green or red sweet pepper
Red peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin A (as carotenoids), and antioxidants, particularly lycopene; green peppers are also vitamin C-rich but lower in carotenoids. Both varieties provide dietary fiber and are low in calories.
About
Sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum var. annuum), also known as bell peppers, are the fruit of a perennial plant native to Central and South America. These peppers are characterized by a thick, hollow body with a glossy exterior, ranging in color from green (unripe) to red, yellow, orange, or purple when mature. Green peppers have a grassy, slightly bitter flavor with vegetal notes, while red peppers develop a sweeter, fruitier taste with notes of caramel as they ripen. The fruit consists of a thick pericarp (flesh), a hollow interior containing flat seeds, and a dense core. Both green and red varieties belong to the same species but represent different maturity stages or distinct cultivars, with red peppers having undergone longer ripening periods on the plant, resulting in higher sugar content and greater nutritional density.
Culinary Uses
Sweet peppers are fundamental vegetables across global cuisines, used raw in salads, as crudités, and in salsas, or cooked in stir-fries, roasted, grilled, stuffed, stewed, and sautéed. Green peppers contribute a crisp, vegetal quality to dishes such as fajitas, kebabs, and vegetable medleys, while red peppers bring sweetness to Spanish romesco, Italian peperonata, and Hungarian paprika-based stews. They are essential in the soffritto or mirepoix bases of many cuisines. Both varieties work equally well in preparations ranging from charring (for blistered skin removal) to slow cooking in tomato-based sauces. Red peppers' superior sweetness makes them preferable in raw applications and for visual appeal in plated dishes.