneficial substances. In addition, almost all the beneficial substances in sweet bell peppers are concentrated near the base, in the white pulp and seeds, that is, in those places that people usually throw away when peeling the vegetable. That is why experts recommend making juice from whole peppers at least occasionally in order to fully receive all its benefits.

Harmful properties and contraindications

Despite the fact that bell pepper is a very healthy vegetable, there is a category of people who are not recommended to consume it.

You should avoid sweet peppers:

People with high levels of gastric acidity, suffering from gastritis or ulcers.
Since pepper contains an alkaloid, sweet pepper is not suitable for epileptics, as well as people with acute kidney and liver diseases, and those with hemorrhoids.

This is interesting! Scientists conducted studies of the properties of bell peppers, which helped to find out that the vegetable, when grown in poor soil, accumulates pesticides. As is known, they can provoke the growth of malignant tumors and poison the human body. Therefore, before purchasing, try to get information about where the vegetable came from and where it was grown.

Children's menu - at what age can a child be given bell pepper?

Sweet peppers can be introduced into baby's complementary foods from 10 months , but the vegetable must be baked or boiled. You need to add it to your child’s diet carefully, starting with small portions, to avoid various allergic manifestations.

To begin with, you can add a small piece of vegetable to the children's soup and blend it with other ingredients using a blender until pureed. Another option is to bake the peppers in the oven in foil. In this case, the initial portion should be 0.5-1 teaspoon of pepper pulp. If after 24 hours the child does not have allergic reactions to the product, the amount of baked pepper can be increased gradually up to 50-70 g per day. It is recommended to give raw bell pepper to your child already from 1.5-2 years.

Bell pepper in the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding women - advice from nutritionists

Nutritionists consider bell pepper one of the healthiest vegetables during pregnancy. The fact is that it is low-calorie and does not lead to excessive weight gain, which is very important during the period of bearing a baby. In addition, the vitamins and minerals contained in bell peppers help improve the well-being and health of the expectant mother.

Everyone knows that during pregnancy, a woman’s skeletal system, hair and teeth suffer the most. So it is bell pepper that can take care of your health and beauty.

Sweet bell pepper can relieve a pregnant woman from:

Colds and infections.
Swelling of the legs and cramps
Changes in blood pressure
Hair loss and manifestations of caries.
Sudden mood swings
Tiredness and drowsiness.

But, despite the benefits of the vegetable, it is worth remembering that hormonal levels change very sharply in pregnant women, and this is fraught with the manifestation of various allergic reactions. This applies even to those women who never had food allergies before pregnancy. That is why, if after eating sweet pepper you experience any rashes or redness, it is better to exclude the vegetable from your diet and consult a doctor about its further use.

Nursing mothers also need to be careful. It is worth introducing bell pepper into your diet a little at a time, monitoring the baby’s well-being. It is best to start with a vegetable, steamed or baked in the oven. If during the day the child does not experience increased gas formation, rashes and redness, then you can safely increase the portion of the vegetable and try it raw.

Pepper on the menu for diabetics and allergy sufferers

Sweet bell pepper is a vegetable that can be consumed by people with diabetes. in any quantity.

Moreover, doctors recommend eating it almost every day, as pepper has a beneficial effect on the body of diabetics. The fact is that people with this disease almost always suffer from excess weight, high blood pressure and weakened immunity. And sweet bell peppers cope with these problems better than any other vegetable. It perfectly lowers blood pressure, helps fight excess weight and increases the body's defenses as a whole due to its rich vitamin and mineral composition.

Allergy to bell peppers is quite rare. and it is mainly characteristic of those people who are sensitive to colored vegetables, such as tomatoes or carrots. Based on this, it is also worth noting the fact that most often allergy sufferers have a reaction to red or orange bell peppers. If itching, redness or rashes occur after eating a vegetable, be sure to consult your doctor.

