Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. Green bell peppers have twice the vitamin C of citrus fruits by weight, and red bell peppers have three times what the green bell varieties have.. Bell peppers are rich in thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. Bell peppers also contain a large amount of phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity. Red bell peppers also contain lycopene, Studies have shown that an adequate intake of vitamin C might protect against stroke and heart attack by lowering blood pressure and LDL ("bad cholesterol") levels, and helping to thin the blood to protect against clots. It also helps prevent atherosclerosis (commonly known as hardening of the arteries) by strengthening the artery walls as it manufactures collagen, the protein that gives shape to connective tissues and strength to skin and blood vessels.
Bell peppers can be green, red, yellow, orange and, more rarely, white, purple, blue, and brown. Green peppers are unripe bell peppers, while the others are all ripe, with the color variation based on cultivar selection. The sweetest bell peppers are fruit allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage are less sweet. Peppers are native to Central and South America.
