Green peppers, as well as bell peppers, are considered sweet peppers.
Some like their peppers hot while some like their peppers mild. When choosing between what peppers to add to a meal, the choice often comes down to hot peppers or green peppers. Summertime fruits, hot peppers and green peppers belong to the capsicum family. Despite being family, each type of pepper has some differences.
Hot Peppers
As the name implies, hot peppers are member of the hot pepper group. Hot peppers contain enough of the compound capsaicin to deliver a heat sensation when a person eats the pepper. Examples of hot peppers include cayenne, chili, serrano and habaneros peppers. Hot peppers range in shape and colors from yellow to red.
Green Peppers
Green peppers are consider sweet peppers, mild peppers that deliver little to no heat. Also a type of bell pepper, green peppers are wide, round and bell-shaped. Farmers harvest green peppers before they ripen completely and change colors. Though green bell peppers are available throughout the year, the peak season for this pepper is the summer.
Uses for Hot Peppers and Green Peppers
Because green peppers are mild, people can include bell peppers in a healthy eating plan. They can be eaten raw, roasted or added to dishes ranging from tuna salad to Mexican rice. Hot peppers, on the other hand, are mostly used as a flavoring. Many hot peppers are dried and ground before being used by consumers to pep up their dishes and provide flavor. To decrease the heat of hot peppers, a cook should remove both the seeds and the white membranes before consuming.
Storage
Consumers should store both types of peppers unwashed in the refrigerator. Hot peppers, however, should be stored in paper towels. Refrigerated, hot peppers last around three weeks. Dried hot peppers last much longer, up to four months when stored at room temperature. Green peppers have a shorter refrigerator life. Green peppers last around a week when stored in a plastic bag.
Nutrition
Most peppers are good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene and potassium. One medium-sized green , according to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, contains 96 mg of vitamin C, 248 mcg of beta-carotene and 208 mg of potassium. The nutrients for hot peppers may vary depending on the type. A red chili pepper, for example, contains around 65 mg of vitamin C, 240 mcg of beta-carotene and 145 mg of potassium.
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