Bell peppers, a.k.a. “the Christmas ornaments of the vegetable world” are among the most versatile of all the veggies, thanks to their flavor-packed flesh, long shelf life and eye-catching colors. Bell peppers are popular ingredients in cuisines ranging from Greek to Thai to Spanish, making them a truly international superstar of the culinary world.

Stuffed, sliced, stir-fried or raw, bell peppers are readily available year-round here in California, but these common members of the Capsicum family can be a source of confusion among chefs and home cooks alike for one simple reason – bell peppers are available in five unique colors!

While plant breeding has led to the availability of unique pepper colors such as purple, it’s important to understand that when it comes to bell peppers, they are all produced by the same species of plant. That’s why the overall size, shape and texture of bell peppers are relatively uniform, despite any differences in color.

The real secret behind the various colors of bell peppers is maturity – that is, the age of the pepper when it’s harvested. Regardless of what color the pepper winds up as when it hits store shelves, it started out as a green bell pepper on the plant. That’s right – all those brilliantly-colored bell peppers evolved from green bells! Simply put, the longer the pepper stays on the plant, the more mature it becomes, and as it matures, it turns from a green color into yellow, orange, red or purple.

In addition to the obvious color differences between bell peppers, there are some unique qualities that distinguish less mature, green peppers from their colorful, more mature counterparts. Here’s what you need to know about the various colors of bell peppers:

Green Peppers – The Youngest of All Bell Peppers

Green bell peppers are the least mature of all the bell peppers, delivering a distinct, slightly-bitter chlorophyll flavor that is the hallmark of unripe fruits and vegetables. This lack of maturity is what makes green bells the least expensive of all the bell peppers – since they require less growing time than the other colors of peppers, they require less resources like water and fertilizer.

Green bell peppers are harvested before they are fully ripe, and green bell peppers will continue to first turn yellow, and then red, if they are left on the plant to mature. Despite their inherent bitterness, green peppers are popular for use in many dishes such as stuffed peppers, since their thick, firm fleshy skins hold up well under high temperatures in the oven.

Orange & Yellow Peppers – Slightly Sweet, Yet Still Brightly-Flavored

Green peppers that are left to mature on the plant will slowly turn yellow and/or orange, and in the process, develop a mild, slightly sweet flavor that is distinctively less ‘green’ tasting than green bells are. Yellow and orange peppers are often used to give dishes a splash of color, whether it be a pasta recipe, salad or stir-fry.

Red Peppers – Mild & Packed With Nutrients

More mature than orange or yellow peppers, red peppers are sweet, mild and fruity, making them a favorite among those who dislike the strong taste of green peppers. Because red peppers spend more time on the vine, they have higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and antioxidants than green peppers, not to mention the fact that red bell peppers taste great both raw and gently cooked!

Purple Peppers – Home-Grown Exotics

Once considered to be a ‘novelty’, purple bell peppers have become a favorite among growers and chefs alike, since these sweet, antioxidant-rich vegetables are relatively easy to grow and a pleasure to prepare in the kitchen. They add visual interest to any plate, and offer a blend of green-pepper bitterness tempered with the sweet fruitiness of a red pepper.

The next time your recipe calls for a bell pepper or two, why not explore the unique flavors that these colorful peppers offer?

Produce Services of Los Angeles, Inc. is a distributor of wholesale bell peppers, as well as a full line of other fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.