Top 18 Health Benefits of Chilli (Botanical Name: Capsicum Annum)

18 wonder benefits of chilli peppers

Chilli is considered one of the best spices used in the Kitchen. Chillies are used in cooking, pickles and chutney. Red chillies are used as dried and powdered in vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Due to its universal use,  it is known as “the Queen of Spices”.

1. Appetizer: The paste of chillies, salt and turmeric is used to make as like as pickles. If one takes a small amount of it, it acts like an appetiser.
2. Diarrhoea: For a person suffering from diarrhoea, tablets made with the combinations of chillies, camphor, cumin seeds and asafoetida may be given in a dose of 125 grams to cure these diseases.
3. Pain and Sprain: Applying a mix of red chillies medicated with castor oil helps ease pain and sprain.
4. Numbness:  Feeling lack of sensation in legs, mustard oil medicated with red chillies may be applied to cure numbness.
5. Heart Attack: The University of Cincinnati has researched that chilli, due to the presence of capsaicin, lowers blood pressure and reduces the level of cholesterol. It also prevents arteriolosclerosis.
6. Diabetes: A new Canadian research has shown that eating chilli pepper prevents diabetes due to the capsaicin component.
7. Capsaicin: The alkaloid compound capsaicin acts as anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic.
8. Vitamin C: Fresh red and green chilli are rich in vitamin C, which helps protect from scurvy, develop the immune system and work against free radicals.
9. Antioxidants: Chilli pepper contains antioxidants such as vitamin A, flavonoids, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin.  All these antioxidants help to fight against free radicals, thereby saving the body from many diseases. Vitamin A is suitable for healthy mucous membranes.
10. Minerals: Chille has varied minerals-potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, etc. Potassium is good for heart rate and blood pressure.
11. Vitamins: Chilli contains vitamins like niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamine.
12. Medicinal Uses: Due to the presence of Capsaicin compounds, chilli pepper is used in the preparation of ointment and in formulation to be used in arthritic pain and sore muscles.
13. Sound Sleep: Eating a chilli per day is helpful to stay asleep longer.
14. Fight Inflammation: A recent study has shown that a diet containing hot chillies reduces the risk of cancer. As per many clinical studies, it has been demonstrated that natural capsaicin slows down the growth of leukaemia cells and helps to prevent prostate cancer.
15. Fight Migraine: Researchers have proved that chilli can combat headaches, migraines and sinusitis owing to capsaicin controlling neuropeptide substance P, which is the precursor of migraine.
16. Sinus Prevention: Capsaicin heat helps clear mucous from the nasal passage and fights sinuses.
17. Lose Weight: Capsaicin is thermogenic, which helps to activate the metabolism adipose layer of the body, thereby helping to melt fat to a certain extent.
18. Side effects: Chilli has side effects. Someone with acidity, hyper-acidity, ulcer and stomach burning problems shouldn’t use chillies.