Bell Pepper Nutrition Benefits and Drawbacks—Plus Recipes to Try

Bell peppers are one of those ubiquitous vegetables you find in everything from a crisp, fresh Greek salad to stuffed peppers to colorful party veggie trays. This versatile vegetable offers numerous health benefits in several bright colors. Three dietitians help us break down bell pepper nutrition, why they're different colors, and how you can incorporate the right amount into your diet.

Bell Pepper Colors

Each color of bell pepper—green, yellow, orange, and red—identifies its stage of ripeness:

• Green is the starting point for all bell peppers. They're generally the least expensive at the grocers since they require the least ripening time. Because they're harvested sooner, they're the least sweet in the bell pepper spectrum with a little more bitter, herbaceous flavor.
• Red bell peppers have been kept on the plant the longest, so they're the sweetest and even a bit fruity tasting. Reds are also likely the grocers' most expensive option.
• Yellow and orange fall somewhere in between. They're a bit sweeter and often a bit pricier than green peppers, but not as sweet and costly as the red ones.

When choosing which color to use for a dish, they're essentially interchangeable yet offer subtle differences. For a bit more sweetness, red bell pepper is likely the best option, perhaps mixed with orange and yellow for extra color. For other recipes, like a classic Greek salad, the slightly more bitter, grassy taste of green bell peppers may make a better complement to other flavors in the dish. 

Bell Pepper Nutrition Benefits

If low calories, bright color, and great taste aren't enough to make you feel good about munching on bell peppers, read on as RDs explain the most notable health benefits of eating them regularly.

Good for Heart and Digestion

Bell peppers enhance natural detoxification, according to Minchen, and they provide fiber, iron, and folate to support a healthy gut and cardiovascular system:

• Though bell peppers contain small amounts of fiber—2% by fresh weight—calorie for calorie, they're considered rich in fiber. For carb counters, every 100 grams of bell peppers (about 3.5 ounces) has 6 grams of carbs and 2.1 grams of fiber.
• While they contribute only modest amounts of iron, bell peppers have tons of vitamin C, which helps our bodies absorb non-heme iron. This type of iron is found in plant foods like beans, lentils, leafy greens, and whole grains (as opposed to animal sources).
• Bell peppers deliver 14 percent of the daily value of folate, a vital nutrient during pregnancy. The daily recommendation for folate increases an additional 50 percent for pregnant women because it helps prevent birth defects and keeps unborn children healthy.
  

Rich in Potassium

"Peppers, no matter the color, are a great source of potassium and vitamin A," says Zeitlin. While other types of peppers—serrano peppers, banana peppers, and jalapeños, for example—have about twice as much potassium by weight, bell peppers are more conducive for eating in larger quantities.

Improves Vision

A medium red bell pepper has about 234 mcg of vitamin A, a large portion of the U.S. recommended women's daily allowance of 700 mcg. This nutrient "helps to maintain eye health, keeping your vision on point," Zeitlin says. Vitamin A is also essential for a strong immune system and healthy skin.

Research shows that an increased intake of a particular carotenoid, zeaxanthin, can help prevent macular degeneration, an age-related eye condition. Zeaxanthin is a major component of orange bell peppers and is also high in red ones. 

High in Antioxidants

Red peppers have been found particularly effective in reducing cardiovascular risk by exerting powerful antioxidant effects. "Red bell peppers are also rich in vitamin C and various carotenoids, which function as antioxidants and support eye and cardiovascular health," adds Minchen.

One medium-sized red bell pepper provides 169% of the recommended daily amount for vitamin C, making it one of the richest dietary sources of this essential nutrient, which plays a crucial role in our immune system.

"Yellow/orange bell peppers provide beta-carotene [an antioxidant form of vitamin A], vitamin C, and potassium," she adds. Beta-carotene helps protect your body's cells from free-radical damage that comes from things like pollution, sun exposure, and smoking.

Reduces Wrinkles

Antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in our diet are thought to contribute to maintaining skin health and deter the effects of aging, such as fine wrinkles, dryness, sallowness, and loss of elasticity.

"Eating green and yellow veggies, such as green and yellow bell peppers, may help decrease the wrinkling that can occur in the crow's foot area, according to a study of Japanese women," says Gorin.

Can You Eat Too Much Bell Pepper?

Yes, you can overdo it with bell peppers, according to Minchen. "Eating too much bell pepper can mean less intake of other essential nutrients, which may lead to nutrient deficiencies in the long term," she explains.

"Also [because they're in the nightshade family], bell pepper intolerance is quite common, which means that those with an intolerance may be able to only eat a small amount before they experience digestive and other inflammatory symptoms."

