Quick Summary
Green bell peppers are an extremely healthy vegetable that can be prepared and eaten in many nutritious ways. Some of the healthiest ways to eat green bell peppers include:
- Eating them raw with hummus or guacamole for dipping
- Adding them to fresh salads and slaws
- Lightly sautéing or stir-frying them
- Roasting or grilling them
- Stuffing them with healthy grains, vegetables, beans, etc.
When preparing green bell peppers, the cooking method you choose makes a big difference. Light cooking like sautéing retains more nutrients than longer cooking methods. But as long as you don’t char or blacken them, green bell peppers retain a significant amount of their vitamins and antioxidants when cooked.
Nutrition Profile of Green Bell Peppers
Green bell peppers are packed with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Some of the key nutrients found in 1 cup (149g) of raw chopped green bell pepper (2) include:
- Vitamin C – 317% DV
- Vitamin B6 – 15% DV
- Folate – 12% DV
- Vitamin K – 12% DV
- Vitamin E – 10% DV
- Vitamin A – 9% DV
- Potassium – 5% DV
- Fiber – 3 grams
In addition, green bell peppers contain a beneficial antioxidant called luteolin, which has been linked to reduced inflammation and improved brain function (3).
Clearly, consuming green bell peppers provides a significant boost of nutrition and health protective compounds. Now let’s look at some of the best ways to incorporate them into your diet.
Eat Them Raw
One of the simplest ways to eat green bell peppers is to eat them raw. Raw peppers make a nutritious snack all on their own. But for extra flavor and nutrition, enjoy them with a healthy dip like hummus, baba ghanoush or guacamole.
Here are some ideas for eating raw green bell peppers:
- Slice them up and dip into hummus or baba ghanoush.
- Stuff larger pepper rings with guacamole or veggie-based dips.
- Skewer diced or sliced peppers and enjoy as a snack.
- Chop them up for a crunchy addition to tuna or chicken salad.
Eating green bell peppers raw preserves all of their natural crunch and flavor. It also allows you to absorb all of their natural vitamins and antioxidants.
In one study, consuming red bell peppers raw was associated with improved antioxidant status compared to eating them cooked (4). The same is likely true for green bell peppers as well.
Make Sure to Include Fat for Better Absorption of Fat-Soluble Vitamins
One thing to keep in mind when eating raw bell peppers is that they contain fat-soluble vitamins like A, E and K. Consuming these vitamins with a source of fat can improve your absorption.
So when enjoying raw green bell peppers, consider pairing them with healthy fat sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, cheese or avocado.
For example, make a veggie dip with Greek yogurt for protein and probiotics. Or stuff peppers with guacamole made from avocado and fresh lime juice.
This will ensure you are absorbing the healthy fat-soluble vitamins found in the peppers.
Add Peppers to Fresh Salads and Slaws
In addition to snacking on them raw, another healthy way to eat green bell peppers is to add them to fresh salads and slaws.
Their crunchy texture and mild flavor pair well with leafy greens and other salad vegetables and ingredients.
Here are some ideas for adding green bell peppers to salads:
- Chop and mix into a green or kale salad
- Combine with shredded red cabbage and carrots for a color slaw
- Add some chopped peppers to a taco salad
- Mix diced peppers into a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olives
When adding green bell peppers to salads and slaws, consider pairing them with other foods that provide healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado or olive oil-based dressing. This will maximize absorption of their fat-soluble vitamins.
Aim for at least 2-3 cups of vegetables in your salads and load them up with a mix of nutrients by including different colors like red cabbage, carrots, kale and green bell pepper.
Cook Them Lightly
Cooking green bell peppers helps break down their cell structure, making some of their nutrients more easily absorbed.
However, different cooking methods can impact their vitamin and antioxidant content differently. In general, methods like sautéing, roasting and stir-frying are best for retaining nutrients.
Boiling peppers can cause water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C to leach out into the water, while charring and blackening them can damage or destroy antioxidants.
Here are some healthy cooking methods to try:
Saute or Stir-Fry
To lightly cook green bell peppers while retaining most of their nutrients, consider sauteing or stir-frying them.
To saute, use 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or avocado oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the peppers for 2-5 minutes until tender but still crisp.
To stir-fry, use the same amount of oil and cook the peppers at high heat for just 1-2 minutes to lightly cook while retaining crunch.
You can even include additional nutrient-rich ingredients like onions, garlic, spices, proteins and greens.
Roast
Roasting green bell peppers is delicious and maintains most of their nutrients. Roast them at 400°F for about 20 minutes, turning them halfway through.
When roasting peppers, opt for olive or avocado oil and avoid burning or charring the skin too much, as this can damage nutrients.
Grill
Grilling peppers over direct high heat helps provide great flavor. Try grilling halved peppers or those wrapped in foil or grill baskets for 3-8 minutes per side.
Just be sure not to char them too severely. Light grill marks are great but completely blackened skin damages nutrients.
Stuff Peppers for Delicious Stuffed Peppers
Stuffing green bell peppers allows you to combine their crunch and flavor with other healthy ingredients.
Try stuffing them with grains, beans, veggies and more. Here are some healthy stuffed pepper ideas:
- Ground turkey or lean beef with rice, veggies and sauce
- Shredded chicken, black beans, corn and salsa
- Quinoa or farro with sautéed peppers and onions
- Chickpeas, feta, spinach and seasonings
For the best nutrition, focus on including lean proteins like chicken, beans or extra veggies. Minimize high-fat meats and heavy sauces or cheeses.
Cook stuffed peppers at 375°F for 25-40 minutes until the filling is hot and peppers are tender. Baking maintains most of their nutrients.
Add to Soups, Chili and Stews
For an extra boost of vegetables and texture, add chopped green bell peppers to soups, chilis and stews.
They work particularly well in bean or vegetable-based soups and plant-forward chilis. Try adding them to:
- Minestrone or veggie soup
- Vegetable or lentil chili
- Bean and veggie stew
- Vegetable curry stew
Aim for at least 1 cup chopped green bell peppers per 4-6 servings of soup or stew. Their vibrant color looks beautiful mixed into stews and chilis.
Just avoid boiling them for too long, as this can cause more nutrient loss. Add peppers closer to the end of cooking for the best retention of vitamins.
Final Tips for Eating Green Bell Peppers
Here are some final tips for getting the most nutrition from green bell peppers:
- Store unwashed peppers in the refrigerator up to one week.
- Wash just before eating to preserve nutrients.
- Maximize absorption of fat-soluble vitamins by pairing with fats.
- Minimize overcooking peppers to retain more nutrients.
- Consume both raw peppers and cooked for a variety of benefits.
The Bottom Line
Green bell peppers are an extremely healthy and nutrient-dense vegetable. Enjoying them raw in salads and with dips, lightly cooked through roasting and sautéing, and mixed into main dishes allows you to take advantage of their full nutrition profile.
Aim for at least 1-2 cups of green bell peppers per week as part of an overall healthy diet full of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Their beautiful bright color signals just how many great nutrients they provide.
By incorporating green bell peppers into your diet regularly, you’ll boost your intake of vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber and other important nutrients that can benefit your health in many ways.