chili peppers add set to
flavorful dishes around the world and health to those brave enough to risk
their fiery heat. Red chilies contain large amount of vitamin C and small
amounts of carotene (Provitamin A) yellow and especially green chilies (which are
essentially unripe fruit) contain a considerably lower amount of both
substances. In addition, peppers are good source of most B vitamins, and
Vitamin B6 in particular. They are very high in potassium, magnesium and iron.
Their very high vitamin C content can also substantially
increase the uptake of non-heme iron from other ingredients, such as beans and
grains.
Health Benefits
Fight Inflammation
Chili peppers contain a substance
called capsaicin , which gives peppers their characteristic pungence,
producing mild to intense spice when eaten. Capsaicin is a potent inhibitor of
substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes. The hotter
the chili pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. The hottest varieties include
habanero and Scotch bonnet peppers. Jalapenos are next in their heat and
capsaicin content, followed by the milder varieties, including Spanish
pimentos, and Anaheim and Hungarian cherry peppers.
Capsaicin is being studied as an
effective treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders, including pain
associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy. When animals
injected with a substance that causes inflammatory arthritis were fed a diet
that contained capsaicin, they had delayed onset of arthritis, and also
significantly reduced paw inflammation.
Natural Pain Relief
Topical capsaicin is now a
recognized treatment option for osteoarthritis pain. Several review studies of
pain management for diabetic neuropathy have listed the benefits of topical
capsaicin to alleviate disabling pain associated with this condition.
In a double-blind placebo
controlled trial, nearly 200 patients with psoriasis were given topical preparations
containing either capsaicin or placebo. Patients who were given capsaicin
reported significant improvement based on a severity score which traced
symptoms associated with psoriasis. The side effect reported with topical
capsaicin cream is a burning sensation at the area of application.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Red chili peppers, such as
cayenne, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and
platelet aggregation, while increasing the body's ability to dissolve fibrin, a
substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot pepper
is used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary
embolism.
Spicing your meals with chili
peppers may also protect the fats in your blood from damage by free radicals -
a first step in the development of atherosclerosis. In a randomized, crossover
study involving 27 healthy subjects (14 women, 13 men), eating freshly chopped
chili was found to increase the resistance of blood fats, such as cholesterol
and triglycerides, to oxidation (free radical injury).
Subjects were randomly divided
into 2 groups. For 4 weeks, half the subjects ate a freshly chopped chili blend
(30 grams/day, about 1 ounce), consisting of 55% cayenne, while the other half
consumed a bland diet (no chili). After 4 weeks, the groups were crossed over
for another 4 weeks. During the intervention periods, consumption of other
spices such as cinnamon, ginger, garlic, and mustard was restricted. Blood
samples were obtained at the beginning of the study and after each dietary
period.
After eating the chili-containing
diet, the rate of oxidation (free radical damage to cholesterol and
triglycerides) was significantly lower in both men and women than that seen
after eating the bland diet.
In addition, after eating the
chili-spiced diet, women had a longer lag time before any damage to cholesterol
was seen compared to the lag time seen after eating the bland diet. In men, the
chili-diet also lowered resting heart rate and increased the amount of blood reaching
the heart.
Clear Congestion
Capsaicin not only reduces pain,
but its peppery heat also stimulates secretions that help clear mucus from your
stuffed up nose or congested lungs.
Boost Immunity
Chili peppers' bright red color
signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Just two teaspoons
of red chili peppers provide about 6% of the daily value for vitamin C coupled
with more than 10% of the daily value for vitamin A. Often called the
anti-infection vitamin, vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes,
which line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and
serve as the body's first line of defense against invading pathogens.
Help Stop the Spread of Prostate
Cancer
Red chili peppers' capsaicin, the
compound responsible for their pungent heat, stops the spread of prostate
cancer cells through a variety of mechanisms, indicates a study published in
the March 15, 2006 issue of Cancer Research . Capsaicin triggers suicide
in primary types of prostate cancer cell lines, those whose growth is
stimulated by male hormones and those not affected by them. In addition,
capsaicin lessens the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), inhibits
the ability of the most potent form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, to
activate PSA, and directly inhibits PSA transcription, causing PSA levels to
plummet.
