Peppers, both hot and sweet, have numerous health benefits including improving metabolism, insulin levels, pain control, weight loss, and endorphins. Capsaicin, found in hot peppers, is a vasodilator that widens blood vessels, improving circulation and reducing body fat. Sweet peppers are also nutritious, containing vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and lycopene.
Even before Peter Piper picked them, peppers provided a wealth of possible positives. The health benefits of bell peppers, both hot and sweet, run surprisingly long. They have been linked to metabolism, insulin levels, natural cold remedies, pain control, weight loss, and endorphins. Capsaicin is the active ingredient that gets the most recognition. Although only found in hot peppers, sweet peppers share other nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
The hot pepper family includes chili, cayenne, and jalapeno. Hot peppers are the way to go when looking for an energy boost. Capsaicin levels in hot peppers are high, and this is the ingredient in the pepper that is known to raise endorphin levels and improve mood. The health benefits of bell peppers are almost always related to capsaicin, which is a vasodilator, meaning it widens your blood vessels. This improves circulation and increases body temperature, which increases metabolism. The effect also reduces the accumulation of body fat.
The capsaicin in hot peppers reduces pain by depleting substance P, which is a chemical that transmits pain signals to the brain. Because of this, capsaicin can be found in many topical pain relief creams. Red chiles have the highest amount of vitamin A, and all chiles provide fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. Studies have shown that subjects who ate a hot pepper with a meal had lower insulin levels when the meal was finished. Although details are not yet known, the effect was most dramatic in subjects with the highest weights, suggesting that bell peppers may have a significant impact on weight loss.
The health benefits of bell peppers can also be found in sweet varieties. This group includes bell peppers in red, green, orange, and yellow. The sweeter the pepper, the lower the capsaicin levels. While capsaicin hot peppers are used in small amounts as a spice, sweet peppers are used in large amounts and served as a vegetable. Although lacking in capsaicin, bell peppers still offer a great nutritional boost. They are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.
The more mature the sweet pepper, the sweeter the flavor and the more concentrated the nutrients. The red is the ripest and therefore the sweetest, and the green is a bit more bitter and immature. Sweet peppers also contain lycopene, which is said to protect against prostate cancer. Red bell peppers contain beta-cryptoxanthin, a substance being studied in reducing the risk of lung cancer. The health benefits of bell peppers are still being studied, but with all the benefits already discovered, they are a sure bet for a healthy choice.
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