Do you know what ingredients in chilly makes your mouth feel like it's on fire? They are capsaicin, capsanthin and capsorubin, the active ingredients in chili peppers. About 80 percent of the capsaicin is in its ribs and seeds of pepper. That’s why these items should be taken out.
So, today we are going to speak about chili peppers and their benefits. Ghost pepper is one of them. In 2007 ghost pepper also known as bhut jolokia, bih jolokia, naga jolokia, ghost chili pepper, red naga chilli or ghost chilli was certified as the hottest pepper in the world. This hybrid chili pepper is cultivated in the Indian states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. This country is the world’s largest producer and consumer of chili peppers. Ghost pepper is unique among other chili peppers due to its thin skin and characteristic shape. Its red fruit may be of such types: rough, dented and the smooth.
Another chili pepper, not as hot as a ghost pepper is called cayenne pepper. It is also known as a Guinea spice, cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper and red pepper. It is cultivated mostly in subtropical and tropical regions, but it’s also possible to grow cayenne chili as annual in temperature climates. It is also used in cooking as a spice and as a medical remedy.
Chili peppers are rich in vitamins and minerals and have a list of health benefits and useful properties:
- anti- bacterial;
- anti-carcinogenic;
- analgesic;
- anti-diabetic;
- antioxidant;
- chili is good for your Heart;
- it boosts weight loss;
- it reduces LDL cholesterol levels;
- it helps to fight cancer;
- it provides pain relief;
- it acts as anti- inflammatory agent;
- source of vitamin A, and flavonoids like ß-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, zea-xanthin, and cryptoxanthin;
- sourse of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium;
- rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1).
So if you like the strong and hot taste of this extremely healthy plant, don’t avoid adding it to your every day salads or sauces. But always keep in mind the fact that some people are sensitive to active ingredients in hot peppers. Use it in small doses and sometimes it’s even better to put on rubber gloves when handling chili.