Are Red Peppers a Fruit or a Vegetable? Plus, How To Buy, Prep & Store.

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Red peppers were one of my favorite veggies growing up. My mom used to slice them into strips, sprinkle them with salt and serve them as a snack before dinner. So sweet and delicious!

6 Fun Facts About Bell Peppers:

  • Low in calories (only about 40 calories in a standard-sized red pepper, according to a Google search)
  • Peppers are a fruit, not a vegetable, even the spicy ones! Yup, it’s true!
  • Bell peppers come in lots of colors. Red, yellow and orange ones are sweeter, green and purple have a slightly more bitter taste
  • Sweet bell peppers are on the “Dirty Dozen” list, which means it is recommended to buy them organic if possible
  • Red peppers are an excellent source of VITAMIN C (3 times the amount of an orange!)
  • Red paprika is a dried powdered form of red bell pepper

 

How To Buy:

  • Look for deep, vivid colors
  • Skin should be tight, not wrinkly
  • Avoid buying peppers with soft spots or blemishes
  • Stems should be bright and green all over
  • Peppers should feel heavy for their size
  • Available all year round, but best during the summer or fall seasons

 

How To Store:

  • Store unwashed in fridge (in crisper/veggie drawer)
  • Keeps for 7-10 days
  • After 10 days, a ripe bell pepper loses 15% of its vitamin C content

 

How To Prep:

  • Wash under cold water and dry well before cooking
  • To slice, cut around the stem (check out my Periscope replay for a demo)
  • You CAN eat the white ribs, which are rich in flavonoids

 

Click Below to Catch The Replay!

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SOURCES:

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