Bell pepper as a miracle remedy for weight loss

Bell pepper is an excellent vegetable for those people who want to lose weight. The whole secret of the vegetable is not only that it is low-calorie. Bell pepper can also reduce appetite, especially in dry ground form. There is even a diet based on sweet bell peppers, which will save you from 3-5 kilograms in a short time.

The diet is designed for seven days, since it is during this period that the body is able to lose weight and will not get used to the product. After this time, you should definitely take a break, and after a month or two, the diet can be repeated. It is worth noting that you can eat pepper during a diet both raw and cooked. This can be steamed, baked in the oven, or simply boiled.

Diet based on bell pepper

1st day. On this day you need to eat only vegetables, and 80% of them should be sweet bell peppers. The allowed daily intake is about 1 kg of vegetables.
2nd day. Bell peppers can be combined with fruits. You are allowed to consume about 1 kg of pepper per day and about 0.5 kg of various fruits.
3rd day. During the day you can eat 1 boiled egg, 800 g of pepper and 200 g of fruit.
4th day. Per day you are allowed to eat 1 boiled egg, 500 g of pepper, 1 orange.
5th day. The daily diet should include 200 g of boiled chicken, 500 g of sweet bell pepper and low-fat drinking yogurt or kefir.
6th day. The daily diet consists of 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese and 500 g of sweet bell pepper.
7th day. 500 g bell pepper, low-fat kefir.

Bell pepper is one of those vegetables whose benefits are practically beyond doubt. It attracts with its bright colors, elastic flesh and pleasant taste. There are countless culinary recipes with its participation - peppers are eaten raw on their own, stewed, boiled, baked, and for long-term storage the vegetable can be dried or frozen. It would seem like an ideal natural product, but even healthy bell peppers can sometimes cause harm. First things first.

The benefits of bell pepper

The beneficial properties of bell pepper are determined by its richness:

Elastic pepper is a vegetable champion in vitamins C, P and A, it is generously provided with B-group.

The impressive mineral deposits in pepper include potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, iodine, magnesium and calcium.

Essential oils, alkaloids and phytoncides complement the invaluable storehouse of useful substances.

Health benefits of bell pepper

Vitamins A and P in pepper strengthen the walls of blood vessels, vitamin C helps raise immunity to the proper level and supports normal heart function. Consumption of provitamin Abnormalizes vision, has a beneficial effect on the appearance of the skin, stimulates hair growth and prevents premature baldness. The benefits of bell pepper in the treatment of diabetes and depression have been proven. A sufficient amount of B vitamins helps with insomnia, memory problems, chronic stress and loss of energy.

What are the benefits of bell pepper for the body? The high content of mineral salts in the vegetable enriches the blood, prevents anemia and improves immunity, so it must be present in the diet of people living in areas with high radiation and smokers. Stimulating the gastrointestinal tract, improving appetite, lowering blood pressure and thinning the blood after eating delicious peppers is the merit of the alkaloid capsaicin. The beneficial properties of bell pepper are complemented by antioxidants that cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol plaques, reduce the risk of blood clots and normalize blood pressure, helping cells cope with pathogens.

Benefits of green bell peppers

Sweet green pepper perfectly strengthens the body, promotes recovery from chronic fatigue, prevents inflammation of nerve cells and reduces the risk of developing, especially in the mammary glands. It is useful for fragile blood vessels, blood diseases and bleeding gums. Raw green pepper is indispensable when dieting, as it is an ideal digestive aid. Heat treatment is undesirable - the pepper will be very bitter.

Beneficial properties of yellow bell pepper

Sunny-colored peppers contain large quantities of carotenoids that improve vision. It is richer in potassium than its other counterparts, so it is recommended in old age and for problems with the heart, and in phosphorus, which is important for the musculoskeletal system and kidneys. Yellow pepper is also recommended for significant mental stress - it helps improve memory and concentration, and successfully overcomes depression and insomnia.

