Chilies have got flak as a spice that is detrimental to human health. In spite of that, many tropical dishes make liberal use of this spice as they swear by the various health benefits of this miraculous spice! Read on to find out more. Since time immemorial, people in tropics have made widespread use of chilies in their cooking. Many Indian, Mexican, and Thai dishes make use of chilies generously. Chilies were first introduced in India in 1498 and since then, they have been used in Ayurvedic medicines and as a tonic to protect against various diseases. Chilies are rich in vitamin A, B, C, and E and contain various trace elements such as folate, copper, manganese, molybdenum, thiamin, and potassium. Their vitamin C content is 7 times higher than that of oranges! It has been proven that chilies have the following health benefits:
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Chilies protect lung disease by providing relief from nasal congestion by raising metabolism. They also open the airway of the lungs, thereby reducing asthma and wheezing. They help reduce chronic congestion in heavy drinkers. Vitamin A found in chilies provides relief from inflammation of lungs and emphysema resulting from smoking.
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Chilies contain Vitamin B6 and folic acid. These B vitamins lower high homocysteine levels that have been shown to be the cause of damaged blood vessels and are linked to higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.
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Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid present in chilies lower the risk of colon cancer. Chilies, like red pepper, contain carotenoid lycopene that protects against cancer.
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Chilies infuse fresh blood to an infected area to fight infection. The white blood cells and leukocytes present in the fresh blood can combat infection.
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Chilies promote the secretion of our body’s natural painkillers – endorphins. They provide relief from the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, muscle spasm, shingles, and bursitis. Chilies also relieve pain caused by arthritis.
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Chilies are detoxifiers since they clear waste products from the body and provide higher supply of nutrients to the tissues. They also function as gastrointestinal detoxifiers, stimulating digestion of food.
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Chilies contain vitamin C and Vitamin A (beta-carotenoids), both powerful antioxidants. Chilies protect your body against damage caused by free radicals that can cause diabetes, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, heart diseases, cataract, and osteoarthritis. -
Good news for overweight people – if you want to lose excess weight, eat chilies. They burn calories quickly, increase the appetite, and improve the functioning of digestive system. Do you know any other benefits of chilies? Have you tried using chilies for medical purposes? How do you manage to incorporate chilies in your meals in innovative ways?
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