Thebell pepper (also known assweet pepper,paprika,pepper,capsicum/ˈkæpsɪkəm/[1] or, in some parts of theU.S. Midwest,mango[2]) is the fruit of plants in the GrossumGroup of the speciesCapsicum annuum.[3][4] Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange, green, white, and purple. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungentchili varieties as "sweet peppers". While they arebotanicallyfruits—classified asberries—they are commonly used as avegetable ingredient orside dish. Other varieties of the genusCapsicum are categorized aschili peppers when they are cultivated for theirpungency, including some varieties ofCapsicum annuum.
Peppers are native toMexico,Central America, theCaribbean and northernSouth America. Pepper seeds were imported to Spain in 1493 and then spread through Europe and Asia. Preferred growing conditions for bell peppers include warm, moist soil in a temperature range of 21 to 29 °C (70 to 84 °F).[5]
A variety of colored bell peppersChef chopping bell peppers
The namepepper was given by Europeans whenChristopher Columbus brought the plant back to Europe. At that time,black pepper (peppercorns), from the unrelated plantPiper nigrum originating from India, was a highly prized condiment. The namepepper was applied in Europe to all known spices with a hot andpungent taste and was therefore extended to genusCapsicum when it was introduced from the Americas. The most commonly used name of the plant familychile is of Mexican origin, from theNahuatl wordchilli.[citation needed]
The termsbell pepper (US, Canada, Philippines, UK),pepper orsweet pepper (UK, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Zimbabwe), andcapsicum (Australia, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) are often used for any of the large bell-shaped peppers, regardless of their color. The fruit is simply referred to as a "pepper", or additionally by color ("green pepper" or red, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black).[6] In theMidland region of the U.S., bell peppers, either fresh or when stuffed and pickled, are sometimes called mangoes.[7][8]
In some languages, the termpaprika, which has its roots in the word for pepper, is used for both thespice and the fruit – sometimes referred to by their color (for examplegroene paprika,gele paprika, in Dutch, which are green and yellow, respectively). The bell pepper is called "パプリカ" (papurika) or "ピーマン" (pīman, from Frenchpiment pronounced with a silent 't') in Japan.[9] In Switzerland, the fruit is mostly calledpeperone, which is the Italian name of the fruit. In France, it is calledpoivron, with the same root aspoivre (meaning "pepper") orpiment. In Spain it is calledpimiento morrón, the masculine form of the traditional spice,pimienta and "morrón" (snouted) referring to its general shape. In South Korea, the word "피망" (pimang from the Frenchpiment) refers to green bell peppers, whereas "파프리카" (papeurika, frompaprika) refers to bell peppers of other colors. In Sri Lanka, both the bell pepper and thebanana pepper are referred to as a "capsicum" since the bell pepper has no Sinhalese translation. In Argentina and Chile, it is called "morrón".[citation needed] In Russia, it is called "Bulgarian pepper"; during the Soviet era, Bulgaria was its largest supplier.[citation needed]
Red, yellow, and green bell peppers are sometimes packaged and sold together in grocery stores under names like "tricolor" or "stoplight mix".[10]
The most common colors of bell peppers are green, yellow, orange and red. Other colors include brown, white, lavender, and dark purple, depending on the variety. Most typically, unripe fruits are green or, less commonly, pale yellow or purple. Red bell peppers are simply ripened green peppers,[13] although the 'Permagreen' variety maintains its green color even when fully ripe. Therefore, mixed colored peppers also exist during parts of the ripening process.[citation needed]
Like thetomato, bell peppers are botanicalfruits and culinaryvegetables. Pieces of bell pepper are commonly used in gardensalads and as toppings onpizza. There are many varieties ofstuffed peppers prepared using hollowed or halved bell peppers. Bell peppers (andother cultivars ofCapsicum annuum) may be used in the production of the spicepaprika.
A raw red bell pepper is 94% water, 5%carbohydrates, 1%protein, and contains negligiblefat. A 100 gram (3.5 ounce) reference amount supplies 26calories, and is a rich source ofvitamin C – containing 158% of theDaily Value (DV) –vitamin A (20%), andvitamin B6 (23% DV), with moderate contents ofriboflavin (12%),folate (12% DV), andvitamin E (11% DV). A red bell pepper supplies twice the vitamin C and eight times the vitamin A content of a green bell pepper.[14]
The bell pepper is the only member of the genusCapsicum that does not producecapsaicin, alipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning sensation when it comes in contact withmucous membranes. Bell peppers are thus scored in the lowest level of theScoville scale, meaning that they are not spicy. This absence of capsaicin is due to a recessive form of a gene that eliminates the compound and, consequently, the "hot" taste usually associated with the rest of the genusCapsicum. This recessive gene is overwritten in the Mexibelle pepper, a hybrid variety of bell pepper that produces small amounts of capsaicin (and is thus mildly pungent). Conversely, a mutant strain of habanero has been bred to create a heatless version called the'Habanada'. Sweet pepper cultivars producenon-pungent capsaicinoids.[15]
In 2020, global production of bell peppers was 36 milliontonnes, led byChina with 46% of the total, and secondary production byMexico,Indonesia, andTurkey.[16]
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