The benefits and harms of red bell pepper

Red peppers are champions of vitamins A and C, so they are useful for any problems with visual acuity and reduced immunity. They are also recommended for the prevention of cancer tumors - due to the record amount of antioxidant lycopene, which gives such a bright color. Lycopene also prevents premature aging of body cells.

The benefits and harms of red bell pepper are incomparable, but it should still be used with caution if you have allergies and stomach problems - pepper contains a lot of the alkaloid capsaicin, which gives a spicy, specific taste and irritates the mucous membranes.

Benefits of bell pepper for women

Thanks to vitamin A and calcium, bell pepper strengthens vision, prevents splitting nails, peeling skin and hair loss. The fleshy vegetable is also used in cosmetology - it is used in the manufacture of:

cosmetic masks - whitening, smoothing, toning and saturating the facial skin with vitamins;
tonics that perfectly moisturize the skin.

What else is bell pepper good for women? It is very advisable to eat it during periods of special stress on the skeletal system - pregnancy and breastfeeding, and it is better to eat it raw or use vegetable juice.

When wondering what benefits bell pepper has for the body, one cannot help but mention its benefits for weight loss. The vegetable belongs to the food group C - this means that it will take more energy to digest it than will be released from the calories that enter the body. The high fiber content helps stimulate intestinal motility and “accelerates” the metabolism, that is, everything that is deposited on the sides will dissolve and come out much faster.

Benefits of bell pepper: natural treatment

The health benefits of bell pepper are inexhaustible: for example, an ointment or patch with it successfully copes with radiculitis, neuralgia and arthritis. The aromatic oils in pepper cause the production of natural endorphins, which balance out when overexcited or depressed.

Freshly squeezed juice from fully ripened peppers is a rich source of valuable substances - mineral salts and organic acids. Drink half a glass of it before meals, you can add honey. This useful and natural medicine helps to successfully cope with ARVI, vitamin deficiencies, anemia, bronchitis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, hypotension, diathesis, gout, and stimulates hair and nail growth. In the treatment of diabetes, the juice of unripe fruits is used, which normalizes blood sugar levels. It is also effective for stomatitis or periodontal disease.

Harm and contraindications of bell pepper

Unfortunately, sometimes the beneficial properties of bell pepper cannot be fully used due to contraindications, which include:

Individual intolerance and allergic reactions - rashes and itching. They are caused by essential oils and vitamins contained in pepper. Particular care should be taken when giving the product, especially yellow and red colors, to children.
Hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris - due to blood thinning when consumed. Before use, consultation with a physician is mandatory.
Ulcers and gastritis with high acidity - due to the increased content of coarse plant fiber, phytoncides and capsaicin, which irritate the gastric walls. For these diseases, pepper can be consumed after heat treatment.
Epilepsy, increased excitability, insomnia, mental disorders, hemorrhoids, kidney and liver diseases in a state of exacerbation.
The use of chemicals during cultivation and soil contamination leads to a significant accumulation of pesticides in peppers - such a vegetable cannot be eaten. Eating pepper exclusively during the season will reduce the risk, and you need to buy it not in the supermarket, but in the market, from trusted manufacturers. Choose a firm, smooth pepper; its freshness will be confirmed by its green, not dry tail.

The contraindications of bell pepper must be taken seriously - despite its beneficial properties, in these cases it can be harmful to health.

In addition, bell peppers are unintentionally harmful to those who include them in their diet when trying to lose weight due to their appetite-stimulating properties. It has also been found that cooking vegetables causes the release of substances that increase the risk of caries.

A balanced assessment of the benefits and harms of bell peppers and careful selection of an environmentally friendly vegetable when purchasing will help you consume it consciously, without fear of unpleasant consequences and enjoying the taste and beneficial effects on the body.

