Mini sweet peppers are part of the “Capsicum Family” along with all other types of peppers. They are native to the Americas, however, nowadays they are cultivated worldwide and are a key ingredient in many cuisines.
What distinguishes mini sweet peppers from the other types of peppers is their zero SHU level. Let me explain, the Scoville Heat Unit Scale (SHU) is a measurement of the spiciness of peppers, it simply measures the concentration of capsaicinoids (the chemical that produces the hot and burning sensation) present in peppers. Sweet peppers differ from chilies as they have little to no capsaicin, therefore they do not produce the typical burning sensation in the month.
Interested in learning how you can include this pepper in your diet. Follow me on this article to learn how to eat mini sweet peppers and a comprehensive look at their health benefits.
Mini Sweet Peppers Nutrition
Mini sweet peppers, as their name implies, are miniature-sized bells characterized by their sweet taste, thin and soft walls. However, what about their nutrition facts? Are mini sweet peppers better than regular peppers? Let’s take a look at the following chart.
| Nutrition Facts Mini Sweet Peppers / Serving Size 100 grams | |
| Calories | 29 Kcal |
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 5.9 g |
| Net carbs | 4.7g |
| Sugar | 3.5g |
| Fiber | 1.2g |
| Protein | 1.2g |
| Vitamins and Minerals | |
| Vitamin A | 2059 IU |
| Vitamin C | 190.6mg |
| Calcium | 0mg |
| Iron | 0.4 mg |
In every 100 grams of sweet mini peppers there are only 29kcal, therefore they are an excellent option for those who are following a low-calorie diet. Moreover, they are a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, which makes them a great addition for those looking to follow a healthier diet.
The major difference between mini sweet peppers and regular bell peppers is that the former is a little bit sweeter than the latter. Even though their carbohydrate count is not much different from each other.
How to Eat Mini Sweet Peppers
Mini sweet peppers have a variety of colors, they can be red, orange, or yellow, and contrary to their counterpart, regular bell pepper, mini sweet peppers are not eaten green or unripe. That is right, green bell peppers are unripe and for this reason, they are not as sweet as the fully ripe bell peppers.
Due to their compact size – the average mini sweet pepper is around seven centimeters in length – they are an ideal option for a snack or an appetizer. Besides, mini sweet peppers can be eaten raw or cooked. So here are a few tips on how to eat mini sweet peppers:
- Simply wash them, as the peel might be dirty, and it eat it raw as a snack
- Use it to create stuffed mini pepper, you might use rice, ground beef, seafood, cheese, or other vegetables as a filling. To finalize, roast in the oven
- Cut them into thin strips and use in a salad
- Add to a variety of plates or soups in order to make them more colorful
- Chop them and prepare a salsa
- Use them as a topping on a pizza
In addition, take into account that mini sweet peppers pair well with oregano, onions, garlic, olive, quinoa, cheddar, feta, garbanzo, tomatoes, and black beans among others. As you can see, the options are several as mini sweet peppers are extremely versatile and a good ingredient for vegetarian recipes. Just keep in mind that they will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator.
Growing Mini Sweet Peppers
If you would like to have these incredible and versatile peppers all year round, consider growing them yourself. Mini sweet peppers are relatively easy to grow and if planted indoors they can produce year-round. Below are all the steps you will need to follow in order to grow mini sweet peppers at your home:
- Choose your seeds: you can either buy them or pick some seeds from an existing pepper that you would like to reproduce. If you choose the latter one, be careful when cutting the pepper to avoid cutting the seeds in half.
- Dry the seeds: in order to dry them, you can leave the seeds in a piece of paper towel to soakup the moisture or you can leave them outside in the sun. You will know that this step is completed once the seeds are no longer able to bend. This step is extremely important as unwanted moisture in the seed might grows fungus.
- Plant seeds indoor: you can start by planting them in a small pot with good drainage. Fill the pot with potting soil and place the seeds around two centimeters below the surface. You can plant up to three seeds per pot. Place the pot in a warm and sunny place inside your house. Remember that they are tropical seeds, therefore they do best in warm and light places. Finally, be patient, as they can take several weeks to germinate.
- Do not overwater: once your seeds have germinated, always keep them a little too dry, use a spray bottle to help you with it. Also, try to place them in a well ventilated area to help blow away excess water.
- Transplant: once you have two sets of leaves it will be time to transplant them into a larger pot. However, just place them outdoors when it is warm, otherwise, you can keep them indoors in a larger pot.
- Time to pick your peppers: only pick them once they are large enough. Enjoy fresh peppers.
Conclusion
Mini sweet peppers are a smaller version of the traditional bell peppers, even though mini sweet peppers are sweeter, they do not exceed in the calorie and carbohydrate count. In addition, they are a great source of vitamin C.
Regarding how to eat mini sweet peppers, due to their small size, they are perfect to carry around and have for a snack, which makes them an excellent option to include in any healthy diet.
These miniature peppers are native to American tropical areas, however, nowadays they can be found worldwide. Furthermore, they are relatively easy to grow indoors, in case you would like to have fresh peppers to add to your salad on a daily basis.