The dose effective for test
animals was equivalent to 400 milligrams of capsaicin, three times a week, for
a man weighing about 200 pounds. After four weeks of receiving capsaicin,
prostate cancer tumor growth and size decreased significantly in the animals.
One warning: Excessive intake of hot chilies has been linked to stomach cancer,
so don't go overboard.
Prevent Stomach Ulcers
Chili peppers have a bad--and
mistaken--reputation for contributing to stomach ulcers. Not only do they not
cause ulcers, they can help prevent them by killing bacteria you may have
ingested, while stimulating the cells lining the stomach to secrete protective
buffering juices.
Lose Weight
All that heat you feel after
eating hot chili peppers takes energy--and calories to produce. Even sweet red
peppers have been found to contain substances that significantly increase
thermogenesis (heat production) and oxygen consumption for more than 20 minutes
after they are eaten.
Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Making chili pepper a frequently
enjoyed spice in your Healthiest Way of Eating could help reduce your risk of
hyperinsulinemia (high blood levels of insulin)—a disorder associated with type
2 diabetes.
In a study published in the July
2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , Australian
researchers show that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after
a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper. When chili-containing
meals are a regular part of the diet, insulin requirements drop even lower.
Plus, chili's beneficial effects
on insulin needs get even better as body mass index (BMI, a measure of obesity)
increases. In overweight people, not only do chili-containing meals
significantly lower the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar levels
after a meal, but chili-containing meals also result in a lower ratio of
C-peptide/ insulin, an indication that the rate at which the liver is clearing
insulin has increased.
The amount of C-peptide in the
blood also shows how much insulin is being produced by the pancreas. The
pancreas produces proinsulin, which splits into insulin and C-peptide when
secreted into the bloodstream. Each molecule of proinsulin breaks into one
molecule of C-peptide and one molecule of insulin, so less C-peptide means less
insulin has been secreted into the bloodstream.
In this study, which involved 36
subjects aged 22-70 years, the effects of three interventions were evaluated.
Subjects were given a bland meal after a bland diet containing no spices, a
chili-containing meal after a bland diet, and finally, a chili-containing meal
after a chili-containing diet. A palatable chili flavoring, not pure capsaicin
(the active component in chili), was used.
Blood sugar raised similarly after
all three interventions, but insulin rose the most after the bland meal after a
bland diet and the least after the chili-containing meal after a chili-rich
diet.
The maximum increases in insulin
after the bland diet followed by a chili-containing meal were 15% lower than
after the bland meal following a bland diet, and 24% lower after the
chili-containing meal after a chili-rich diet compared to the chili-containing
meal after the bland diet.
C-peptide blood levels also
increased the most after the bland meal after a bland diet and the least after
the chili-containing meal after a chili-rich diet, showing the least insulin
was secreted after the chili-rich diet and meal.
In addition, the C-peptide/insulin
ratio was highest after the chili-containing meal after a chili-rich diet,
indicating an increase in the liver's ability to clear insulin.
Besides capsaicin, chilies contain
antioxidants, including vitamin C and carotenoids, which might also help
improve insulin regulation.
A little chili pepper can really
perk up an omelet, add heat to a black bean/sweet potato soup, or transform an
ordinary salad dressing. So, spice up your meals with chili peppers. Your body
will need to make less insulin and will use it more effectively. No need to go
overboard though. Population studies in India and Mexico suggest that loading
up on hot chilies at every meal may be linked to increased risk of stomach
cancer.
Description
This is the plant that puts fire
on your tongue and maybe even a tear in your eye when you eat spicy Mexican,
simmering Szechuan, smoldering Indian, or torrid Thai food. Chili peppers
belong to the family of foods bearing the Latin name Capsicum .
There are hundreds of different types
of chili peppers that vary in size, shape, color, flavor and
"hotness." This fleshy berry features many seeds inside a potent
package that can range from less than one inch to six inches in length, and
approximately one-half to one inch in diameter. Chili peppers are usually red
or green in color.
Cayenne, habanero, chipotle,
jalapeno, anaheim and ancho are just some of the popular varieties available.
Ground chili peppers are used to make chili powder, cayenne powder and paprika.
Chili peppers are used as a food and seasoning and revered for their medicinal
qualities.
NUTRIENTS
IN CHILI PEPPER
2.00
TSP (1.54) GRAMS
|
Nutrient % Daily Value
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Vitamin A 8.1%
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Calories (5) %
|
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