How Many Carbohydrates Are In Red Bell Peppers?

Whether you’re counting carbs on Keto, or are just curious how many carbohydrates are in red bell peppers, we’re here to help. Red bell peppers are simply fully ripened green bell peppers.

During the ripening process, bell peppers generate more sugars. Therefore, red bell peppers have a higher carbohydrate count than green bell peppers. However, given the size of a red bell, the carb count is relatively low, even for one whole pepper.

How many carbs in one red bell pepper?

One medium sized red bell pepper contains approximately 5.5 grams of carbohydrates. This equates to an approximate 6% carbohydrate content. This is the percentage of carbs for the pepper flesh only (with seeds and stem removed).

This makes red bell peppers one of the best low-carb vegetables around, especially considering its high nutritional value. Given the sweet flavor, you may have expected higher carbohydrate content.

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While this carbohydrate level may be too high for extremely low-carb diets, in very small amounts you can meter out lower carb portions from red bell peppers. The peppers are full of a variety of excellent nutrients, and can add great flavor to otherwise bland meals.

Other health benefits of red bell peppers

Antioxidants

As we all know, antioxidants are highly beneficial our overall health. The reason is that these substances are able to slow down the damage to our cells. Intake of antioxidants is believed to lower the risk of things like vision loss, infection, and even cancer (source).

Vitamin C

One single red bell pepper contains over 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. This essential nutrient, also an antioxidant, contributes to the prevention of disease and cell degradation. Vitamin C is also a great go-to nutrient when you feel a common cold coming on.

This is why products like Emergen-C exist when you feel like you are getting sick. However, it is always best to take in your vitamins from natural foods if possible.

Carotenoids

More antioxidants, carotenoids are able to further protect cell damage in the human body. Red bell peppers are colored red due to carotenoid pigments that are synthesized by the pepper plant during growth.

Without carotenoids, your bell peppers wouldn’t have their beautiful color, nor would you gain the health benefits of the pigments. Red peppers, along with pumpkins and papayas, are particularly high in β-Cryptoxanthin.

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I hope this article helped you learn how many carbohydrates are in red bell pepper, along with some general nutrition for the peppers. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!