Sweet Peppers

Whether roasted, sautéed, steamed, or baked, peppers make any dish divine

Cut & clean
Wash peppers just before using; remove the stem, seeds, and interior membranes. Sauté, steam, or bake and add to salads, soups, or stir-fries. Store peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Power food
Sweet peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Super-simple roasted peppers
Broil peppers close to an open flame or heat source, rotating until they blacken evenly. Put charred peppers in a plastic bag for about ten minutes, pull off the blackened peels, and rinse under cold water. Pat dry, remove seeds and stems, slice, and use in salads, or purée for soups.

Also indexed as: Banana Peppers, Bell Peppers, Bull’s Horn Peppers, Cubanelle Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Pimiento Peppers, Red Bell Peppers

Preparation, uses, and tips

Wash peppers just before using; remove the stem, seeds, and interior membranes, and add to salads, soups, or stir-frys. Peppers can be sautéed, steamed, or baked. Roast peppers by holding them over an open flame, or broiling them about 1/2-inch (1.25cm) from the broiler flame and rotating every minute or so until they blacken evenly. Put charred peppers in a plastic bag for about 10 minutes, then pull off the blackened peels and rinse the peppers under cold water. Pat dry, remove seeds and stems, and slice peppers. Use roasted pepper slices in salads, or purée in soups.

Buying and storing tips

Peppers can be found in the fruits and vegetables section of health food stores and supermarkets. Choose firm, heavy peppers with deeply colored, shiny skin, and avoid any that are shriveled, soft, or limp. Store peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Varieties

Sweet peppers range in colour from green to yellow, orange, red, purple, and black. Red bell peppers are fully ripened green bell peppers, with a milder, sweeter flavour. Other peppers include the red, heart-shaped pimiento; the pale green, slender and curved bull’s horn; the long, tapered Cubanelle, which ranges in colour from yellow to red; and the sweet banana pepper, which is yellow and banana-shaped.

Nutrition Highlights

Peppers, 1 cup (sweet, green, raw)
Calories: 40
Protein: 1.3g
Carbohydrate: 9.6g
Total Fat: 0.24g
Fiber: 2.7g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (133mg), and Vitamin A (942 IU)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.