Deep Dive

If you want maximum nutrition for minimal calories, bell peppers are an easy win: they brighten your bowl, support immunity and eyes, and help you get more iron from plant foods - all while keeping things light, crisp, and refreshing. This nutritional powerhouse demonstrates why bell peppers are considered among the most beneficial vegetables, offering unique protection against anaemia, Alzheimer's disease, and eye disorders while providing the highest vitamin C content of commonly consumed vegetables, making them invaluable for immune health and overall wellness.

 Why You'll Love It 

• Among the most vitamin C-dense everyday foods; supports immunity, collagen, and wound healing.
• The combination of vitamin C with natural organic acids in bell peppers creates optimal conditions for iron absorption, making them more effective than vitamin C supplements for anaemia prevention.
• The polyphenols and vitamin E in bell peppers provide antioxidant protection that may help slow the progression of chronic inflammatory diseases.
• Beyond Alzheimer's prevention, bell peppers may improve working memory and cognitive processing speed in healthy individuals through their unique combination of antioxidants and B-vitamins.
• Naturally low-calorie, hydrating, and crunchy - ideal for raw bowls.
• Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers contain different combinations of carotenoids that can enhance immune function and protect your vision.

Colour-Specific Highlights

• Red: Red peppers contain the highest beta-carotene (for pro-vitamin A activity) and are uniquely rich in capsanthin - a potent red carotenoid with significant antioxidant and photoprotective capacity.
• Yellow: Yellow peppers are exceptionally high in vitamin C, often outpacing red and green peppers, boosting the immune system and acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.
• Orange: Orange peppers contain the most zeaxanthin that helps protect your eyes from harmful light, especially blue light, and reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

 Health Benefits 

Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Protection
Groundbreaking research reveals that bell peppers contain unique compounds that actively prevent Alzheimer's disease progression. Compounds in peppers block the enzyme activity that releases amyloid proteins responsible for nerve fibre damage. Research demonstrates that regular bell pepper consumption significantly prevents memory deficits and may be one of the most effective dietary interventions for age-related cognitive decline.

Immune system enhancement
With 190mg of vitamin C per 100g (more than 3 times that of oranges), bell peppers are among the world's most potent immune-supporting foods. Yellow bell peppers contain even more vitamin C, with 184-342mg per 100g depending on variety. This extraordinary vitamin C content supports white blood cell function, enhances collagen synthesis for wound healing, and provides powerful antioxidant protection against infections and illnesses.

Better iron absorption
Vitamin C markedly increases the absorption of non-heme (plant) iron when eaten in the same meal - useful if you rely on legumes, seeds, or leafy greens for iron. Pair peppers with iron-containing foods in your raw bowl to help your body use more of that iron.

Cardiovascular disease prevention
The combination of potassium, vitamin C, and multiple antioxidants makes bell peppers exceptionally protective for heart health. Research shows that people with high plasma vitamin C levels are significantly less likely to develop high blood pressure. The quercetin and luteolin flavonoids in bell peppers provide additional cardiovascular protection by reducing inflammation and supporting healthy blood vessels. Bell peppers also help prevent oxidative damage that contributes to heart disease development.

Blood Sugar Management and Diabetes Prevention
Bell peppers have an exceptionally low glycaemic index of 32 and contain only 6g carbohydrates per 100g, making them ideal for blood sugar control. Research shows that the polyphenols in bell peppers help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. The high fibre content (2.5g per 100g) further supports blood sugar stability by slowing glucose absorption. Studies suggest regular bell pepper consumption may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Digestive health and weight management
At only 31 calories per 100g with 92% water content, bell peppers provide exceptional nutrition with minimal caloric impact. The 2.5g of fibre per 100g supports healthy digestion by promoting beneficial gut bacteria and reducing constipation. Research shows that increasing dietary fibre intake significantly reduces the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer.

Natural UV protection
The red pigments capsanthin and capsorubin - largely unique to red peppers - have been shown in human skin cell models to help defend against UVB-induced oxidative damage and DNA strand breaks. The capsanthin in red peppers provides additional photoprotective effects and may help prevent skin cancers caused by UV radiation.

Superior eye health protection & blue-light defence
Bell peppers provide exceptional eye protection through their extraordinarily high carotenoid content. Orange bell peppers contain the highest levels of zeaxanthin among all peppers, while red peppers are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids accumulate directly in the macula of the retina where they act as natural blue light filters and protect against oxidative damage. Research shows they significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration by up to 50% when consumed regularly.

 Why It Works – Scientific Insight 

• Vitamin C → Iron: Ascorbic acid reduces ferric (Fe³⁺) to ferrous (Fe²⁺) iron and forms a soluble chelate, increasing non-heme iron uptake in the gut.
• Carotenoids → Retina: Zeaxanthin/lutein concentrate in the macula, filtering blue light and quenching reactive oxygen species to protect photoreceptors. Orange pepper is an especially rich zeaxanthin source.
• Red Pigments → Antioxidant: Capsanthin/capsorubin from red peppers scavenge singlet oxygen and peroxyl radicals; in fibroblast models they reduced UVB-related DNA damage.
• Potassium → Vascular tone: Higher potassium intake helps counter sodium, supporting vasodilation and healthy blood pressure.

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