As such, Minchen recommends limiting your bell pepper intake to just one pepper per day. In any case, talk to your doctor or dietitian if you experience symptoms and suspect an intolerance.

Bell Pepper Recipes and Snack Ideas

Uniquely versatile peppers can enhance many dishes. Whether it's a salad, sandwich, burger, omelet, or roasted veggie medley, bell peppers are a natural addition, Zeitlin contends.

Minchen offered her favorite ways of incorporating bell peppers into your diet:

• Stuffed with ground beef or poultry, a whole grain, cheese, and other vegetables
• Sliced raw with yogurt dip, guacamole, or hummus for a healthy snack
• Stir-fried or sauteed with protein and other vegetables

Gorin likes adding sliced bell peppers to a fresh summer salad, a creamy rice dish, or a vegetarian lentil dish. Here are some bell pepper recipes that incorporate this subtly sweet, healthy, flavorful veggie.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

We love finding delicious ways to entertain and empty our pantry. Today's hero product is that jar of roasted red peppers you've been meaning to use for months. Simply blend it with a few other pantry ingredients—cashews, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and smoked paprika—and serve with veggies or toasted pita for a surefire crowdpleaser.

Southwestern-Stuffed Peppers

This bell pepper recipe mixes browned ground beef and cooked long-grain rice with peppers, corn, and green chilies to stuff into fresh red peppers. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, and then serve with your favorite toppings. (We like salsa and scallion greens.)

Sweet-and Sour Pepper Topping

Get flavorful any day of the week with an easy—and totally delicious—red pepper topping. We love serving these peppers on toast with whipped ricotta, but they're equally as delicious mixed into a garden salad. Be creative!

Pepper Jack Corn Gratin

Bell peppers bring texture, flavor, and a pop of color to this decadent, cheesy, corn gratin. The recipe calls for frozen, but fresh bell peppers of any color work just as well. Either way, you end up with a Southwestern-style side that's satisfying and scrumptious.

Tomato and Pepper Aioli

Add bell pepper to your party lineup via this tomato-and-pepper aioli. It calls on mixing jarred roasted red peppers with tomato paste and mayo to make a flavorful dip, sandwich spread, or topping you'll want to use again and again.

Grilled Hanger Steak with Green Bean and Sweet Pepper Slaw

Instead of cabbage, have you ever thought to create a slaw from green beans and bell peppers? We didn't think so, but you should try this. The recipe mixes thinly sliced bell pepper rings, French green beans, and red onion, and then coats them in a lime-spiced olive oil dressing. What a great way to eat your veggies...and the steak's not bad, either!

Seared Fish Tacos With Marinated Peppers

A jar of roasted red peppers to the rescue again! This time, our hero forms the base of a zesty salsa—made with vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and scallions—that goes atop a flaky fish taco. Suggest you double up on the salsa because you'll want to use it to add zing to sandwiches, salads, and quesadillas, too.

Pasta With Peppers and Mozzarella

Whether served as a delightful vegetarian main dish or a colorful side, this one-pot pasta dish is a jiff to make and cleanup's a breeze. Reminiscent of a warm pasta salad, thin strips of red bell pepper contribute a bright color contrast to wilted arugula and mozzarella balls. Dress in a garlicky olive oil dressing, toss, and serve.

Rigatoni With Grilled Peppers and Onions

Sauteed bell peppers and onions go together like salt and pepper, and all four ingredients contribute to this hot pasta dish. Red peppers stand out against the cooked spinach in this colorful dish, but any colored peppers make this savory side dish tasty. Add a protein or leave it as-is to serve on Meatless Monday.

Slow-Cooker Pork With Peppers and Olives

In this Cuban-inspired recipe, orange bell peppers play a supporting role alongside black beans and white rice. The peppers cook low-and-slow with a boneless pork shoulder for 7 to 8 hours, and then are served atop cooked rice and beans for a hearty Latin stew the whole family will love.

Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas And Peppers

Fast-cooking, colorful bell pepper strips are tailor-made for stir-frying, and this vegetarian recipe proves it. Peppers mingle with crispy tofu cubes and sugar snap peas coated in a vinegary peanut butter-and-maple syrup sauce, With a dash of sriracha for spice and sesame seeds for crunch, this peppery dish is quick, nutritious, and tasty.

Loaded Scrambled Eggs With Bell Peppers and Tomatoes

Bell peppers belong to an exclusive club of vegetables that often show up in breakfast dishes. This recipe sautés them with onion for a cheesy egg scramble. Served with fresh cherry tomatoes and crusty bread, consider this meal as a breakfast-for-dinner option, too.