No less useful than sweet pepper, its hot relative (another famous name is chili). It is not only a spicy seasoning, but also a good stimulant for the immune system. Consider the positive and negative sides of red pepper for the human body.
Calorie content and chemical composition
100 g of hot pepper contains only 40 kcal, which are:
- proteins - 1.9 g;
- fats - 1.2 g;
- carbohydrates - 5.5 g;
- dietary fiber - 1.4 g;
- water - 90 g.
Due to the rich chemical composition of chili, its regular use allows you to quickly fill up the deficiency of minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the human body:
- the whole group of vitamins B;
- carotene;
- antioxidants;
- folic acid;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- iron;
- capsorubin;
- choline;
- capsaicin.
Did you know? Pepper extract is added to solutions to repel pests from fruit crops. Capsaicin, isolated from this vegetable, is used in the manufacture of pesticides, which allow not only to eliminate rodents and other pests, but also to fight weeds. In addition, capsaicin is used as a growth regulator in some cultures.
Red Pepper Properties
Like any product, chili has its positive and negative sides. It is considered especially useful for men and women suffering from dysfunction of the genitourinary system. This vegetable is an effective diuretic and blood-forming agent. However, in some cases, its use is completely contraindicated.
Benefit
- Consider the usefulness of red pepper for the human body:
- speeds up the metabolism;
- positively affects the functioning of the nervous system;
- increases the efficiency of the endocrine system;
- is a natural antidepressant;
- helps to eliminate toxins and toxins;
- strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
- lowers blood pressure;
- helps restore normal blood sugar levels;
- boosts immunity.
If this product is abused, its beneficial properties can be converted into negative ones, even for an absolutely healthy person.
Did you know? In addition to cocoa beans, pre-Columbian Indians added various spices to natural chocolate, including hot pepper. When Cortes brought chocolate to Spain, the conquistadors eventually replaced vanilla peppers in the recipe.
Harm and contraindications
- Contraindications to the use of hot pepper:
- gastric ulcer;
- individual intolerance;
- hemorrhoids;
- cholecystitis;
- pancreatitis
- heart and kidney failure;
- lesions of the skin of any nature (when using pepper powder externally);
- pregnancy;
- lactation period;
- children under 12 years old.
- Possible harm:
- frequent use of chili as a warming agent can cause dermatoses or even skin cancer;
- the constant use of spicy foods leads to the development of gastritis and ulcers;
- the ingress of juice or essential pepper oil on the mucous membranes causes burns.
How to use
They use chili for food, adding it to salads, in the first and second courses in fresh or processed form. The daily intake of pepper is no more than 2 g.
Where and how is red pepper used?
The use of this vegetable is not limited to cooking alone. It serves as an ingredient in the manufacture of medicines both in modern medicine and in folk medicine. The healing properties of chili are widely used in cosmetology, as well as in the fight against serious forms of obesity.
For medicinal purposes
Hot pepper extract is used in traditional medicine for the production of essential oils, warming preparations for the treatment of arthritis, radiculitis, and drugs with an immunomodulating effect. An extract from this product is also used in the manufacture of drugs with anesthetic effect for cancer patients.
Important! Before using masks and creams made independently with the addition of hot pepper, be sure to conduct a test for an allergic reaction. To do this, apply 2–5 drops of the mixture on your wrist. Evaluate the result after 20 minutes. If there is no redness and itching, the remedy can be used. And with the appearance of severe itching, swelling, hyperemia, it is better to abandon funds with such a composition.
In folk medicine, chili is used in the treatment of viral diseases as an expectorant, diaphoretic, antipyretic. To prepare the remedy, red pepper must be mixed with honey in a 1: 1 ratio and drunk 3 times a day for 1 teaspoon, washed down with a sufficient amount of water. Pepper powder is also added to rubbing alcohol and warming compresses.
In cosmetology
Most often, in cosmetology, tincture or hot pepper oil is used. It is added to creams, ointments to strengthen the skin and accelerate the regeneration process. Pepper extract is also part of shampoos to stimulate hair growth.
Once on the skin, this extract opens the pores, which eliminates exfoliated keratinized cells that impede the normal development of hair follicles. In perfumery, pepper notes interestingly harmonize with the sweet notes in many compositions of perfumes and eau de toilette.
Among folk remedies for preserving beauty and youth, you can offer the following mask:
- mix egg white with 0.5 teaspoon red pepper;
- add 50 ml of kefir and 20 mg of cinnamon;
- mix everything thoroughly and apply a thin layer on the face.
To strengthen and stimulate hair growth, you can take a regular shampoo, which is used constantly, pour the required amount into the palm of your hand and add 10-20 drops of pepper oil to it. Soaping the head, you need to carefully massage each part of the head. The whole procedure should take 5-7 minutes. Then the foam should be washed off with plenty of water, rinse the hair again with shampoo, as usual, and rinse with hair conditioner.
Important! When buying ground chili, look at the size of the particles of pepper. Fresh quality vegetables are difficult to chop, so the seasoning should be coarse.
For weight loss
In the fight against obesity, chilli is taken orally in any form, and is also used for anti-cellulite wraps. In the menu it must be entered gradually and in moderation. It is important to consider that capsaicin not only stimulates the acceleration of metabolism, but also increases appetite, which can reduce all difficulties to nothing. To carry out wraps in order to get rid of extra centimeters, you can use a cream purchased in the store containing pepper extract, or make it yourself.
Ingredients:
- 100 ml of liquid honey;
- 1 teaspoon of pepper oil.
In cooking
In cooking, chili is used in a wide variety of areas:
- making sauces (e.g. Tabasco) and adjika;
- meat and vegetarian dishes;
- as a seasoning for side dishes of cereals and vegetables.
Red hot pepper goes well with various spices:
- coriander;
- cinnamon
- fennel;
- turmeric;
- vanilla.
Selection and storage conditions of red pepper
Basic rules for choosing fresh chili:
- Evaluate the external data of the vegetable - its surface should be smooth, shiny, bright red (the brighter the color, the more vitamins the pepper contains).
- Evaluate the quality by touch - the fetus must be resilient.
When choosing dried ground pepper, also pay attention to color. High-quality seasoning has a uniform dark red color. Orange blotches indicate the presence of bacteria that settled in the seasoning during drying. When buying dried chili pods, you need to carefully examine the surface of the product. If there are small cracks, it is better to refuse to buy - such pepper has lost its useful qualities.
Fresh chili should be stored in the refrigerator. It must first be washed, dried with paper towels and folded in a plastic bag. In order to avoid moldiness as a result of accumulation of condensate, holes must be made in the bag. In this form, the product retains its quality for 1-2 weeks. Dried and ground pepper can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 2 years.
To make such a preparation, fresh fruits also need to be washed and dried, then the seeds should be removed and the peppers should be placed in an oven heated to 55 ° C. Drying takes about 30-40 minutes. Then, the dried vegetables must be ground in a coffee grinder and distributed in sealed bags. Finely chopped hot peppers can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Approximately the same shelf life for chili stored in oil. To do this, the washed fruits should be cleaned of seeds and put in jars, then pour them with boiling vegetable oil and cover with lids. After cooling, the products can be put on the refrigerator door.
Red chili pepper is a very useful product used in various fields of human activity. However, it must be remembered that when it is used internally or used as an external agent, the necessary norms and precautions must be observed so as not to harm the body.
