Do peppers make you feel unwell? Then you may be suffering from an intolerance. What is an intolerance to peppers? And why are peppers so difficult to digest?

Peppers belong to the nightshade family and are a very popular vegetable, especially in Europe. It can be eaten both raw and cooked.

Did you know that the vegetable is very rich in vitamin C and also very low in calories? It provides many minerals and vitamins that are of great benefit to humans. Chili and hot peppers are the hotter varieties.

Are you surprised that chili peppers also belong to the bell pepper family? Especially if you suspect that you have an intolerance, you should avoid all types of peppers.

Is paprika an allergen?

There are around 2000 different varieties in the bell pepper family. This also includes varieties such as hot peppers and chili peppers.

Capsaicin is responsible for the different levels of spiciness. It is found in all types of bell pepper. Capsaicin is an alkaloid that releases different levels of heat. It influences the effect on specific receptors. Accordingly, we perceive something as hot or mild, depending on how much capsaicin it contains.

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This popular vegetable has been around for a very long time. Since around 7000 BC to be precise.

It was Christopher Columbus who brought the vegetable to Europe. At that time, it was mainly used for seasoning, as it was mainly very hot bell pepper varieties. It was intended as competition for the pepper from India.

Nowadays you can find them in supermarkets in all different shapes, colors and degrees of heat. In summer, peppers can even be grown in Europe. In winter, the vegetable is imported from Morocco or Egypt.

To cut a long story short: you can find peppers on the supermarket shelves at any time of year.

However, it is also one of the vegetables that can trigger an immediate allergy. The symptoms of a bell pepper allergy are severe and often occur in conjunction with a cross-allergy.

Many people who suffer from a latex allergy also have major problems with peppers. Incidentally, tomatoes and potatoes fall into the same allergy family.

Why are peppers healthy?

The vegetable can taste very different depending on the season and variety. The red variety is the most popular in Europe. It tastes slightly sweet and is also popular with children. The green variety, on the other hand, tastes much more bitter and very tart.

In terms of the number of carbohydrates or proteins, peppers are a less attractive vegetable. It contains hardly any fat and is absolutely low in carbohydrates. However, the vegetable’s high vitamin content is impressive. Trace elements and minerals are present in abundance.

Did you know that peppers have more vitamin C than a lemon? The vegetable stimulates the metabolism and helps the immune system. Paprika is therefore a pure blessing for your health. But what if it causes discomfort?

Although peppers are one of the healthiest vegetables, they are also the vegetable that most people are intolerant or even allergic to.

How can I recognize a bell pepper intolerance?

It is not unusual for people to be intolerant or even allergic to certain foods, nuts or vegetables.

Do you suffer from a bell pepper intolerance? Most people react with symptoms to certain ingredients in peppers. Experts therefore also speak of a food intolerance.

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It is therefore often not the peppers themselves that you are intolerant to, but the capsaicin they contain. The alkaloid is responsible for the pungent taste in some bell pepper varieties.

The symptoms of intolerance are usually limited to the digestive tract. Diarrhea, flatulence or abdominal pain are classic symptoms of intolerance to peppers.

Many people who suffer from an intolerance also often have skin reactions. Peppers are one of the few vegetables that cause such reactions. This is due to the fact that intolerance to peppers is usually caused by cross-allergies.

Some people are allergic to the alkaloid capsaicin. Others react to the hard peel. Many people find it very difficult to digest.

Green peppers contain a lot of sugar alcohols. These are also a common cause of intolerance. Incidentally, you don’t have to suffer from a classic intolerance if you find peppers difficult to digest. The vegetable is in fact one of the vegetables that cause digestive problems in many people.

Depending on how severe your symptoms are, you should always discuss them with a doctor.

Symptoms of paprika intolerance

Do you feel unwell after eating peppers? This may be because you have an intolerance to peppers.

A food intolerance to peppers can cause symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue and even sleep disorders.

The symptoms of a bell pepper allergy usually focus on the skin and respiratory tract. However, these should be taken particularly seriously, as the consequences can be very serious. As soon as you experience even the slightest sign of such symptoms, you should definitely consult a doctor. The symptoms could get significantly worse within a short time. An intolerance test is also ideal, in which you are tested for all possible problems.

This is what you can do if you can’t tolerate peppers!

The first step is to find out what you are allergic or intolerant to. A food diary can help you with this.

Over a period of at least four weeks, write down what you have eaten and how you feel afterwards. A food diary is very time-consuming and you have to be very disciplined. Because only if you really write down all the foods and symptoms will you be able to make sense of it in the end.

If you already suspect paprika, an elimination diet can help you. This involves specifically removing the food from your diet that you suspect you are intolerant to. Be consistent and also pay attention to small ingredients.

Many foods could be seasoned with paprika powder, for example. You should also avoid this during an elimination diet. The easiest way is to prepare your food fresh. That way you know exactly what’s in it and can play it safe.

How can you prepare paprika in a way that is well tolerated?

Sometimes it is not necessarily the case that you are intolerant to peppers, even though you show the classic symptoms of intolerance. Peppers are a difficult vegetable to digest. Depending on how you prepare it, you may tolerate it better or worse.

It can help if you remove the thin skin from the bell pepper before you eat it. Many people have problems digesting peppers. This is usually due to the skin of the bell pepper. To remove the skin, it is best to cut the bell pepper in half first. After you have placed the bell pepper halves in the oven at around 200 degrees for about 10 minutes, the skin can then be easily removed.

You can tell whether the skin can already be removed by the blistering. Rinse the peppers under cold water. You can then process it as usual. Unless you suffer from a classic intolerance, this process will make the peppers easier for you to digest.

When buying peppers, make sure that the skin is intact. The vegetable is very susceptible to pests. These can also be responsible for digestive problems. Many farmers also treat the bushes with pesticides. Wash the vegetables well before you process them. Residues of pesticides on the vegetables often cause stomach problems in humans.

If you tend to have a poor tolerance to peppers, opt for organic quality. Organic vegetables are treated less with harmful substances and are therefore generally better tolerated.

Did you know that you shouldn’t store peppers in the fridge? The vegetable is very sensitive to the cold. Store them separately from other vegetables. It is best stored in a dry place at around 15 degrees.

The vegetables are healthiest when you eat them raw. This way it retains all its vitamins and your body benefits greatly.