In our testing, the weight of a single standard sized bell pepper was 238 grams (8.4 oz) or close to half a pound. Standard in this test meant approximately 4.5 inches long by 3.5 inches wide
Overview of Bell Peppers
We’re going to take a look at how much does a bell pepper weigh in this article and we will consider what other factors can impact the weight of this versatile fruit (that’s right, bell peppers are actually a fruit! More on that below). We’ll also look at why the weight of bell peppers matters. But first let’s review what bell peppers are and how they are used.
Bell peppers are versatile fruits with good taste and crunchy texture. Bell peppers can be cooked in a variety of different ways or just eaten raw (as with most fruits and vegetables, they should be washed first). They even come in multiple colors, depending on how ripe they are. Bell peppers can also be found in different sizes, with miniature bell peppers becoming more popular.
Bell peppers are a go-to option when many people decide to eat healthier. Their combination of good taste and crunch can provide a nice substitute for chips or other carb-heavy snacks. They are a great option to use in dips and sauces because of their crunch and lack of flimsiness.
Weight of Bell Peppers
Standard weight
Because bell peppers can come in a variety of sizes, they can have a wide range of weights. We’re going to take a look at the standard sized bell pepper – the standard sized bell peppers are typically between 4 and 5 inches long with a diameter between 2 and 3.5 inches.
In our testing, the weight of a single standard sized bell pepper was 238 grams (8.4 oz) or close to half a pound.
For context on what “standard” means in this testing, our standard pepper was approximately 4.5 inches long by 3.5 inches wide.
Weight table
If you’ve ever looked at bell peppers at the grocery store or a farmer’s market, you know their sizes can vary wildly. With this in mind, we expanded our testing to look at three different sized peppers to determine their weights.
“Large” Bell Peppers
In our sample, the “large” bell pepper came in at 5.5 inches long by 4.5 inches wide.
The large bell pepper weighs 320 grams or 11.3 oz (0.7lbs).
You could expect a bell pepper of this size to have about 43 calories.
“Medium” Bell Peppers
In this sample, the “medium” bell pepper came in at 4.5 inches long by 3.5 inches wide.
The medium bell pepper weighs 190 grams or 6.7 oz (0.4lbs).
You could expect a bell pepper of this size to have about 30 calories.
Interesting note: While the height and width of this orange pepper are equal to the height and width of the standard pepper we looked at earlier, you can see the weight is noticeably lower.
This can be explained by 2 factors:
- The green bell pepper has a fuller body and more more mass in general.
- The fuller body also suggests a larger stem, more membrane and more seeds inside the pepper which all would contribute to the higher weight.
“Small” Bell Peppers
Finally, in this sample, the “small” bell pepper came in at 4 inches long by 3.5 inches wide.
The small bell pepper weighs 167 grams or 5.9 oz (0.37lbs).
You could expect a small bell pepper of this size to have about 24 calories.
Other weight considerations
When considering the weight of a bell pepper for a recipe, remember that weighing the whole pepper includes the stem and seeds. Most of the time these elements should not included in the recipe. So another way to consider the weight of bell peppers is by how many chopped bell peppers in 1 cup weigh.
1 cup of chopped bell peppers weighs approximately 175 grams or 6.2 oz.
The largest consideration for how much a bell pepper weighs is obviously the size. More mass almost always means more weight. However there are some other considerations for a bell pepper’s weight, including:
- Shape of the bell pepper: When peppers are fuller in shape they will weight more. This is due to both more mass and likely more stem, membrane and seeds on the inside of the pepper.
- The color of the bell pepper: Bell peppers change from green to yellow, orange, and then red the longer they are allowed to mature on the plant. Typically orange and red peppers will weigh more than green and yellow peppers as they have grown more in mass and size.
- The cooking nature of the bell pepper: When bell peppers are cooked they lose some of their water and will typically weigh less than raw bell peppers.
Why does the weight of Bell Peppers matter?
Ultimately the weight and mass of a bell peppers determines how many calories are in a bell peppers. If you are using estimates to determine your calorie intake, the weight of a bell pepper can be important. For example, if you just go off the calories of a medium bell pepper at approximate 30 calories, but the bell pepper you use is actually large at 43 calories, then your calorie count will be off.
This might seem like a trivial amount – and in many cases it is. However this can scale up quickly to a material amount of calories – more than most people realize. If you frequently use bell peppers in your recipes and are constantly undervaluing the calories they provide, you might be doing yourself a disservice by estimating too freely.
The weight of any food is the most accurate way to measure it for recipes and calorie counting.
Other Sources of Information
For more information on bell peppers and their nutritional values we recommend this article from Healthline.
Want to weigh your own peppers and other food? Check out our guide to food scales here.