Chile peppers will add spicy heat, anti-inflammatory vitamins and lots of variety to any diet. From large to tiny, green to red to yellow and mild to scalding, there is a chile pepper available for every taste and to suit any dish. Many varieties are now available fresh at markets and dried powders, flakes and whole pods are even more widespread. Chiles retain most of their important nutrients when dried.
Hot chiles are an excellent source of vitamins C, A, K, B6, thiamin, riboflavin, folate and niacin. Chile peppers also supply the minerals iron, copper, manganese, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous in good quantities. Lots of dietary fiber is another bonus of eating these vegetables. These peppers have small amounts of vitamin E, as well.
Capsaicin is the compound that makes chile peppers spicy and has been the most studied for health benefits. A strong anti-inflammatory agent within the body, capsaicin can ease the pain of inflamed joints even when applied topically to the skin. This compound increases the metabolism to burn more calories when eaten and relieves psoriasis symptoms with external application. Capsaicin has shown some ability to prevent sinus infections, ease gastric distress and slow the growth of or kill cancer cells. The membrane that holds the seeds inside the peppers contains the highest concentrations of capsaicin.
Making chile peppers a regular part of the diet has also been shown to greatly reduce the body’s need for insulin to clear sugar from the blood after a meal. This effect occurs even if just one meal with chiles is eaten, but the effect is increased as more chile containing meals are added to the diet. Maximum blood sugar levels and maximum blood insulin levels were both reduced by up to 24% by regularly adding chile peppers to meals. The ability of the liver to clear insulin from the blood was also improved by the chile diet.
Chile peppers are part of the nightshade family of plants and this is a cause for concern for some people. Nightshades produce a variety of alkaloids, some of which may be toxic with symptoms ranging from lethal to only slightly irritating, and may also contribute to some allergic reactions. These potentially troublesome alkaloid compounds are generally greatly reduced in the ripe fruits, so if this is a worry for you try eating only the red, orange and yellow chiles and avoiding the unripe green peppers.
I keep chiles in my diet in many different ways. Poblano or Anaheim peppers along with red and yellow bell peppers in a vegetable saute or stir fry adds a little zest without causing tears. Very thin strips of jalapeno or serano chiles can perk up a Thai coleslaw. A few whole dried Thai chile pods in a pot of dried beans lend flavor and can replace black pepper. And there is absolutely no replacement for red chile sauce made with fresh, high quality chile powder for topping a pan of enchiladas or huevos rancheros.