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| Wild Chilli |
Chili peppers, despite their fiery “hotness”
are one of very popular spices known for medicinal and health benefiting
properties. The chili is actually a fruit pod from the plant belonging to the
nightshade family of Solanaceae, within the genus; capsicum. Scientific name:
Capsicum annum. Some common members of nightshade family are tomato, aubergine,
potato, etc.
Dry
chili peppers with seeds green chili peppers Dry chilli peppers with seeds. Raw green chilies in a capsicum annum plant.
Several cultivars of peppers are grown all
around the world. The chili plant is native to Central American region where it
was used as the chief spice ingredients in Mexican cuisine for centuries. It
was introduced to the rest of the world by Spanish and Portuguese explorers
during 16th and 17th centuries and now grown widely in many parts of the world
as an important commercial crop.
Chili plant is a perennial small shrub with
woody stem growing up to a meter height and bears white colored flowers. The
pods are very variable in size, shape, color, and pungency. Depending on the
cultivar type, they range from the mild, fleshy, Mexican bell peppers to the
tiny, fiery, finger-like chili peppers, commonly grown in Indian subcontinent.
The hotness of chili is measured in “Scoville heat units” (SHU). On the
Scoville scale, a sweet bell pepper scores 0, a jalapeño pepper around
2,500-4,000 units, and a Mexican habañeros have 200,000 to 500,000 units.
Interiorly, each fruit features numerous
tiny, white, or cream colored, circular and flat seeds. The seeds are actually
clinging around the central white-placenta.
To harvest, chilies can be picked up while
they are green or when they reach complete maturity and dried in the plant.
Usually, the fruits are picked up by hand when they are matured and turned red.
They are then left to dry, which causes them to shrivel. Chilies have a strong
spicy taste that comes to them from the active alkaloid compounds: capsaicin,
capsanthin and capsorubin.
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| fresh chili fruit |
Health benefits of chili peppers
Chili pepper contains an impressive list of
plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing and
health promoting properties.
Chilies contain health benefiting an alkaloid
compound in them, capsaicin, which gives strong spicy pungent character. Early
laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has
anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. It
also found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals.
Fresh chili peppers, red and green, are rich
source of vitamin-C. 100 g fresh chilies provide about 143.7 µg or about 240%
of RDA. Vitamin C is a potent water-soluble antioxidant. It is required for the
collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the
body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and
bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body protect
from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and
scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
They are also good in other antioxidants like
vitamin A, and flavonoids like ß-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, zea-xanthin, and
cryptoxanthin. These antioxidant substances in capsicum help to protect the
body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress, diseases
conditions.
Chilies contain a good amount of minerals
like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important
component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood
pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant
enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
Chilies are also good in B-complex group of
vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin
(vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires
them from external sources to replenish.
Chili peppers have amazingly high levels of
vitamins and minerals. Just 100 g provides (in % of recommended daily
allowance):
240% of vitamin-C (Ascorbic acid),
39% of vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine),
32% of vitamin A,
13% of iron,
14% of copper,
7% of potassium,
but no cholesterol.
See
the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:
Chili peppers (Capsicum annum), raw, Nutrient
value per 100 g
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle Nutrient
Value Percentage of RDA
Energy 40
Kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 8.81
g 7%
Protein 1.87
g 3%
Total Fat 0.44
g 2%
Cholesterol 0
mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 1.5
g 3%
Vitamins
Folates 23
µg 6%
Niacin 1.244
mg 8%
Pantothenic acid 0.201 mg 4%
Pyridoxine 0.506
mg 39%
Riboflavin 0.086
mg 6.5%
Thiamin 0.72
mg 6%
Vitamin A 952
IU 32%
Vitamin C 143.7
mg 240%
Vitamin E 0.69
mg 4.5%
Vitamin K 14
µg 11.5%
Electrolytes
Sodium 9
mg 0.5%
Potassium 322
mg 7%
Minerals
Calcium 14
mg 1.5 %
Copper 0.129
mg 14%
Iron 1.03
mg 13%
Magnesium 23
mg 6%
Manganese 0.187
mg 8%
Phosphorus 43
mg 6%
Selenium 0.5
µg 1%
Zinc 0.26
mg 2%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß 534
µg --
Carotene-α 36
µg --
Cryptoxanthin-ß 40 µg --
Lutein-zeaxanthin 709 µg --
Selection
and storage
dried red chili pepers chili powder
Sun-dried red chili peppers./Red chili pwder.
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| dried chili |
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| chili powder |
Chili peppers are available year around in
the markets either in the fresh, dried or powdered form. In the store, buy
fresh chili peppers instead of powder since, oftentimes it may contain
adulterated spicy mixtures.
Look for raw, fresh chilies featuring
brilliant color (green, yellow, orange, red depending on the variety), with
healthy stalk, wholesome and compact. Avoid those with spots or those spoiled
tips and inflicted by molds.
Once at home, should be stored in the
refrigerator in a plastic bag where they will stay fresh for about a week.
Completely dried red chilies are also available in the markets. Dry chilies can
be stored at room temperature in a cool, dark place, inside airtight containers
for many months; and can be milled to powder using mixer/grinder as and when
required. If you want to buy dry chili powder instead, go for the authentic and
branded products. Powdered chili pepper should be stored in cool place in
airtight containers.
Medicinal
uses
Chili peppers contain chemical compound
capsaicin. Capsaicin and its co-compounds used in the preparation of ointments,
rubs and tinctures for their astringent, counter-irritant and analgesic
properties.
These formulations have been in use in the
treatment of arthritic pain, post-herpetic neuropathic pain, sore muscles, etc.
Scientific studies on experimental mammals
suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and
anti-diabetic properties. It also found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in
obese persons. (Medical-disclaimer).
Culinary
uses
Raw, fresh chilies should be washed in clean
water before used in cooking in order to remove any residual fungicides, sand
and soil. Chilies either fresh or powder form, can cause severe burning
sensation to hands and may cause severe irritation to nasal passages, eyes and
throat. Therefore, it may be advised in some sensitive individuals to use thin
hand gloves and face masks while handling chilies.
Here
are some serving tips:
chili-sauce
Red chili sauce.
Fresh
raw bell peppers and other sweet, mild
variety peppers are being used as vegetables in cuisines in many parts of the
world.
Chopped peppers are being used in the
preparation of chili sauce, pizzas, rolls, and in variety of dishes using fish,
meat and chicken in many Central American and European regions.
Dried chili powder is an important ingredient
in the spice mix known as curry powder in many Asian countries.
Hot chilies used as a condiment in the
preparation of soups, chili sauce, spicy water, vinegar-spice mix, etc.
Chilies, soaked in yogurt and then dried
under sunlight, are used as side-dish during dinner in south Indian states.
Safety
profile
Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which gives
strong spicy pungent character which when eaten causes severe irritation and
hot sensation to mouth, tongue and throat.
Capsaicin in chilies initially elicit
inflammation when it comes in contact with the delicate mucus membranes of oral
cavity, throat and stomach, and soon produces severe burning sensation that is
perceived as ‘hot’ through free nerve endings in the mucosa. Eating cold yogurt
helps reduce the burning pain by diluting capsaicin concentration and preventing
its contact with stomach walls.
Avoid touching eyes with chili-contaminated
fingers. Rinse eyes thoroughly in cold water to reduce irritation.
Chilies may aggravate existing
gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) condition.
Certain chemical compounds like aflatoxin
(fungal mold), found in spoiled chilies have been known to cause stomach, liver
and colon cancers.
