Bella Adams
Bell pepper is one of the most popular vegetables around the world. It is appreciated for adding a special flavor to hundreds of popular dishes. This vegetable is rich in a variety of colors. Few people know that bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits.
What is the use of sweet bell pepper, how do its medicinal properties vary depending on the color (red, yellow, green), how do its pulp and seeds affect the body, whether there are contraindications to the use of this product – that’s what we’ll talk about!
The homeland of sweet pepper (paprika) is the American continent. In our country, its second name is Bulgarian. Vegetable pepper fruits are not real berries. Breeders have done a great job and bred a huge number of different varieties of sweet peppers, which we can distinguish by the shape and color of the fruit.
The benefits of bell peppers
Bell pepper contains coarse fiber, fats, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins (beta-carotene, groups B, C, E, PP, H), potassium and sodium salts, fluorine, magnesium, iron, chromium, zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, iodine, and many other minerals.
The caloric content of the product is 27 kcal, which makes it a useful supplement to any weight loss diet.
This vegetable activates digestion, helping to break down and digest meat dishes, and improves the absorption of nutrients.
Vitamin P, also known as rutin, should be noted separately, as it helps to strengthen and cleanse blood vessels, makes them more elastic, and prevents atherosclerosis and blood clots. Biologically active substances in paprika help to thin the blood and act as a prophylactic agent against the development of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Potassium and magnesium strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and the heart muscle, and help to remove unnecessary fluid from the body. If you eat pepper regularly, you can get rid of edema, excess salts, and toxins, which are successfully excreted in sweat and urine.
Eating about 50 grams of paprika daily improves the condition of the organs of vision, and mucous membranes, enhances the growth of hair, nails and strengthens hair follicles, and helps to smooth wrinkles.
The characteristic taste of sweet pepper is due to the presence of capsaicin, an alkaloid that is good for the stomach and stimulates the pancreas stimulates appetite, and improves intestinal motility. Vitamins PP, B1, B2, and B6, which are present in sufficient quantities in the pulp of the vegetable, have a positive effect on the state of the nervous system and increase resistance to stress.
Therefore, it is highly desirable to consume the fruit systematically for people with various neuroses, loss of strength, and those who suffer from sleep disorders. Bell pepper is very useful for the elderly and all expectant mothers.
Red varieties of bell pepper have an unprotective function due to the presence of useful organic acids – chlorogenic and P-coumaric. The lycopene contained in paprika increases the body’s defenses and prevents the appearance of prostate cancer in men. It is advisable to eat red fruits systematically for all smokers (due to the high content of ascorbic acid). Also, red bell peppers are the most useful for children, because they need vitamin A for full development and the maximum amount of it is in red varieties.
It is recommended to include bell peppers in your menu all the time for people of mental professions. As it effectively improves memory, concentration, and cognitive abilities of the brain.
Green bell peppers are immature red peppers. They are harvested before they have a chance to turn into red peppers. This low-calorie vegetable does not contain fat and has a good supply of vitamins and minerals. In addition, green peppers have less sodium than red peppers. The low amount of sodium in foods has a positive effect on kidney function. In addition, it contains phytosterols that regulate lipid metabolism and reduce the level of “dangerous” cholesterol in the blood.
Yellow bell peppers are most useful for the heart, as they outperform their counterparts in potassium content by as much as one and a half times. Yellow varieties are also rich in phosphorus, an essential element for the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
So the best option would be to eat the entire pepper color range at the same time. Bell pepper is a high-quality means of preventing many diseases. But still, the most useful are red pepper varieties, which contain the maximum amount of ascorbic acid, in terms of which pepper overtakes lemons and black currants. The daily value of vitamin C can be easily and simply obtained by eating only 40 g of bell pepper.
Contraindications to the use of bell peppers
Consult your doctor or nutritionist about the possibility of eating bell peppers if you have the following diseases: heart rhythm disorders, coronary artery disease, hypertension, central nervous system excitability, epilepsy, inflammatory kidney and liver diseases, hemorrhoids, ulcers, or gastritis (especially in cases with high acidity). In these chronic diseases, eating pepper can provoke an exacerbation due to the presence of fiber and essential oils.
How to choose bell peppers
When choosing bell peppers, make sure that the vegetable has a green, elastic tail and is free of wrinkles and dents. The pepper should have strong and thick flesh with a shiny surface.
When buying, you should pay attention to the degree of maturity of the bell pepper. Overripe, as well as unripe fruits, contain less vitamin C. If you do not plan to eat the pepper immediately after purchase, you should buy slightly unripe fruits, because ripe fruits, unlike slightly unripe ones, will lose up to 10% of their vitamins in the refrigerator.
Bell peppers in the kitchen
Bell pepper is a popular vegetable in all traditional cuisines of the world. It is added to pizza, meat, soups, borscht, casseroles, etc.
It is baked, boiled, grilled, fried, or preserved for the winter in the form of a delicious lecho. But it is worth noting that heat treatment kills the beneficial properties of pepper. Fresh pepper is the most effective in a healthy diet.
Bell peppers are also combined with other vegetables: pumpkin, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage, onions, carrots; with herbs: spinach, parsley, dill, basil; with milk and dairy products: sour cream, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt; with meat: chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb; with cereals: rice, oatmeal, buckwheat; with fruits: pineapple, apple; with nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds.
Vitamin treasure trove – that’s the only way to describe bell peppers. It contains an incredible amount of vitamins and nutrients. We are sure that you have seen this after receiving comprehensive information. But be careful and consider all contraindications.
This product will not only complement any diet but will also be a great snack at work or school. A few slices of juicy peppers are not only healthier than questionable crackers or buns but also much tastier. Be sure to include bell peppers in your diet.
Be careful about your diet and take care of your health!
