Bell Peppers, also known as sweet peppers, are an important member of the nightshade family. They are widely consumed across the globe as a crucial ingredient, utilized in a diverse variety of cuisines spanning across all different cultures.

     Bell Peppers are often underestimated and underappreciated regarding their nutritional power. They are a special “vegetable” (technically a fruit), which offers an exceptional amount of potential health benefits. Due to their extremely high vitamin C content, they can provide a very powerful (and natural) boost to the body’s water-soluble antioxidant status. As a bonus, they are very low in sugar content, so this vitamin boost comes without any of the negative effects of high carbohydrates.  This means that bell peppers will not spike insulin levels and will not disrupt the fat burning process for those people who are attempting to maintain low carbohydrates diets or ketogenic metabolic states. The exact vitamin C level in a specific piece of bell pepper can vary according to its ripeness, color, genetics, and growth conditions; but generally speaking, they can be expected provide a vitamin C concentration as high as 140 miligrams of vitamin C  per 100 grams of pepper. Making it very easy to reach the daily recommended requirement of ascorbic acid  or even far surpass it without eating very large quantities.

     Interestingly, in addition to varying vitamin C content, each color of peppers provides its own unique nutritional advantages regarding phytonutrients. Such as red peppers having high amounts of capsanthin; a powerful red pigmented carotenoid. Yellow peppers having especially high concentrations of Violaxanthin, a unique orange pigmented carotenoid. Green peppers containing large amounts of chlorophyll. Each of these nutritional attributes offers their own unique benefits to human health; ranging from, cognitive enhancing properties, to immune system boosting effects, to DNA protecting characteristics. The diverse nutritional benefits of this impressive species is wide ranging and far reaching. So, it should not be underestimate or overlooked as an important part of any supply chain.

     In regards to taxonomic classification, the bell pepper producing species Capsicum Annum is a member of the family Solanaceae, in the order Solanale, under the class Magnoliopsida (dicotyledonous).