Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are colorful, crunchy vegetables shaped like little bells. They come in green, red, yellow, orange, and even purple. Unlike their cousins the hot chili peppers, bell peppers are sweet and not spicy at all. They are full of vitamins and taste great raw or cooked.

Colors of Bell Peppers

All bell peppers start out green on the plant. If you leave them on the vine longer, they turn yellow, then orange, and finally red. Red bell peppers are the sweetest because they are the most ripe. Each color has a slightly different taste. Red peppers also have more vitamins than green ones.

Where Peppers Come From

Bell peppers first grew in Central and South America thousands of years ago. A famous explorer named Christopher Columbus brought them back to Europe. He called them peppers because they reminded him of black pepper spice. Today, bell peppers are grown in many countries. They can be added to pizza, salads, stir-fries, and tacos.

Fun Facts

• Bell peppers are actually fruits, not vegetables, because they have seeds inside.
• One red bell pepper has more vitamin C than three oranges.
• China grows the most bell peppers in the world.

Did You Know?

Bell peppers do not make spicy heat because they are missing a special chemical called capsaicin. This is what makes their hot cousins so fiery.