Whether you’re a meal prep extraordinaire or stick to a standard salad or sammie for lunch each day, having a variety of toppings on hand is key to zhuzh up your plate. Spices, seasonings, and condiments each have their merits to bring flair and flavor to even the most bland dishes; and so, too, do fresh and pickled produce. One such veggie that doesn’t get a ton of airtime (but IMHO should) is the humble banana pepper. It packs a satisfying blend of sweetness and spice, enriching dishes and dips with unexpected zest.

Unfamiliar with banana peppers? They’re a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum (i.e., bell peppers or sweet peppers) and are also related to chili peppers. They get their name name from the yellow tint and shape of its namesake fruit, yet they definitely don’t taste like bananas. But could something delicious like banana peppers—a staple of Italian hoagies everywhere—actually be good for you?

Ahead, we’re covering the ins and outs of banana peppers—including what they taste like, how healthy they are, and RD-vetted ways to include them into your diet.

Nutrition facts of banana peppers

Curious if banana peppers are good for you? Let’s start with their nutritional profile—which honestly, is pretty impressive. According to the USDA, one cup of raw banana peppers contains the following:

• Calories: 33.5
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fat: 0.56 grams
• Carbohydrates: 6.6 grams
• Fiber: 4 grams
• Sugar: 2.4 grams

They also contain some calcium, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin A, along with trace amounts of other important vitamins and minerals.

What are the benefits of banana peppers?

1. They’re rich in gut-healthy fiber

“One cup of banana peppers contains 4 grams of fiber: a nutrient that helps keep us feeling fuller longer,” says Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, of FoodieMomRD. Fiber—which a mere 7 percent of adults get enough of daily, per 2021 research by the American Society for Nutrition—is also beneficial for digestive ease and regularity, heart health, and aging.

2. They might support your immune system

Move over, oranges: banana peppers might give you a run for your money. One cup of raw banana pepper has 103 milligrams of vitamin C—exceeding the recommended daily intake of 75 to 90 milligrams for adults. Your body uses vitamin C to support the immune system, make collagen, and help absorb iron. What’s not to love?

3. They are rich in health-promoting capsaicin

McIndoo says banana peppers are a great source of capsaicin—a natural plant compound present in peppers. Capsaicin is famed for the fire it lends to chili and cayenne, but it’s also linked to several health benefits. Per a 2022 review in the journal Molecules¹, the antioxidant compound can offer antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, and even anti-cancer effects, as well as help treat pain and hypertension.

What does a banana pepper taste like?

Banana peppers are more sweet than spicy, and are thus closest in taste to the bell pepper. “Banana peppers are so much milder than most other peppers, you might be surprised they’re even in the same category,” says McIndoo. “Comparing their heat to the popular jalapeno pepper, a jalapeno starts at about 2,500 Scoville heat units [SHU, the measure of heat or spiciness in a pepper], while the sweeter banana pepper is about 500 SHU.” Meanwhile, bell peppers are the sweetest and mildest of the bunch, ranking in at 0 SHU.

Basically, banana peppers taste like a tangier version of bell peppers. They offer a tad of satisfying spice for those who can’t handle the likes of hotter jalapeños, serranos, poblanos, and the like.

Are banana peppers good for you?

Yes, banana peppers are a healthy option for adding variety (and flavor) to your diet. “Variety in the foods we eat can increase enjoyment in our meals and also help us meet more of our nutrient needs compared to eating the same foods over and over,” McIndoo says. “Incorporating more vegetables—including peppers—gives us more opportunities to get a greater variety of nutrients including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.”

ICYMI, eating 30-plus different types of plants per week is the number-one predictor of a healthy gut microbiome, per findings by the American Gut Project². Fortunately, it’s easier to eat more plants to reach this quota than you may imagine, as each variety of pepper—from banana peppers to red bell peppers to jalapenos—counts as a separate entity.

“In addition, flavor-rich foods such as pepper are helpful in allowing us to rely less on salt to flavor our meals,” McIndoo adds.

How to use banana peppers in your cooking

Sweet, slightly spicy, and sour (if pickled), banana peppers can make for a fun, fresh, and healthy addition to your diet. “We add banana peppers to our homemade pizzas and slice them to put into sandwiches,” says McIndoo. They’re also a great addition for salads (think Greek salads) and antipasto. These peppers are perhaps best known in their pickled form, and can provide a sour zing to enliven everything from salads to salsas.

“You can also try to swap them in recipes calling for other types of peppers,” McIndoo adds. “For example, use them instead of—or in addition to—jalapeños in salsa, dice them and roast along with green beans and onions, or mix into burrito filling or add as a topping for tacos.” In short, the mouth-watering possibilities are endless.