Bell peppers are among the most colorful of the vegetables, and their many available colors reflect the different and beneficial carotenoids (pigments) they provide—more than 30 different carotenoid nutrients. Among the carotenoids found in bell peppers are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin, all offering antioxidant properties.
Bell peppers are also known for their vitamin C content: 1 cup of bell pepper slices provides nearly 200 percent of the %DailyValue for this vitamin. Other important nutrients found in bell peppers at significant levels include vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6, molybdenum, fiber, and vitamin K.
If you want to increase and maximize the antioxidant powers of bell peppers, allow them to ripen fully before picking them. If possible, pick organic bell peppers, as the study reported multiple pesticides found on 69.4 percent of bell pepper samples tested. One sample had 11 different chemicals.
Reference
The World’s Healthiest Foods
