Are Banana Peppers Good For You? Nutritional Value and Benefits

BWhether you’re an expert at meal prepping or eat a standard salad or sandwich for lunch every day, it’s important to have a variety of toppings on hand. asceticism put it on your plate. Spices, condiments, and sauces each have their own value in adding elegance and flavor to even the most bland dishes; so do fresh and pickled produce. One vegetable that doesn’t get much publicity (but should, in my opinion) is the humble banana pepper. It offers a satisfying blend of sweetness and spice, enriching dishes and sauces with unexpected flavor.

Not familiar with banana peppers? These are a variation of the species Red pepper annual (i.e. bell peppers or sweet peppers) and are also related to hot peppers. They get their name from the yellow hue and shape of the fruit from which they are named, but they definitely don’t taste like bananas. But can something as delicious as banana peppers, a staple in Italian sandwiches everywhere, really be good for you?

In the upcoming section, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of banana peppers—what they taste like, how healthy they are, and RD-approved ways to incorporate them into your diet.

Nutritional values ​​of banana pepper

Wondering if banana peppers are good for you? Let’s start with the nutritional profile—which is pretty impressive, to be honest. According to the USDA, one cup of raw banana peppers contains:

• Calorie: 33.5
• Protein: 2 grams
• Oil: 0.56 grams
• Carbohydrates: 6.6 grams
• Fiber: 4 grams
• Sugar: 2.4 grams

They also contain calcium, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A, as well as trace amounts of other important vitamins and minerals.

What are the benefits of banana pepper?

1. They are rich in fiber, which is beneficial for intestinal health.

“One cup of banana peppers contains 4 grams of fiber: a nutrient that helps us feel fuller longer,” says Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, of FoodieMomRD. Fiber, which only 7 percent of adults get enough of daily, according to a 2021 study from the American Academy of Nutrition, is also beneficial for digestive ease and regularity, heart health, and aging.

2. They can support your immune system

Step aside, oranges: Banana peppers can give you a run for your money. One cup of raw banana peppers contains 103 milligrams of vitamin C, far exceeding the recommended daily intake of 75 to 90 milligrams for adults. Your body uses vitamin C to support the immune system, make collagen, and help absorb iron. What’s not to love?

3. They are rich in health-boosting capsaicin

Banana peppers are a great source of capsaicin, says McIndoo, a natural plant compound found in peppers. Capsaicin is famous for the heat it gives to hot peppers and chili peppers, but it has also been linked to a variety of health benefits. According to a 2022 review in the journal MoleculesThe antioxidant compound may offer antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, and even anti-cancer effects, and may also help treat pain and hypertension.

What does banana pepper taste like?

Banana peppers are sweeter than hot, and therefore closest in flavor to bell peppers. “Banana peppers are so milder than most other peppers that you might be surprised to find them in the same category,” McIndoo says. “When you compare their spiciness to the popular jalapeño pepper, a jalapeño starts at about 2,500 Scoville units [SHU, the measure of heat or spiciness in a pepper]sweeter banana peppers are around 500 SHU.” Meanwhile, bell peppers are the sweetest and mildest of the bunch, at 0 SHU.

Essentially, banana peppers taste like a spicier version of bell peppers, offering a bit of satisfying spice for those who can’t handle the hotter jalapeños, serranos, poblanos, and the like.

Are banana peppers good for health?

Yes, banana peppers are a healthy option to add variety (and flavor) to your diet. “Variety in the foods we eat can increase the enjoyment of our meals and help us meet more of our nutrient needs compared to eating the same foods over and over again,” McIndoo says. “Including more vegetables (including peppers) gives us more opportunities to get a greater variety of nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.”

In case you missed it, eating 30+ different types of plants per week is the number one indicator of a healthy gut microbiome. Findings from the American Gut Project²Luckily, eating more plants to reach that quota is easier than you might think, because each type of pepper, from banana peppers to red bell peppers to jalapenos, counts as a separate entity.

“Also, flavor-rich foods like peppers help by allowing us to rely less on salt to add flavor to our meals,” McIndoo adds.

How can you use banana peppers in your cooking?

Sweet, slightly spicy, and sour (if pickled), banana peppers can be a fun, fresh, and healthy addition to your diet. “We add banana peppers to our homemade pizzas and slice them up to put on sandwiches,” says McIndoo. They’re also a great addition to salads (think Greek salad) and antipasto. These peppers are perhaps best known when pickled, and can provide a tart flavor to liven up everything from salads to salsas.

“You can also try swapping them in recipes that call for other types of peppers,” McIndoo adds. “For example, use them in place of or in addition to jalapeños in salsa, chop them up and stir-fry them with green beans and onions, or mix them into burrito fillings or top tacos.” In short, the mouthwatering possibilities are endless.