Peppers are high in Vitamin C, Capsaican, and Lycopene

Many peppers contain three times more Vitamin C than some citrus fruits

Peppers, you can buy them in all shapes, varieties and colours. There are the Bell Peppers, the most common ones of all, the Jalapeno Pepper and Chili Peppers. This vegetable can be green, red, yellow and sometimes even orange in colour. They can taste sweet, hot or mild, but rest assured there is a pepper out there to suit your tastebuds. The Bell Pepper contains large amounts of Vitamin C, a small red, yellow and a orange one will contain 3 times more Vitamin C then some citrus fruits and they say the hotter the pepper the more Vitamin C it contains!

Red Peppers contain Lycopene

Research suggests that Vitamin C may help in the fight against some cancers, they also contain flavonoids which helps in thining out the blood and preventing blood clots from forming. Red Peppers stand out amongst all the peppers, as they contain a substance called Lycopene, just like the Tomato they have the agent that helps in the fight against Prostate Cancer and Heart Diease.

The Capsaican in peppers helps respiratory problems

Peppers also contain Capsaican which helps with respiratory problems such as Bronchiits and Asthama. Capsaican helps stimulate the lungs into working to the best of their abilities. Smokers should eat at least one pepper a day. They are truely a wonder vegetable, as research suggests they can also help stop you getting colds and flus, as they contain anti-flammatory properties which can assist in the fight against catching these viruses.

Peppers can be eaten either raw or cooked. They are nice raw, cut into strips placed along side sliced cucumber and strips of carrot to use in a dipping sauce or diced up ready to go in a salad. You can also roast them in the oven along side some tomatoes or onions to accompany a meal or to go in a sauce for spaghetti bologense. They are also great for filling up kebab sticks with chicken and mushrooms for the barbeque.

Tips for storing peppers

Top tips for storing peppers is to keep them in a loosely tied plastic bag or in the bag you brought them in, rather then take them out, this way they will stay and store fresh for longer. Another tip, is if you are using only part of the pepper to cook with, then leave the stem, seeds and membrane intact, do not cut them out, the pepper will stay fresh for longer if left in.