Author: Ivana Sabljić |
World's healthiest foods: pepper |
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Pepper is one of the healthiest species of vegetables in the world and it is also easy to cultivate.
It enriches every garden in which it is planted with a wide spectrum of varieties and colours varying from green, yellow and orange to red, violet and brown.
One of the reasons it's so popular is its taste, which has turned it into an ingredient of many raw and cooked dishes, as well as an irreplaceable spice.
Historical remains from Peru indicate peppers were consumed in Central and South America as many as 9600 years ago.
Columbus brought them to Europe in 1493, where they were quickly spread and cultivated.
There are about 50 varieties of peppers in the world today.
Apart from the delicious taste, they have special medical properties, which make them welcome on anybody's plate.
Composition and benefits of peppers
100 grams of fresh red bell pepper contains 92% of water, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0.99 grams of proteins, 0.3 grams of fat and 1.2 grams of dietary fibre.
Pepper is a great source of vitamins A, C and B6.
It is also rich in dietary fibre, vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B9 (folic acid), vitamin K, potassium, manganese and magnesium.
The riper the pepper, the higher the amount of vitamins and minerals.
Pepper contains four times as much vitamin C as orange and over 30 nutrients from the carotenoid group.
The synergy of vitamins C and A and carotenoid lycopene gives pepper antioxidant powers and places it among superfoods.
Protects eyesight
Pepper is rich in carotenoid zeaxanthin, which is extremely important for eye health.
It is believed that regular supplementation with zeaxanthin in people prone to macular degeneration visibly improves the prevention of eyesight loss and it also helps with the preexisting disease.
Through its strong antioxidant activity, zeaxanthin prevents damage to the lens, macula and retina. It protects the eye from the harmful (blue) UV rays spectrum, especially in the time of strong solar radiation.
For best results, it is necessary to take zeaxanthin for a prolonged period.
Vitamin A contained in pepper also enhances the ocular health and helps prevent night blindness.
Reduces risk from prostate cancer
One study followed a group of men in order to find a link between high intake of vitamin C in green bell pepper and a reduced risk from prostate cancer.
Results showed that the participants who took more green bell peppers and broccoli had a lower rate of this disease.
The ingredients of pepper – lycopene, beta carotene, vitamins C and A, and retinoids are believed to significantly reduce the risk from prostate cancer.
Preliminary research shows that peppers have certain anticancer properties which could have an effect on the prevention of esophagus and stomach cancer.
Four times more vitamin C than in orange
Pepper provides as much as 300% of recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is important for the production of collagen. Collagen is the chief structural protein in the body, required to maintain the integrity of blood vessels, skin, bones and organs.
A regular intake of foods rich in this vitamin boosts immunity, neutralizes harmful free radicals and reduces the risk of many diseases.
Pepper for beautiful skin and hair
This tasty vegetable is one of the most useful foods for your skin's health and beauty.
Vitamin C and carotenoids with which it abounds are responsible for great, glowing and clean complexion.
Pepper helps eliminate imperfections of the skin such as freckles and spots.
Vitamins, iron and beta-carotene present in pepper regulate the melanin production, which is why pepper is recommended to people with fair-skin and to all who have problems with skin hyperpigmentation.
Pepper also naturally helps protect the skin from wrinkles, damage and aging thanks to its powerful antioxidative properties.
Thanks to its antibacterial activity, it is useful in topical application in form of skin mask designed to treat acne and pimples.
For shinier and healthier skin you can make a mask from fresh or dried pepper mixed with one tablespoon of honey.
Apply it to your face and cleavage, let it sit for 20 minutes and then rinse with tepid water.
This food is also great for hair care.
It contains vitamin B6, which helps against hair loss, and high iron levels, responsible for an improved circulation in the scalp, which will stimulate hair growth.
You can add pepper powder to a small quantity of henna, in order to give the hair a more intense red pigment.
Alleviates insomnia, PMS and stress
The natural ingredients in which pepper abounds help relieve anxiety, especially if it's related to PMS.
They protect the organism from the consequence of stress, alleviate insomnia, bad mood and apathy.
Vitamin B6 participates in the production of the "sleep hormone" melatonin and "happiness hormone" serotonin. Pepper will not only provide you with a tasty meal but also with a dose of relaxation in an exhausting day.
Burns calories
Due to the low proportion of calories and the wealth of vitamins and minerals, pepper is welcome in any type of diet.
Recent research have shown that red bell pepper activates thermogenesis, thus stimulating burning of calories.
Although they don't contain capsaicin, which gives hot taste to chili and stimulates sweating, peppers speed up the metabolism without affecting the heartbeat and blood pressure.
Choose peppers that aren't damaged or chemically treated in order to give your body not only a treat, but also a dose of health.
Regular consumption of peppers:
- boosts immunity
- alleviates PMS
- stimulates collagen production
- improves eyesight
- protects from prostate cancer
- lifts mood
- stimulates hair growth
- speeds up the metabolism
- helps with weight loss
Sources used in this article include:
[url=http://www.stylecraze.com]http://www.stylecraze.com[/url]
[url=http://www.garden.org]http://www.garden.org[/url]
[url=http://www.whfoods.com]http://www.whfoods.com[/url]
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