Have you ever noticed how green bell peppers cost less at the grocery store? Often they’ll be priced a full dollar below red, yellow, or orange peppers. What gives? Unfortunately you’re not getting a great deal – there’s a method in the madness. A surplus of green peppers, perhaps? Well, kind of.
Photo courtesy of humbledhomemaker.com
Green bell peppers are actually just unripe red peppers.
Here’s how bell peppers mature: they start out as green, first turn yellow (or orange), then become fully mature as they turn red. Mind. Blown.
Green peppers take significantly less time to grow due to earlier harvesting, and therefore typically cost a dollar less at the grocery store.
Photo by Megan Prendergast
But here’s the real reason you should stop buying green bell peppers: they’re not nearly as good for you nutritionally as the other peppers. Red bell peppers contain up to 11 times more beta-carotene, as well as higher levels of both Vitamin A and Vitamin C than green bell peppers. Yellow and orange peppers also contain more Vitamin A than green peppers.
Photo by Meredith Davin
If you’ve ever argued as to whether different colored peppers differ in taste, I have that answer as well. Green peppers taste slightly more bitter than other peppers. Yellow peppers have a fruity flavor, while red peppers are the sweetest.
So there you have it, red peppers are far superior. Go forth to the grocery store.