Chilli peppers are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants, noted for their hot flavour. The chilli is a fruit pod of the capsicum pepper plant belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Chilli peppers are primarily used as spices, or minor ingredients in various dishes, spice blends and sauces.

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According to medical news today, a study of more than 16,000 people in the United States revealed that individuals who consumed red chilli peppers had a lower risk of death from all causes over an average of 18 years than those who did not eat the spicy food

The chilli pepper can be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or added as the main ingredient in powders and sauces.

Chili Pepper health benefits include improving cognitive function, contribute to red blood cell formation, reduce blood pressure and prevents cardiovascular disease, acts as a natural pain reliever, clears nasal congestion, soothe intestinal diseases and disorders, boost immunity and maintaining healthy eyes. Other benefits include preventing cancer, preventing stomach ulcers, promoting weight loss and improving longevity.

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Check out five health benefits of chilli pepper:

1. Clears Nasal Congestion

Capsaicin not only alleviates pain but also relieves congestion. Its fiery heat stimulates secretions that aid in clearing mucus from stuffy nose.

2. Maintain Healthy Eyes

We need vitamin A to keep our eyes healthy at all times. Including chilli peppers in our regular diet, approximately one tablespoon each day can definitely improve your eyesight. It also prevents night blindness as well as macular degeneration.

3. Chili Pepper Can Help Prevent Stomach Ulcers

Chillies can actually prevent stomach ulcers. Red hot chilli peppers kill bacteria that you may have ingested. They stimulate the cells lining the stomach to release buffering juices. This is in direct contrast to the belief that peppers worsen the development or outcome of these ulcers.

4. Helps to shed weight

You can lose weight by eating chillies regularly with the inclusion of regular exercise, of course. Obesity is a serious health condition that increases the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

There is some evidence that capsaicin, a plant compound in chilli peppers, can promote weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing fat burning

5. Improve Longevity

Several researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences have been observing the eating habits of roughly half a million Chinese people starting from age 30. They noticed that in a span of seven years, those who include chilli peppers in their diet six or seven times a week had a lower risk of mortality that those who do not consume these peppers on a regular basis. This could be due to the little-known fact that chilli peppers increase levels of IGF-1 in blood, an anti-ageing hormone.

Source: naturalfoodseries