Red vs. Green Bell Peppers: Which Is More Nutritious?

Red for Calories, Carbs, and Vitamins, Green for Calcium

Differences in the nutritional value of green bell peppers and red bell peppers include:

• Calories: Red bell peppers are slightly higher in calories than green bell peppers, but both are generally low in calories. Calories provide your body with energy, and excess calories can lead to weight gain.
• Carbohydrate and sugar: Red bell peppers are moderately higher in carbohydrates (including sugar) than green bell peppers. Carbohydrates provide your body with energy. You might need to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake if you have diabetes.
• Vitamin C: Red bell peppers are higher in vitamin C than green bell peppers, but this difference reverses if they are sautéed. This vitamin plays an important role in your skin health and immunity.
• Vitamin A: Red bell peppers are substantially higher than green bell peppers in vitamin A. This vitamin is important for skin health, vision, and immune function.
• Calcium: Green bell peppers have a little more calcium than red bell peppers, especially if they’re eaten raw. This mineral is important for bone health and muscle function.

Similar for Fiber, Magnesium, and Potassium

Both green and red bell peppers have some nutritional similarities:

• Fiber: Fiber is important for your gut health, digestion, regular bowel movements, and maintaining your gut microbiome (the community of microbes in the gut). Red and green bell peppers both provide approximately the same fiber.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral involved in maintaining almost every body system, Red and green bell peppers provide similar magnesium, with red bell peppers slightly edging out green bell peppers if they’re eaten raw or sautéed.
• Potassium: Potassium is a mineral important in nerve and muscle function. Red and green bell peppers provide about the same amount of potassium, with a slight advantage for red peppers if they’re eaten raw or sautéed.

How Preparation Changes Nutrition

The way red bell peppers and green bell peppers are prepared can change their nutritional value a bit:

• Calories: Boiling reduces the calories, while sautéing increases the calories.
• Carbohydrate, sugar, fiber: Cooking these vegetables reduces the carbohydrate, sugar, and fiber content.
• Vitamins and minerals: These vegetables provide you with more vitamins and minerals—vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium—if you eat them raw.

How to Enjoy Red and Green Bell Peppers

You can eat red or green bell peppers raw or cooked, and they can be prepared in a variety of ways. These vegetables are usually available fresh, frozen, or canned. 

Sometimes red or green peppers are part of recipes, such as:

• Stews or rice dishes 
• Salad
• Soup 
• Salsa 
• Pasta dishes
• Pizza toppings 
• Stir fry 
• Spreads or dips 
• Sauce 
• As a garnish 
• Smoothies 

Red and green bell peppers can be part of vegetarian recipes and are often added as a side dish to seafood or meat dishes.