This multi-colored vegetable, which gives our dishes an amazing taste and bright colors, is familiar to many. Have you guessed what we are talking about? Today on the agenda is bell pepper, the benefits of which are quite great. Let's discuss in more detail the healing properties and possible harm of this vegetable for humans.

American vegetable with Bulgarian name

It’s strange why sweet peppers are called Bulgarian, since the American continent is rightfully considered its homeland? The health benefits of bell peppers are not known to everyone; many people love this colorful and juicy vegetable for its taste.

Sweet bell peppers are added to meat dishes, salads, and snacks. It always gives treats an original aesthetic appearance and attractiveness. But this product is famous not only for its gastronomic qualities. The benefits of bell pepper for the body lie in its component composition.

On a note! The nutritional value of sweet peppers is low and amounts to 29 kilocalories per 100 g of product. In its raw form, almost 91% of the vegetable’s mass comes from purified water, another 6% is allocated to carbohydrates, and only 3% is distributed between various types of acids, fats and proteins.

Components of the bright vegetable:

pyridoxine;
tocopherol;
a nicotinic acid;
riboflavin;
retinol;
thiamine;
ascorbic, folic acid.

Micro-, macroelements and minerals contained in pepper:

magnesium;
potassium;
sulfur;
sodium;
manganese;
selenium;
zinc;
molybdenum;
ferrum;

On a note! In addition to the listed components, sweet bell peppers contain soluble sugar, essential oil extracts, alkaloids, pectins and fiber.

Bell pepper: health benefits and harms

Of course, raw sweet peppers will bring the greatest benefit to the human body. But as practice shows, boiled bell pepper is no less valued, the benefits and harms of which will be almost identical. True, as a result of heat treatment, some of the beneficial substances contained in the pepper pulp will evaporate.

Interesting! In nature, sweet peppers are found in orange, green, red and yellow colors. It turns out that each of these varieties has distinctive features.

The vegetable turns a rich red color due to lycopene. This pigment is considered the most powerful natural antioxidant, so sweet peppers have cleansing (antioxidant) properties.

Eating red bell peppers helps cleanse the body of accumulated debris and toxic compounds. In addition, experts say that due to its antioxidant properties, the vegetable is also a preventive measure for ailments of an oncological nature.

Red sweet bell peppers contain a high concentration of ascorbic acid. By eating one vegetable, you can satisfy the body's daily need for this substance. We trace another connection: ascorbic acid helps strengthen the immune system and guards our health, serving as a barrier to pathogens.

Healing properties of red pepper:

lowering blood pressure levels;
strengthening the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity;
increased visual acuity;
reducing the likelihood of blood clots;
increased brain activity;
normalization of the functioning of the digestive tract;
blood thinning.

The power of the sun-colored vegetable

Yellow bell pepper is also famous for its healing properties. This vegetable, compared to its red counterpart, contains even more ascorbic acid. In one fruit, the concentration of vitamin C is approximately five times higher than the body's daily need for this component.

Beneficial properties of yellow peppers:

slowing down the aging process at the cellular level;
increased blood circulation in the brain;
prevention of heart attack and stroke;
normalization of the functioning of the nervous system;
improving the condition of the musculoskeletal system;
normalizing heart rate.

On a note! The orange relative of the sweet pepper has similar medicinal properties. It is recommended for consumption by people suffering from anemia. In terms of its value, bell pepper juice is in no way inferior to fresh vegetables; the benefits and harms of the drink will be identical to the products in their raw form.

Briefly about green peppers

Surprisingly, it is the green vegetable that has the least nutritional value. A 100 g serving contains only 20 kilocalories. However, green bell peppers have the property of increasing appetite. This vegetable is also capable of removing carcinogens from the body.

This is not the only thing that bell peppers are famous for. Its benefits and harms for the liver are what interests many people, because the main filter organ of our body needs support. By eating green peppers, you can cleanse liver cells, remove harmful waste and toxins from the body, lower cholesterol levels and activate metabolic processes.

