Red bell pepper is a very popular vegetable because of its amazing health benefits. In particular, the possession of many colorful colors such as yellow, red, orange ... helps bell peppers create attractive and beautiful dishes. In this article, let's find out with Organica what are the benefits of eating bell peppers and how to eat them to get the best results!
Uses of bell peppers
Before going into learning about the benefits of bell peppers, you need to know about the nutritional composition of this food. Fresh bell peppers are composed mainly of water, the rest are carbs and a small amount of protein, fat, minerals, vitamins. Specifically, in 100g of fresh bell peppers, there are:
Calories: 31
Country: 92%
Protein: 1 gram
Starch: 6 grams
Sugar: 4.2 grams
Fiber: 2.1 grams
Fat: 0.3 grams
Vitamins A, B, C, E, K1
Folate
Potassium
…
Figure 1: The nutritional composition of bell peppers is very abundant
In particular, the vitamin A content in red bell peppers is more than green bell peppers and is very good for the development of eyesight. Besides, vitamin C in bell peppers also works to help the body fight against agents of oxidation, support tissue health, and improve immunity.
Health benefits of bell peppers
With the above nutritional composition, bell peppers have great effects on health and are a popular choice for family meal menus. Those effects are:
Enhance eyesight
According to nutritionists, zeaxanthin found in red, orange and green bell peppers is a pigment that helps protect the macula of the eye from the harmful effects of blue light. Thereby, helping to improve vision as well as fight against oxidative reactions that can damage the retina of the eye.
Thus, on average, a person should consume 2mg of zeaxanthin per day to enhance vision, help eyes see better at night, and prevent night blindness.
Figure 2: Bell peppers are good for eyesight
Prevent anemia
Bell peppers are known to be rich in iron, which can improve anemia and iron deficiency. And yet, bell peppers also provide up to 300% of the amount of vitamin C needed by the body. Meanwhile, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, increasing iron absorption.
Not only cooked, bell peppers can be eaten raw, salad as a fruit to supplement nutrients for the body.
Good for cardiovascular
Because of the many powerful antioxidants, eating bell peppers can help neutralize and prevent the effects of free radicals that damage the body's cells. Besides, bell peppers also have the effect of reducing bad cholesterol in the blood, avoiding the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer. As well as research, phenols and flavonoids found in bell peppers are also capable of reducing free hydrogen peroxide radicals. Phytonutrients abundant in sweet peppers also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, good for high blood pressure patients, increase immunity, help with hormone metabolism, reduce inflammation, detoxify. In particular, this substance also has the ability to help relax the respiratory tract, reducing shortness of breath in people with asthma.
Helps to sleep well, balance mood
According to nutritionists, the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 found in bell peppers has the effect of reducing anxiety, nervous tension and boosting the immune system. Vitamin B6 also contributes to the production of melatonin - the active ingredient that helps you get better and better quality sleep. For women, eating bell peppers will reduce premenstrual symptoms such as headaches, fatigue or mood swings.
Supports weight loss, stimulates digestion
A significant effect of bell peppers is to support weight loss, good for the digestive system. Because bell peppers are high in fiber, low in calories, fat and almost no cholesterol. When you eat bell peppers, your body burns calories.
In addition, red bell peppers do not contain capsaicin that causes heat in the body like other chili peppers. In contrast, the fiber in bell peppers also helps stimulate digestion, promote bowel movements, protect the intestines from harmful bacteria, treat constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Beautiful skin, increase skin elasticity
Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bell peppers have powerful antioxidant properties, helping the skin to avoid skin aging. Vitamin C present in chili peppers also helps promote collagen formation, helping you get firm, healthy skin. Phytonutrients in this food also help treat rashes, blemishes, acne or skin infections.
Figure 3: Bell pepper is a food that helps to beautify the skin
Harm of bell peppers when eaten cooked and raw
There is no denying that bell peppers are a food with many health benefits. But few people know that bell peppers, if not used properly or in appropriate quantities, can cause some harm.
Figure 4: Eating too many bell peppers can lead to some harm
The harmful effects of bell peppers include:
Causing bloating, flatulence: Although foods contain a lot of fiber, if you eat too much from bell peppers, your body will experience an excess of fiber, leading to bloating and belching.
Not good for kidney function: The vitamin C content in bell peppers is 2-3 times higher than vitamin C that lemons or oranges provide. If not combined with other vegetables, there is a potential risk of excess vitamin C, increasing the concentration of Oxalate and Uric Acid in the urine. This will adversely affect kidney function.
Affects Sleep: One potential harm of consuming too much bell peppers is disrupting sleep. Especially when you use this food at dinner, the vitamin C in this fruit will stimulate, increase the feeling of excitement, make sleepless nights.
Increased risk of jaundice: Bell peppers contain a large amount of Beta-Carotene - an essential component for vision. However, if too much is absorbed, the concentration in the blood will increase, increasing the incidence of jaundice.
Allergies: One harmful effect of eating a lot of bell peppers is that it causes allergies. However, this condition only occurs in cases of pollen allergy. Possible reactions are redness, rash, difficulty breathing.
How many bell peppers should you eat per day?
As mentioned, eating too many bell peppers will lead to a few harmful effects on health. Therefore, how many bell peppers to eat each day is a matter of concern for many people. According to recommendations from nutritionists, should only use 1-2 bell peppers per meal, 2-3 times per week is the most reasonable.
This is the right amount to help the body get the ability to fully absorb nutrients, improve health effectively.
Figure 5: Need to eat bell peppers in moderation
Who should eat bell peppers?
In addition to the amount used, you also need to know who should eat bell peppers as well as who should not use this food. Because bell peppers contain many healthy nutrients, this food is suitable for everyone. However, there are also some subjects that should not eat bell peppers, which are:
People who often suffer from digestive disorders
People with a history of being allergic to chili
People who often have urticaria, atopic dermatitis
Above is all the information to help you know what to eat bell peppers, who should not eat and how to eat them appropriately. Hopefully, this article will help you better understand this very nutritious healthy food and how to use it most effectively.