Those are just some of the comments I get when I mention that capers are in a recipe! I just can’t understand why people don’t like it because I love snacking on them.
Capers are tiny green pieces of edible flower buds that come from the caper bush (AKA Flinders Rose ). The plant has distinguishable thick leaves and beautiful white flowers. The capers flower buds are harvested in the wild and stored inside glass bottles in a brine solution.
The capers bush (Caparis Spinosa) grows in the wild in the Mediterranean region. This is normally around the continents of Europe, parts of Western Asia, and Africa. It’s famously grown in Italy, where it can even be foraged in the wild.
Capers love a dry climate all year round, so they love Spain and Portugal too. They can tolerate drought conditions, too, so they are a highly sought-after crop.
👩🍳 Storage tip : Keep a jar of capers refrigerated, and they can last for months.
Capers helps promote better liver health.
Capers are one of those rare ingredients that are good for the organs as well as your emotional health. Check out what Capers can do for you.
Packed with polyphenols One of the biggest benefits of capers is that they are packed with polyphenols. What are polyphenols? They are naturally occurring compounds in foods that help prevent cancer. Source: Oxford University Press.
Capers have a huge dose of Quercetin , which is a powerful compound. Quercetin is a part of the flavonoid polyphenols. Quercetin is our ally in the fight against free radicals. We all know that free radicals can damage DNA and weaken and/or kill cells. Capers will help fight these damaging effects! Source: Mount Sinai .
Just consuming 1 Tbsp of capers a day can go a long way to helping get rid of free radicals. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making them invaluable.
💪 Packed with polyphenols: Capers’ biggest benefit is that they are packed with polyphenols that help fight cancer.
Good source of Vitamins Capers are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They provide vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting. Vitamin K helps make the protein called Prothrombin that helps in blood clotting.
Capers have a small amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) ,and Vitamin B3 (Niacin). These vitamins are important for skin and hair health. Iron helps in the formation of red blood cells.
Even though these vitamins and minerals are not in large amounts, they help the body run efficiently.
Source: Harvard.edu and Natural Medicines .
🥬 Source of vitamins : Even though capers have small amounts of vitamins and minerals, they pack quite a nutritional punch.
Capers are packed with polyphenols, which help fight cancer.
Has with Calcium and Iron Did you know that just 1 Tbsp of capers have about 3.4mg of calcium? Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. I bet you will be consuming more capers from now on!
Capers also have trace amounts of iron in them. One tablespoon has about 0.15g of iron in it. That may not be much, but every little bit helps. Consume it with vitamin C rich foods like this berry Greek yogurt bowl to help maximize absorption.
Source: USDA.gov (change the portion amount to 1 Tbsp)
High in fiber, low in calories Get your fiber in without getting in too many calories. 1 tablespoon has about 0.3g of fiber and about 2 calories.
So, go ahead and add 2-3 Tbsp of capers on your salads or in pastas! You are getting nothing but the good stuff in it.
Source: University of Rochester .
🦴 Capers & Minerals: Capers have calcium, iron, and fiber. They are also a very LOW calorie food.
Capers can be put into so many recipes, and it would add so much flavor to it.
Lowers blood sugars A randomized, double-blind placebo study by PubMed shows that capers have a component that can help lower blood sugars.
There is more research needed as to why exactly capers help lower blood sugar, but the fact is that capers are great for type 2 diabetes. Please consult with your doctor if you are taking diabetes medicine.
Improves liver health In yet another 12-week PubMed study , it is shown that capers can help reduce Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL). The participants in this study noticed significant weight loss and BMIs.
Anything bitter in taste will always help with liver health. So, things like dandelion, milk thistle, and arugula will go a long way in the bettering of your liver.
Source: The Chopra Center and PubMed studies mentioned above.
Other benefits of capers Anti-inflammatory properties Good for bone health 😋 Incorporating it : Now that you know the benefits of capers, start incorporating it into your diet. Start with just 1-2 capers a day. Work your way to 2-3 Tbsp.