Information classified as "secret"

Peppers of various colors are very useful for both women and men. Representatives of the stronger sex suffering from sexual impotence simply need to eat pepper. This bright vegetable will help normalize potency and increase sexual desire.

And the unique composition of sweet bell pepper has a beneficial effect on tooth enamel, nail plates and hair. The vegetable is recommended for people who are prone to baldness or have already encountered this problem.

Sweet pepper strengthens the body at the cellular level and increases its resistance to stressful situations. For women, this colorful vegetable is a source of beauty and longevity. It can be eaten even during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The exception is individual intolerance and excessive sensitivity to individual components.

On a note! Due to their low nutritional value, sweet peppers can be included in the diet menu. Dieticians have developed special diets.

Can everyone eat sweet peppers?

Unfortunately, not everyone can experience the vegetable, because there are a number of contraindications to eating bell pepper. First of all, people suffering from kidney and liver diseases will have to give up colorful vegetables. In this case, the product will only worsen the clinical picture, which can lead to the development of complicated consequences.

Contraindications to eating sweet peppers:

increased level of stomach acidity;
haemorrhoids;
ulcerative tumors in the stomach;
ischemic diseases of the heart muscle;
hypertension;
excessive nervous excitability.

Sweet peppers originate from Guatemala and Mexico, where they grow wild. But the pepper that we use for food is large, fleshy, bred in Bulgaria, from where it acquired the name “Bulgarian”. Currently, many varieties and hybrids have been developed, zoned for different climates. The benefits of sweet peppers for the body are enormous.

Why is sweet bell pepper so beneficial?

In its composition, it contains large quantities of soluble sugars, nitrogenous substances, fiber, essential oils, pectins and starch. There are vitamins in bell peppers for all the letters of the alphabet, microelements - from half of the periodic table. For example, vitamins PP from group B improve memory, restore strength, restore normal sleep, and relieve depression.

This vegetable also contains serotonin - the hormone of joy and happiness, the same one whose presence chocolate improves mood. But sweet peppers, unlike chocolate, do not contribute to the deposition of excess fat in the body.

The benefits of bell pepper are invaluable for expectant mothers; by eating this vegetable every day, pregnant women maintain healthy hair, nails, bones, tooth enamel, as well as the health of their unborn child.

Substances that reduce blood clotting have been found in the pulp of sweet peppers. By preventing the formation of blood clots, pepper reduces the possibility of serious diseases such as stroke or embolism.

Benefits of sweet pepper for facial skin

Everyone knows about the rejuvenating properties of this vegetable. If you grind one ripe bell pepper into a paste, add a spoonful of sour cream and a beaten egg, you will get an unusual face mask. It is applied to cleansed skin and left for 15 minutes. Then the mask is washed off with cool water.

This product refreshes, nourishes and even slightly whitens the skin. After several of these masks, your face looks younger and fresher.

Juice squeezed from sweet pepper fruits is used as a moisturizing tonic for the face. The biologically active substances contained in its composition preserve youth and elasticity of the skin and delay the appearance of wrinkles.

Drinking a glass of juice also helps maintain youthful skin and is also a good prevention of colds.

What types of sweet bell pepper are there?

There are a lot of varieties, species and hybrids of bell peppers. They differ in shape, fruit size, ripening time, they are zoned in different places, but the most basic difference between all sweet peppers, or paprikas as they are also called, is the difference in color.

There are three main colors of paprika, like a traffic light: red, yellow and green. The chemical composition of peppers of any color is almost the same, but depending on the color, their properties differ markedly. What is the benefit of different colored peppers?

Red bell pepper

The flesh of sweet peppers turns red due to the presence of the pigment lycopene from the carotenoid group. Lycopene has a powerful cleansing ability, fights cell destruction, and removes toxins. This substance is widely used in medicine for the treatment and prevention of cancer of many human organs and systems.

