Chili peppers (Capsicum annuum) are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants, notable for their hot flavor. They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re primarily used as a fresh or dried spice.
Chili peppers are members of the nightshade family, related to bell peppers and tomatoes. Many varieties of chili peppers exist, such as cayenne and jalapeño. Dried Red Peppers Factories
They’re primarily used as a spice and can be cooked or dried and powdered. Powdered, red chili peppers are known as paprika.
Capsaicin is the main bioactive plant compound in chili peppers, responsible for their unique, pungent taste and many of their health benefits.
This article tells you everything you need to know about chili peppers.
The nutrition facts for 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of raw, fresh, red chili peppers are (1):
Chili peppers provide some carbs and offer a small amount of protein and fiber.
Chili peppers are rich in various vitamins and minerals.
However, since they are only eaten in small amounts, their contribution to your daily intake is minuscule. These spicy fruits boast (2):
Chili peppers are rich in various vitamins and minerals but usually eaten in small amounts — so they don’t contribute significantly to your daily micronutrient intake.
Chili peppers are a rich source of spicy-hot capsaicin.
They are also very high in antioxidant carotenoids, which are linked to numerous health benefits.
Here are the main bioactive plant compounds in chili peppers (3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10):
The antioxidant content of mature (red) chili peppers is much higher than that of immature (green) peppers (3).
Chili peppers are rich in antioxidant plant compounds that have been linked to various health benefits. Most notable is capsaicin, which is responsible for the pungent (hot) taste of chili peppers.
Despite their burning taste, chili peppers have long been considered a healthy spice.
Capsaicin, the main bioactive plant compound in chili peppers, has some unique properties.
It binds with pain receptors, which are nerve endings that sense pain. This induces a burning sensation but does not cause any real burning injuries.
Even so, high consumption of chili peppers (or capsaicin) may desensitize your pain receptors over time, reducing your ability to sense the burning flavor of chili.
It also makes these pain receptors insensitive to other forms of pain, such as heartburn caused by acid reflux.
One study found that when 2.5 grams of red chili peppers were given daily to people with heartburn, the pain worsened at the beginning of the 5-week treatment but improved over time (11).
This is supported by another small, 6-week study showing that 3 grams of chili each day improved heartburn in people with acid reflux (12).
The desensitization effect does not seem to be permanent, and one study noted that it was reversed 1–3 days after capsaicin consumption stopped (13).
Obesity is a serious health condition that increases your risk of many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Some evidence suggests that capsaicin can promote weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing fat burning (14, 15).
In fact, studies show that 10 grams of red chili pepper can significantly increase fat burning in both men and women (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21).
Capsaicin may also reduce calorie intake. A study in 24 people who consume chili regularly discovered that taking capsaicin before a meal led to reduced calorie intake (22).
Another study observed a significant reduction in appetite and calorie intake only in those who did not regularly consume chili (23).
Not all studies have found chili peppers to be effective. Other studies saw no significant effects on calorie intake or fat burning (24, 25, 26).
Despite the mixed evidence, it appears that regular consumption of red chili peppers or capsaicin supplements may aid weight loss when combined with other healthy lifestyle strategies (14).
However, chili peppers are probably not very effective on their own. Additionally, tolerance to the effects of capsaicin may develop over time, limiting its effectiveness (15).
Chili peppers are associated with several health benefits. They may promote weight loss when combined with other healthy lifestyle strategies and may help relieve pain caused by acid reflux.
Chili peppers may have adverse effects in some individuals, and many people do not like its burning sensation.
Chili peppers are well known for their hot, burning flavor.
The substance responsible is capsaicin, which binds to pain receptors and causes an intense burning sensation.
For this reason, the compound oleoresin capsicum extracted from chili peppers is the main ingredient in pepper sprays (27).
In high amounts, it causes severe pain, inflammation, swelling, and redness (28).
Over time, regular exposure to capsaicin may cause certain pain neurons to become insensitive to further pain.
Eating chili can cause intestinal distress in some people.
The symptoms may include abdominal pain, a burning sensation in your gut, cramps, and painful diarrhea.
This is more common in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Chili can temporarily worsen symptoms in those who are not used to eating it regularly (29, 30, 31).
For this reason, people with IBS may want to limit their consumption of chili and other spicy foods.
Cancer is a serious disease characterized by abnormal cell growth.
Evidence on the effects of chili on cancer is mixed.
Test-tube and animal studies indicate that capsaicin, a plant compound in chili peppers, may either increase or decrease your risk of cancer (32).
Observational studies in humans link chili pepper consumption to an increased risk of cancer, especially of the gallbladder and stomach (33, 34).
Additionally, red chili powder has been identified as a risk factor for mouth and throat cancer in India (35).
Keep in mind that observational studies cannot prove that chili peppers cause cancer, only that people who ate high amounts of chili peppers were more likely to get it.
Further studies are needed to determine whether heavy chili intake or capsaicin supplements are safe in the long term.
Chili peppers are not good for everyone. They trigger a burning sensation and may cause stomach pain and diarrhea in some individuals. Some studies associate chili consumption with increased cancer risk.
Chili peppers are a popular spice in many parts of the world and well known for their hot, pungent flavor.
They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and various unique plant compounds.
These include capsaicin, the substance that causes your mouth to burn. Capsaicin is linked to several health benefits, as well as adverse effects.
On one hand, it may help promote weight loss and relieve pain when consumed regularly.
On the other hand, it causes a burning sensation, which is unpleasant for many people, especially those not used to eating chili peppers. It’s also linked to digestive upset.
It’s important to pay attention to your own tolerance levels when eating chili peppers. Using them as a spice may be healthy, but those who experience digestive distress should avoid them.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
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