Day TWENTY-THREE: Peppers

I've realized how much I've been using peppers in my cooking. Peppers as in the “bell” kind...green, red, yellow, orange...they're all good!

 

In four easy steps they are ready to use: 

1. Wash them
2. Slice them in quarters
3. Cut out the guts, then
4. Slice/dice/chop/Juliana/chunk them!

According to everynutrient.com:

 

Bell peppers are packed with several nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. Bell peppers 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 contain many different powerful phytochemicals. Bell peppers have also been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes probably due to their content of substances such as vitamin C, capsaicin, and flavonoids. Although chili peppers contain a higher amount of those substances, bell peppers should still be promoted especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.

 

The bottom line is that you need to get yourself a pack of peppers and start using them in EVERYTHING you cook! You'll thank me...really.