100 grams of red pepper (red paprika) contains 128 mg of ascorbic acid – vitamin C. A person’s daily need for this vitamin is four times less. “Excess” milligrams are eliminated without harm to the body. Rutin, also known as vitamin P, enhances the antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect of ascorbic acid. The result of this interaction is strengthened blood vessels and a decrease in the permeability of their walls.

Any red pepper (both sweet and hot) contains capsaicin, which gives the vegetable a bitter taste. It is capsaicin that contains the beneficial properties of pepper. Its content is small, less than 0.01%, but this is enough to affect the entire human body. This alkaloid helps normalize blood pressure, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and reduces the possibility of blood clots. By improving fluidity and reducing blood viscosity, capsaicin increases blood circulation in the capillaries and eliminates dizziness.

Dietary fiber and fiber, which are found in large quantities in paprika, collect toxins, excess cholesterol, fats and undigested food debris and speed up their elimination.

Red paprika is considered to be the source of another important element; it contains a lot of zinc. This chemical element normalizes brain function and stimulates sexual activity.

Red paprika is rich in beta-carotene. It contains many times more of this substance than yellow or green pepper. One large, sweet red pepper contains about 1 mg of vitamin A. And this is a real salvation for smokers and those who breathe the same air with them. Beta-carotene in peppers compensates for the lack of this substance caused by carcinogens contained in cigarette smoke.

The benefits of red sweet pepper for vision are invaluable. If you eat 30-40 g of paprika per day, the condition of your visual organs will improve “before your eyes.”

Yellow bell pepper

The yellow color of bell peppers is due to the high content of carotene and a small amount of lycopene. One fruit of such a sweet pepper provides five times the norm of vitamin C. Yellow peppers are characterized by a significant content of potassium and iron in the fruits. Potassium is necessary for the stable functioning of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and musculoskeletal system. This is noticeable in the improvement of heart rate and acceleration of the passage of nerve impulses.

Iron, which is part of the pulp of these fruits, takes an active part in the production of thyroid hormones, hemoglobin synthesis, and protecting the body from infections. A large amount of bell pepper vitamins belonging to group B reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes and helps maintain blood vessels in a healthy state.

Green bell pepper

Green is an unripe red or yellow pepper. Pepper fruits become yellow or red at the stage of biological ripeness, when the seeds ripen. Green pepper fruits are fragrant, tasty and beautiful. They contain vitamins, microelements, biologically active substances and minerals in the same way as ripe vegetables, but in smaller quantities.

So, to get the daily requirement of vitamin C you need to eat 1-3 green peppers. Sunny weather, timely application of fertilizers, and dosed watering can increase the content of nutrients in vegetables.

The content of calcium salts, proteins, carbohydrates, carotene, B vitamins, and organic acids is also high in such fruits. The presence of a small amount of essential oils in pepper (from 0.1 to 1.12%) gives the fruit a specific taste and smell characteristic of pepper.

The fruits of green peppers should be part of the food supply of everyone who wants to lose weight. They have a negative calorie content - the body spends more energy on digesting these peppers than it receives from them. The only thing we must take into account is that capsaicin, which is present in all peppers, stimulates the appetite.

Are sweet peppers good for everyone?

Those who have been diagnosed with:

hypertension;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, heart;
increased excitability of the central nervous system.

Essential oils and alkaloids that are present in pepper, irritating the gastric mucosa, can exacerbate gastritis and increase already high acidity.

Peppers grown in greenhouses, with a lack of fresh air and sunlight, with possible excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers, tend to accumulate nitrates. Treating plants against pests and diseases also does not go unnoticed - pesticides can remain in the fruits. The benefits of bell pepper in this case are significantly less compared to fruits grown outdoors.

You should only buy pepper in winter from trusted places where you are confident in the quality of the products sold.

During cooking, most of the beneficial substances and compounds are destroyed. Sweet peppers baked in the oven release substances that destroy tooth enamel.

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