Maybe you are a lover of chilies and eat them a lot. Maybe you are scared of chilies and don’t want to eat them at all. Maybe you try to avoid eating chilies because you believe that they may burn your insides. But you know what? This is absolutely misleading information and there is no need to be afraid of them. Chilies can only benefit you – from inside. Chilies don’t cause you any harm unless they are eaten on a regular basis, every day and in large quantities.
I am a big chili lover and I am strongly convinced that they can only benefit you. In this article, I will share with you a few health benefits you may feel when you incorporate chilies in your meals more often.
1. Great source of vitamin C, E, and K
Just half a cup of chopped or diced chili peppers contains 107.8 mg of vitamin C which is 7 times more than you find in oranges! Consuming chilies just for an intake of vitamin C itself can make a huge difference in your overall health. Vitamin C can reduce the risk of getting the flu or common cold and it truly enhances your body’s natural immune system.
Chilies may also help relieve the symptoms of the common cold. How? They relieve a blocked nose, help with decongestion and also warm you up from inside. Just add a few chili flakes or cayenne pepper to some lukewarm water. You will start to notice immediately your body warming up from inside very pleasantly.
Chilies are also a great source of vitamin E. In just 100 g of chilies you will find 0.69 mg of vitamin E (recommended daily allowance is 15 mg). Vitamin E is necessary for maintaining beautiful youthful skin. Eating chilies, especially in older ages, can really benefit your skin by providing elasticity and adding a glow to your skin.
Just a single cup of chopped chilies contains as much vitamin K as a cup of frozen carrots or iceberg lettuce, which is a lesser known fact about chilies. Vitamin K plays a vital role in bone health and prevents blood clotting. Consuming chilies decreases the chance of osteoporosis and helps maintain strong bones and good bone density.
Chilies may also help lower blood pressure by opening up arteries and allows a better blood circulation. This leads to a decreased chance of stroke, heart attack, and other heart diseases.
2. Help with weight loss
Not only are chilies low in calories but they may also help you lose weight. How? They help to kick-start your body’s metabolism. According to Heidi Allison, the author of ‘The chili pepper diet’ chilies make you lose 10 times as much weight if you add just a single teaspoon of dried or fresh chilies to your meal.
The great thing about chilies is you can add them to almost any dish or even swap them for your favourite vegetables! Of course, only when your spice tolerance is a bit higher.
The main component in chili peppers is a chemical called Capsaicin which increases your metabolic rate several times. That means your body burns more calories and much faster than when not eating chilies!
3. Enhances digestion
Another not-so-well-known fact about chilies is that they are rich in dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is necessary for a smooth digestion. Just a single cup of chopped chilies contains 6 g of dietary fiber which is about 24% of your recommended daily intake.
Consuming chilies helps your body to absorb important nutrients and food better. You are also able to digest even faster than usual. Eating chilies may prevent you from having diarrhea or constipation.
A general misconception about chilies is that they cause bloating because the body feels warmer from inside. The truth is, chilies have an opposite effect on your body. If you suffer from bloating, you might consider adding more chilies to your diet.
4. Improves body fluids circulation
As I have mentioned before, consuming chilies helps speed up blood circulation by opening blood vessels. Did you ever realize what causes that familiar burning sensation after eating a chili? You may also see how your skin gets red and glows.
As a result of dilating blood vessels, it was proved that chilies reduce the risk of strokes. It seems to be a bit contradictory since every doctor would say it is necessary to lower blood perfusion in order to reduce the amount of damage caused by stroke.
The feeling of heat, however, is only an illusion. In fact, your body temperature increases after eating chilies. As a response, the body starts sweating and your body temperature can be decreased down to 32-34 °C! This is why the real heat is absent and chilies can prevent a stroke.
5. Prevent infections
Chilies are a great way to prevent stomach and inner infections. Known for its anti-inflammatory characteristics, chilies also have antibacterial properties.
If you sometimes suffer from stomach inflammation, you might consider cleansing your stomach. I am not necessarily talking about detox, but you can always increase your intake of chilies. Simply sprinkling your meal with a few chili flakes can help make a difference and maintain a balanced level of good bacteria in your stomach.
6. Lower a blood sugar level
Capsaicin, which I mentioned earlier, lowers blood sugar levels. People who suffer from diabetes should increase their intake of chilies because they can help reduce insulin levels in your blood.
Chilies assist in breaking down sugars which can lead to improving your blood sugar level and eventually lose weight! If you struggle with weight loss, you may cook some delicious spicy chili meals more often.
7. Put you in a good mood
Finally, It has been proven that eating chilies not only makes you feel warm inside but also makes you happy! How is it possible? In fact, chilies help your body to release endorphins which are, as you might know, are called ‘hormones of happiness’.
If you sometimes feel down or you are not having a great day, simply add a teaspoon of dried chilies to your dinner and you will notice an instant change in your mood! Remember, it is proved by scientists!
There ya go!
In this article, I mentioned 7 great health benefits for why you should incorporate chilies in your meals. Chilies are not only good for making your meals tastier and spicier but can also improve your health and help prevent some diseases. That’s a very convincing reason to cook a spicy meal tonight, right?!
If you don’t know what to cook, try these delicious tofu kebabs with chili. But be careful, they are very hot!
Whats your favorite chili dish? Share your recipe in comments below!
Klara Walterova
Klara is a professional freelance writer for hire. She offers web content, blog posting, ghostwriting and copywriting. She writes for a healthy lifestyle, wellness and travel websites. She focuses on veganism and the vegan diet. When she's not writing, she develops new tasty vegan recipes, travels the world or plays with her cats. Please contact her for her online writing services on her website writtenbyvegan.com or visit her Instagram profile @writtenbyvegan.