Health Benefits of Fresh Peppers & Extracts: Sweet Red Bell Peppers, Black Pepper and Chili Peppers

Peppers are a delicious, colorful treat that can spice up any bland dish.

Peppers can be added to spaghetti sauce, salads, and low-calorie dishes and even eaten raw with other vegetables with dips as a snack.

Peppers come in many shapes and colors and provide an excellent flavor and crunch. Peppers are low calorie, and an excellent source of vitamins.

Health Benefits of Peppers

There are many health benefits to eating peppers, and they are a great addition to any meal.

Cooked or raw, peppers really add a ton of flavor to your healthy meal.

Consuming hot or sweet peppers can protect against:

• Cancer – including but not limited to: breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and cervical cancer.
• Allergies
• Vision Problems
• Heart Disease
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Emphysema

Red peppers are earning a big reputation for preventing many cancers: bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, and many others.

There are also other components of red peppers that helps prevent lung cancer and emphysema related to smoking.

Rich in Vitamin A, C red peppers are filled with antioxidants which help prevent cancer and immune function, as well as reduce inflammation in the body that can lead to arthritis.

Red peppers are also rich in Vitamin K. Vitamin K strengthens cells and bones and promotes proper blood clotting.

According to WHFoods: “If you want to maximize the availability of vitamin C and carotenoids from bell pepper, allow this amazing vegetable to ripen.

Recent studies have shown that the vitamin C content and the carotenoid content of bell pepper both increase with ripening.”

The Health Benefits of Eating Peppers

Peppers are loaded with vitamins and disease-fighting properties.

• Cancer – including but not limited to: breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical and colon cancer – Another chemical compound found in peppers, this time peppercorn, may be able to prevent breast cancer tumors from developing.
  
  The compound piperine, combined with turmeric can actually increase the cancer preventing properties according to a University of Michigan Cancer Center study. Break out the Indian food and enjoy to your heart’s content.

• Enhanced Weight Loss – According to research the substance found in red hot peppers or chili peppers keeps immature fat cells from developing into fully matured fat cells. This substance is called capsaicin and as an added bonus boosts the body’s metabolism.
  
  There has even been a study that has shown the compound CH-19 Sweet, found in some sweet peppers, resembles capsaicin and actually can have the same metabolic results without setting your mouth on fire.

• Migraines – This one excites me so much as I struggle with migraines often. That hot little substance known as capsaicin found in chili peppers have been shown through scientific studies to inhibit Substance P (a key neuropeptide), which is a key brain pain transmitter. Put the pills away and break out the chili peppers!
  
  
• Arthritis – Just one half cup of chopped yellow or red sweet peppers has around double the body’s daily need of Vitamin C. Green bell peppers contain Vitamin C as well.
  
  Studies have shown that higher levels of Vitamin C equate to a lower risk of inflammatory arthritis compared to those with lower levels of Vitamin C intake.
  
  
• High Cholesterol – The substance capsaicin found in hot peppers strikes again! The British Journal of Nutrition has shown that hot chilies added to daily meals can protect against the buildup of cholesterol. If you can handle the heat, pile it on. The hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin your body gets.
  
  
• High Blood Pressure – Sweating causes fluid loss, which temporarily reduces the body’s overall blood volume. By eating chilies you force your body to sweat which will bring about fluid loss and a lowered blood volume.
  
  Eating chili peppers which are high in bioflavonoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C also can increase the elasticity of blood vessels and provide the strength that will make blood vessels able to adapt to blood pressure fluctuations; great for hypertension sufferers.

The black pepper plant has been used for many centuries in traditional Eastern medicines to treat pain, inflammation and other diseases.

Studies have shown that piperine reduces fat levels in the bloodstream and also increases the absorption of nutrients into the body.

Black pepper, just like with sweet and hot peppers, has been suggested through new research to have many benefits from cancer-fighting properties, and even help with depression!

Black pepper extract are available in tablet form, lotions, powder, oils and extracts and can be found in health food stores, on Amazon, in supermarkets, eBay, and many other places.

Bell peppers, chili peppers, and dried bell pepper flakes or paste can be purchased at your local supermarket.