In a nutshell, here are the benefits of capers:
Packed with polyphenols Good source of vitamins Has calcium and iron High in fiber, low in calories Lowers blood sugars Improves liver health If you are the person who hates the taste of capers, try with just 1 or 2 capers a day. Then, work your way to 2-3 Tbsp a day. Your body will thank you.
What do the words “nonpareille” on caper bottles mean? Translated from French, nonpareille (nonpareil) means having no equal or “non-parallel”. On caper bottles, this means that they are the smallest size of capers. There is no other equal in size. So, when you purchase nonpareille capers, you are buying capers that are about 7mm in size.
What’s the difference between capers and caper berries? Caperberries are larger and sometimes have the stem still attached. They look more like green olives and not like capers. Nutrition-wise, they have the same profile. Caper berries are a little saltier, but the taste difference is negligible. Small capers are what you commonly see in grocery stores.
Where can I buy capers? Capers can be bought from your local grocery store or big box stores. Where possible, get the organic wild capers. I have seen them on (Affiliate Link) Amazon, too .
Can capers be grown at home? Capers will not survive in areas where the temp is below 18°F (-7°C). So, if you live in areas with winters, this crop will not grow there. When you have mature buds, it’s ready to harvest. For more information on growing them, check out this guide by Gardner’s Path .
How do I store capers? “To store them, I simply keep them in the jar they come in. If they are unopened, I store them in the pantry, which is cool and dark. If they are opened, I keep them in the refrigerator, ensuring they are fully covered with their brine.” – Gen La Rocca, Chef and Owner of Two Cloves Kitchen
What does capers taste like? Capers have a very distinct tangy and salty taste with a rough texture. They are also very juicy inside because they are stored in brine. Their tartness and intense flavor makes them perfect for salad dressings, compound butter, risotto, remoulade, pesto, hummus, aioli, and so much more.
Capucines Capotes Caper berries Grusas Capers are not just good as a garnish or in Martinis! They can be put in a variety of dishes, so don’t be afraid to try them. These recipes make them more than just a recipe ingredient.
1. Chermoula sauce
Chermoula sauce can be used for marinating or as a noodle sauce
Chermoula sauce is a sauce that is made with different types of fresh herbs. Capers add a delicious flavor to the finer taste of herbs. This sauce is great for pastas and noodles or as a marinade. Put this sauce into dips or Pasta puttanesca.
2. Mushroom salad
I prefer making a warm mushroom salad because I am not a fan of raw mushrooms.
Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrition. However, they are very bland, and that’s what makes it fun to find amazing ways to flavor them. I have put them in sandwiches, pastas, and hash sweet potatoes .
But my favorite is to lightly cook mushrooms and top it with capers! You won’t regret this mushroom recipe!
3. Mediterranean lentil salad
Mediterranean Lentil Salad
This lentil salad takes just 11 minutes to make because it’s made in the Instant Pot. Once it’s ready, I top it with capers and enjoy this protein-packed meal.
I made this in my Instant Pot, but you can easily make it in a pan.
Capers made lentils taste so good!
4. Grilled veggies pasta
With the delicious sauce and variety of ingredients, this recipe is a superstar among vegetarian pasta dishes!
Freshly grilled veggies are perfect for pasta. The sauce is made with herbs and extra butter ! But, what puts this pasta dinner over the edge are the 2 Tbsp of capers! It makes this gluten-free pasta taste awesome!
Capers also mix well with grilled veggies.
5. Mushroom bruschetta
No bruschetta recipe is complete without tomatoes and capers! This recipe is extra special because it also has mushrooms. The recipe is a perfect Sunday brunch recipe.
You can also put this bruschetta on a bagel! They taste so good together.
So, feel free to put extra capers in this recipe! It brings out the best flavors.
Don’t be shy; chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on the benefits of capers. Share it on Facebook , Pinterest , Twitter , and Instagram .
Version 1
From time to time, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images, and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover.
This time, I did minor updates in the text and added a little more information to the post. As I do more research on capers, I would like to add more of what I have learned about them.
See the original version here .
