The truth about capsicums has us questioning EVERYTHING

Publish Date
Wednesday, 10 May 2017, 3:07PM
Photo: Getty Images

Photo: Getty Images

If you've ever done any grocery shopping in your life then you should know that there are a range of different colour capsicums: yellow, green and red. There is even the odd orange capsicum if you're lucky.

These innocent looking vegetables can be added to stir-fries, salads, heck they even don't go astray in an enchilada. 

But each of these capsicums are different, right? Apart from the obvious difference in colour, they also taste different. 

So it would be fair to say that we'd just assumed that they grow these capsicums as separate colours. 

HOWEVER all our lives the produce, also known as bell peppers, have been LYING to us. 

The truth is that green capsicums actually ripen into yellow and orange peppers, which then eventually turn into red peppers. (Some peppers just ripen to yellow or orange, but still, they start out green.)

 
Photo/Getty Images

MIND. BLOWN. 


"But why do they taste and smell different?" you may ask.

It's because when capsicums are green, they produce a chemical called 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine, which gives off that plant-like smell.

But as the pepper ripens into yellow, orange, and eventually red, it produces more of the (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-hexanol chemicals (science stuff), which smell and taste sweeter.

Now you know the truth.

All we have to say is that what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. 

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you