Bell peppers, also known as capsicum, are a low calorie and vitamin rich vegetable ideal for adding some spice to dishes like fajitas or as a dipping item on a vegetable platter. An extremely good source of vitamin A and C, capsicum provides a nice variety of colors to any dish you prepare.
Background
Capsicum is part of the nightshade family and is indigenous to Asia, Africa, and the United States. Common varieties include cayenne pepper and red, green, yellow or sweet pepper. More uncommon colors include black, brown, purple and mauve.
Basic Nutrition Information
One cup of chopped bell pepper provides only 30 calories per serving, is low in sodium containing 4 mg, and is high in omega-6 fatty acids, with 80.5 mg in total. A good source of fiber, one cup of peppers provides 3 g of fiber and 4 g of sugar. Capsicum is high in vitamin C, providing 120 mg with 551 IU of vitamin A in each one cup serving.
Souce of Vitamin C
One cup of capsicum provides 200 percent of the required amount of vitamin C needed each day in your diet. Important for growth and development, vitamin C is important for healing wounds and maintaining tendons, ligaments and bone. The National Institutes of Health cite vitamin C as an antioxidant that helps guard against free radicals which result in disease, and also helps to decrease damage to the body caused by pollutants such as cigarette smoke.
Vitamin A
Providing 11 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin A, capsicum assists in
forming and maintaining healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, and skin. Vitamin A, also known as retinol, provides the pigment to the retina of the eye. Vitamin A is a good form of beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant believed to protect cells from degenerating in the aging process.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Bell peppers contain 80.5 mg of omega-6 fatty acids per one cup serving. The University of Maryland Medical Center points out that omega-6 fatty acids are obtainable only through food. They play an important role in brain function, stimulating hair growth, regulating metabolism and maintaining the reproductive system. Normally obtained through cooking oils and nuts, daily consumption of omega-6 fatty acids should range from 12 to 22 g according to the American Heart Association.
A Good Source of Fiber
One cup of capsicum provides 10 percent of the fiber required daily. Since the digestive system can't absorb dietary fiber, it plays an important role in moving particles through the intestines, decreasing the possibility of constipation and relieving symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome. The Mayo Clinic also cites fiber as valuable in controlling hunger by making you feel full faster and in turn facilitating weight loss. Soluble fiber, which breaks down into a jelly-like substance, has been found to lower glucose levels, according to the Mayo Clinic, benefiting people with diabetes.
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