Colors of Bell Peppers

Common Colors

• When purchasing bell peppers in your grocery store, red and green are the two colors you will see most commonly. All bell peppers start out as green, says Mother Earth News, and the green bell peppers sold are still slightly immature. Red bell peppers have ripened, changing their color in the process. This is caused by the breakdown of the chlorophyll as the fruit moves from the growing to the seed-production stage.

Unusual Colors

• Green bell peppers ripen into other colors than just red. Yellow, orange, purple and brown are all colors than a ripe bell pepper will turn. One variety of this pepper even turns white as its seeds mature, according to Oregon State University. Black, shades of blue and multicolored peppers are also available. These peppers often fetch higher prices than the more common red and green varieties due to their relative rarity. All colors of bell pepper require the same basic growing conditions.

Differences

• Bell peppers develop different flavors and nutritional content as they ripen. Red and orange bell peppers are sweeter than the unripe green ones, says The Frugal Cafe. Purple peppers are harvested at an immature stage and are bitter like green peppers. The nutritional differences vary slightly, with red peppers having more lycopene and yellow peppers offering more lutein.

Uses

• Bell peppers add a sweet or slightly bitter pepper flavor to dishes without the heat of jalapenos or other spicy peppers. All bell peppers can be eaten raw, sauteed, roasted or pureed, according to WH Foods. While different colors do offer slightly different flavor profiles, most recipes work well with the color of your choice. The tangy and bitter taste of green bell pepper, however, may make delicate dishes that require the sweeter flavor of other colors unpalatable.