Chili peppers nutrition facts

 

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.

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.

dried chili

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.