What a wonderful combination of tangy taste and crunchy texture greets us from the vegetable garden – bell peppers.
At this time of the year, bell peppers are the delightful Christmas ornaments of the vegetable garden. Their beautifully shaped glossy exterior comes in a wide array of vivid colors ranging from green, red, yellow, orange, purple, brown to black. Although available throughout the year, they are most abundant and tasty from June through mid July.
Sweet peppers, as they are more commonly known, are plump, bell-shaped and feature either three or four lobes. They normally range in size from 2 to 5 inches in diameter and 2 to 6 inches in length. The inner cavity is filled with edible, bitter seeds and a spongy white core.
Bell peppers are not ‘hot’. They contain a recessive gene that eliminates capsaicin, the compound that gives other peppers their characteristic ‘hotness’.
Selecting and Storing:
Choose peppers that have deep vivid color, taut skin, and are free of soft spots, blemishes and darkened areas. Stems should be green and fresh looking. Peppers should be heavy for their size and firm enough so that they will gently yield to slight pressure.
Avoid those that have signs of decay including injuries to the skin or water-soaked areas. The shape of the pepper does not generally affect the quality, although it may result in excessive waste or not be suitable to certain recipe preparations.
Unwashed sweet peppers stored in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator will keep for up to a week. Sweet peppers can be frozen without first being blanched. It is better to freeze them whole since there will be less exposure to air which can degrade both their nutrient content and flavor. Contact the Extension Office for the recently revised publication, “Freezing Vegetables”, Publication #1987 for complete freezing instructions.
Nutrition and Health Benefits:
Want to color your life healthy? Brightly colored bell peppers, whether green, red, orange, or yellow, are rich sources of some of the best nutrients available.
Bell peppers are packed with several nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. They also contain a large amount of phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity. Those phytochemicals include chlorogenic acid, zeaxanthin, and coumeric acid.
When comparing the nutrient values of the different bell peppers, studies have shown that red bell peppers have significantly higher levels of nutrients than green. Red bell peppers also contain lycopene, which is a carotene that helps to protect against cancer and heart disease.
Possibly due to their vitamin C and beta carotene content, bell peppers have been shown to be protective against cataracts. Just like other nutrient-dense vegetables, bell peppers have been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Bell peppers should be promoted especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.
Tips for preparing bell peppers:
- Wash thoroughly under running water, scrubbing well if the pepper has been waxed.
- Cut around stem and gently remove it.
- Cut pepper in half and remove core and seeds.
- Chop, dice, cut in strips (julienne), or other desired shape.
- May be cut horizontally into rings or left whole for stuffing after removing seeds.
A few quick serving ideas:
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Add finely chopped bell peppers to tuna or chicken salad.
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Steam cored peppers for five minutes, stuff them with your favorite rice salad or pilaf, and bake in a 350 degree oven until they are hot.
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Healthy sauté chopped peppers, celery, and onion, and then combine with small amounts of meat, chicken or seafood for a simple Creole dish.
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Puree roasted and peeled peppers with sautéed onions and zucchini to make a deliciously refreshing soup that can be served hot or cold.
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Bell peppers are one of the best vegetables to serve in a vegetable platter since not only do they add a brilliant splash of color, but their texture is also the perfect crunchy complement for dips.
While I helped 4-H’er William Dunckelman, 4-H member from Houma Christian School and President of the Terrebonne 4-H Jr. Leader Club, prepare for his state competition in Horticulture Products – Use division on Bell Peppers, we discovered many interesting facts about bell peppers. William shares a few of these with our readers:
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Bell peppers are Louisiana’s 4th largest horticultural product, providing $107 million to the home garden market and $1.9 million to the commercial market.
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The misleading name “pepper” (pimenton in Spanish, literally “big pepper”) was given by Christopher Columbus upon bringing it back to Europe. At that time peppercorns were a highly prized condiment.
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Different color bell peppers usually indicate their ripeness; a green bell pepper is basically a less ripe version of the yellow, orange, and eventually red bell pepper. The only exception to this rule is the purple bell pepper, which is actually a man-made color.
Good luck to William on his demonstration contest and to the other 4-H members from Terrebonne Parish as they compete later this month at LSU.
Remember to add this season’s delicious and nutritious treat to any of your favorite recipes – bell peppers.
For additional information about eating healthfully, contact Margaret at the LSU AgCenter Office located at 511 Roussell Street in Houma or call (985) 873-6495. E-mail questions or comments to MBurlew@agcenter.lsu.edu.