Yellow bell peppers are the ideal balance between red bell peppers’ sweetness and greens’ tanginess. As delicious as they are, have you ever wondered, are yellow capsicum nutritious? Do they have any health benefits?
If you have, then you’re reading the right article. In this piece, we will explorer the health benefits of yellow capsicum, yellow bell pepper’s nutritional content and answer a few other commonly asked questions.
What Are Yellow Bell Peppers?
Yellow capsicum is the semi-ripe fruit of the Capsicum annuum plant, commonly called bell pepper. All capsicums start as green bell peppers and then change colors as they mature. Yellow bell peppers are the intermediate phase of the ripening process.
Yellow bell peppers are sweeter than green capsicum but tangier than red. They are also more nutritious than green peppers but not as nutrient-dense as red bell peppers.
This description applies to most bell pepper types, but there are many varieties of capsicum, and they come in many different colors.
Nutrients in Yellow Bell Peppers
Yellow bell peppers contain higher levels of nutrients than green bell peppers but less than red. The exception to this rule is in their carotenoid content. These plant compounds change form as the capsicum matures and are why the peppers change colors. Green bell peppers are the highest high in lutein. Red capsicum contains the most capsanthin, and yellow peppers offer the most violaxanthin.
Nutrients per 100g serving of yellow bell peppers
- Calories: 31
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
- Fiber: 2.1 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Sugar: 4.2 grams
- Water: 92%
- Vitamin C: 305 % DV
- Vitamin B6: 8.6 % DV
- Folate: 6.5 % DV
- Calcium: 11 mg
- Potassium: 212 mg
- Phosphorous: 24 mg
Yellow bell peppers are also rich in violaxanthin which research has found retards the growth of some types of cancer cells.
Health Benefits of Yellow Bell Peppers
Yellow bell peppers contain many important vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that doctors have found beneficial to our health. Here we present 11 health benefits that yellow capsicum can provide.
1. Reduces The Risk of Heart Disease
Bell peppers contain high amounts of vitamin C, folate, and other compounds that lower the risk of a heart attack. Vitamin C acts as a natural diuretic. Diuretics remove excess water from our system and reduce the tension within our blood vessels. Folate helps regulate levels of the amino acid homocysteine. High homocysteine levels and hypertension are two of the leading contributing factors in the development of heart disease. Beyond this, yellow bell peppers contain natural anticoagulants that can help prevent blood clots.
2. Prevents Anemia
Characterized by feelings of tiredness and fatigue, anemia affects your blood’s ability to carry oxygen. One of the leading causes of anemia is low iron levels. Yellow bell peppers contain a fair amount of iron, but more importantly, the vitamin C they offer helps the body absorb and utilize the iron.
3. Helps Maintain Eye Health
The two leading forms of vision impairment in America are cataracts and macular degeneration. A significant contributor to both of these conditions is diseases and free radical damage within the light-sensitive areas of the eye. Yellow bell pepper’s high carotenoid content fights free radical damage to the retina, protecting your vision, and their nutritional value improves your overall health.
4. Improves Digestion
Yellow capsicum delivers 2.1 grams of dietary fiber per 100-gram serving. Dietary fiber adds bulk to your stool, making it easier to pass and improving your overall digestive health. High-fiber foods also aid in preventing hemorrhoids.
5. Reduces The Risk of Diabetes
Both the vitamin C and fiber in yellow bell peppers can aid in the fight against diabetes. Researchers have found that Vitamin C helps reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Fiber slows down the absorption rate of sugars in the stomach reducing the severity of insulin spikes people experience.
6. Lowers Blood Pressure
Research indicates that vitamin C in yellow bell peppers acts as a natural diuretic and helps the body get rid of excess fluids. Eliminating surplus fluids from your system reduces the pressure within your blood cells. You could think of yellow capsicum as nature’s water pill.
7. Help With PMS
Yellow bell peppers contain a high level of vitamin B6, which helps regulate hormone production in the body. Many of the most common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are caused by a woman’s hormones being in flux. While high amounts of B6 in yellow bell peppers won’t eliminate PMS, the evidence does indicate it help lessen its severity.
8. Boosts Immunity
One 100-gram serving of yellow bell peppers contains over three times the recommended minimum daily allowance of vitamin C. Considered a wonder nutrient by many; vitamin C is a well-established immunity booster.
9. Improves Skin Health
Yellow bell peppers promote healthy skin in two ways. Their high antioxidant content helps protect skin cells from free radical damage. As a bonus, yellow capsicum contains significant amounts of the protein compound collagen. Collagen is one of the basic building blocks of skin and promotes the growth of healthy skin cells.
10. May Help Fight Cancer
Free radical damage, especially to cell DNA, is a contributing factor in the development of cancer and many other health problems. Animal studies have shown a marked decrease in cancer development when subjects receive a diet high in antioxidants. Yellow bell peppers are rich in a variety of antioxidant compounds. You should note that doctors have not duplicated the results of the animal studies in human trials.
11. Fights Depression
Researchers have found a correlation between folate and vitamin B6 levels and depression. Several studies have found that people suffering from mild depression improved when treated with B6 and folate. Other studies found that sufferers of severe depression experienced more significant benefits from antidepressants when given in conjunction with folate and vitamin B6. Yellow bell peppers are a healthy source of both vitamin B6 and folate.
Which Color Bell Pepper is the Healthiest?
Most doctors and dieticians consider red bell peppers to be the healthiest to eat. By staying on the vine longer, they pack in more nutrients than green or yellow capsicum. Red bell peppers contain 150 percent more vitamin C than green peppers and 11 times as much beta-carotene.
The nutritional content of yellow bell peppers falls about halfway between red and green capsicum.
Are Yellow Peppers Better Than Green?
Whether yellow bell peppers are better than green depends on the subject you are discussing. Yellow capsicum is much more nutrient-dense than green bell peppers. They contain 70 percent more vitamin C and a minimum of 20 percent more other significant nutrients.
If you want to know if yellow bell peppers taste better than green, that is a matter of opinion. Many people enjoy the tangy, sometimes bitter flavor of green bell peppers. Others like the milder edge and sweeter nature that yellow capsicum offers.
Is it OK to Eat Bell Peppers Every Day?
According to Natalie Rizzo, a New York City-based sports dietitian specializing in veganism, you can eat bell peppers every day or even every meal. That is as long as they don’t upset your stomach.
She does caution that you can, doesn’t mean you should. She advises eating bell peppers in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Sources:
NIH National Library of Medicine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=yellow+bell+pepper
National Center for Biotechnology Information “Folate and depression—a neglected problem” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1810582/
USDA FoodData Central https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=bell%20pepper
National Cancer Institute “Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention” https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet
National Institute of Health “Characterization and quantitation of antioxidant constituents of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15186108/
WebMD “Health Benefits of Bell Peppers” https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bell-peppers#1
Healthline “Bell Peppers 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bell-peppers
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
