In the vegetable world, sweet peppers are often used as a garnish due to their vibrant colors and crisp texture. However, sweet peppers hide an astonishing nutritional power, and it is a disservice to treat them merely as a “sidekick” on the dining table.
Sweet Peppers: The Underrated ‘Low-Calorie Vitamin C King’
Among common vegetables, sweet peppers rank high in vitamin C content, almost belonging to the “king series” and are truly overlooked as the “Vitamin C King”.
According to data from the “Chinese Food Composition Table”,green peppers contain as much as 130 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams,while the same weight of oranges contains only 33 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, and lemons only 22 mg per 100 grams. The vitamin C content in green peppersis nearly 6 times that of lemons and almost 4 times that of oranges,and nearly 10 times that of raw tomatoes.
Colorful peppers, which are also part of the sweet pepper family, have impressive vitamin C content, even better than green peppers!According to the USDA Food Nutrient Database, the vitamin C content of yellow, orange, and red peppers is 139 mg/100g, 158 mg/100g, and 142 mg/100g, respectively.
This means thatjust one medium-sized green pepper or half a colorful pepper can meet an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement (the recommended intake of vitamin C is 100 mg/d).
The most crucial point is thateating sweet peppers to supplement vitamin C does not lead to weight gain; colorful peppers have about 30 kcal/100g, while green peppers are even lower at only 18 kcal/100g,which is lower than that of cabbage; moreover, sweet peppers have a GI value of only 15, classifying them as low-GI foods, with carbohydrates generally below 7%. Even those with blood sugar control needs can enjoy them without worry.
Choosing, Eating, and Storing to Better ‘Lock in’ Vitamin C
When selecting sweet peppers, pay attention to five points:
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Color: Choose bright-colored sweet peppers without dark spots or wrinkles.
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Stem: Fresh sweet pepper stems are green and look fresh, without dryness or browning.
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Firmness: A plump, firm pepper that is elastic when squeezed is fresher.
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Smell: Fresh sweet peppers have a fragrant smell; if there is a fermented odor, it indicates they are not fresh.
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Weight: Among sweet peppers of the same size, the heavier ones usually have more moisture and are fresher.
Cooking methods directly affect the nutritional value of sweet peppers.
- Washing and eating raw or breaking them up for a salad preserves the vitamin C content to the greatest extent, as they are crunchy, sweet, and juicy.
- If you do not like the taste of raw sweet peppers, stir-frying them quickly over high heat is also acceptable, as the short cooking time results in less nutrient loss; adding fats during cooking can also enhance the absorption of carotenoids.
However, it is not recommended to stew them at high temperatures for a long time, as this will lead to significant vitamin C loss.
For most vegetables, refrigeration can extend storage time. However, sweet peppers, which originate from tropical regions, are sensitive to low temperatures; storing them at too low a temperature can cause cold damage, resulting in water-soaked depressions on the skin.
It is generally believed that storing sweet peppers at 9°C to 12°C is optimal,so do not rush to put them in the refrigerator after buying; instead,store them in a cool, ventilated place indoorsand consume them sooner..
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Source: Science Popularization China
Editor: Liu Jiao丨Reviewer: Zhang Hongmei丨Approved by: Ma Chunhong
Supervisor: Deng Zhiyun
