Indian cuisine has always been my favorite because of their ability to make any food they prepare tastier by the use of the spices. Being born and brought up in a coastal town, where people prefer eating spiced and hot food (food with chili) it came almost natural for me to prefer foods made with spices and some chili, it tastes better.

My mother is not an exception in eating spiced food especially prepared with some little chili in it, with her it is more serious because without chili pepper she would not even touch her food, so chili is one spice you will not miss in my house.

As much as my mother and I eat chili in our foods, we do it in moderation since too much of something is poisonous – and like anything else chilies have both good and bad effects.

Chilies have been used for over a thousand years, and in each culture there is a belief about them. For example in the Indian culture it believed that chilies drive away the evil spirits!

That is why some Indians have chilies in their cars and offices! Talk of beliefs. They can also be found in different types, there are red chilies, green chilies, and yellow chilies.

All types of chilies peppers contain phytochemicals known collectively as capsaicinoids which is a safe and effective analgesic agent in the management of arthritis pain, herpes zoster-related pain, diabetic neuropathy, post-mastectomy pain, and headaches.

Red chilies contain high amounts of vitamin C and carotene (provitamin A). Yellow and especially green chilies (which are essentially unripe fruit) contain a considerably lower amount of both substances.

In addition, peppers are a good source of most B vitamins, and vitamin B6 in particular. They are very high in potassium and high in magnesium and iron.

Their high vitamin C content can also substantially increase the uptake of non-hemi iron from other ingredients in a meal, such as beans and grains.

As much as most people fear chili pepper it has its advantages too I did a little a bit of research here and there and these are the advantages of chili pepper that I found out;

• Capsaicin was shown, in laboratory settings, to cause cancer cell death in rats
• Capsaicin in chilies has been found to inhibit chemically induced carcinogenesis and mutagenesis in various animal models and cell culture systems
• Recent research in mice shows that chili (capsaicin in particular) may offer some hope of weight loss for people suffering from obesity.
• Researchers used capsaicin from chilies to kill nerve cells in the pancreases of mice with Type 1 diabetes, thus allowing the insulin producing cells to start producing insulin again.
• Research in humans found that "after adding chili to the diet, the LDL, or bad cholesterol, actually resisted oxidation for a longer period of time, [delaying] the development of a major risk for cardiovascular disease”.
• Researchers found that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper.
• Chili peppers are being probed as a treatment for alleviating chronic pain.
• Spices, including chili, are theorized to control the microbial contamination levels of food in countries with minimal or no refrigeration.
• Several studies found that capsaicin could have an anti-ulcer protective effect on stomachs infected with H. pylori by affecting the chemicals the stomach secretes in response to infection.
• By combining an anesthetic with capsaicin, researchers can block pain in rat paws without causing temporary paralysis. This anesthetic may one day allow patients to be conscious during surgery and may also lead to the development of more effective chronic pain treatments.

The disadvantages of eating lots of chili pepper are;

• A high consumption of chili may be associated with stomach cancer.
• Chili powders may sometimes be adulterated with Sudan I, II, III, IV, Para-Red, and other illegal carcinogenic dyes.
• Aflaxotin and N-nitrous compounds, which are carcinogenic, are frequently found in chili powder.
• Chronic ingestion of chili products may induce gastro esophageal reflux (GERD).
• Chili may increase the number of daily bowel movements and lower pain thresholds for people with irritable bowel syndrome.
• Chilies should never be swallowed whole; there are cases where un-chewed chilies have caused bowel obstruction and perforation.
• Consumption of red chilies should be avoided after anal fissure surgery to aid the healing process.

Add just a little of chili pepper and feel the special hot taste in your food.

Ends