Green chillies are an essential part of Indian food items. Apart from being mostly used raw to spice up your chaats, chutney and savoury snacks, green chillies are also used in many curries as paste or tempering. Though it may have become an inevitable part of every Indian kitchen, it will be surprising for you to know that green chillies are not Indian.
First cultivated in Mexico around 5,000 BC, green chillies arrived in India 700 years ago. Known for making our curries spicy, chillies also add flavour and colour to dishes. Mexicans used it in their food and spices. It is said that chili was introduced to the rest of the world when the seafarer and explorer Christopher Columbus reached America while exploring India by sea route.
From there, green chillies reached other European countries. According to reports when the Portuguese merchant Vasco da Gama came to India, he reached the coast of South India with green chilies. After this, the journey of green chillies in India has been spectacular.
Today, India exports green chillies and red chillies to the United States, Germany, Canada, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Germany and other countries. India accounts for 25 percent of all chilli production in the world.
Green chillies are also packed with a number of health benefits.
Here are the health benefits of green chillies.
1. Helps to avoid obesity:
According to Food Expert and Nutrition Consultant Nilanjana Singh, consuming green chilies daily with food is helpful in burning unnecessary body fat. Green chillies are rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, which are beneficial for the eyes. The potassium found in it helps in controlling heart rate and blood pressure and prevents hardening of the arteries. It also has antibacterial properties, which protect the body from infection.
2. Natural iron boosters:
Green chillies are a great ingredient to naturally boost iron in your body. If you suffer from iron deficiency or have low hemoglobin then start including green chillies in your diet. As the spice contains vitamin C it plays a crucial role in inducing iron.
3. Healthy Skin:
As green chillies contain Vitamin C it helps to maintain
healthy and glowing skin. In addition to that, it also contains Vitamin E,
which fights the signs of aging. Moreover, the antibacterial properties in
green chillies also help to manage acne and blemishes.
4. Cold relief:
The capsaicin present in chillies stimulates the mucus
membranes in the nose, which unblock the respiratory passage and provide instant relief to cold and cough.
5. Pain relief:
The anti-inflammatory properties of green chillies help to
lower the pain levels in the body especially for people suffering from
arthritis and osteoporosis.
