Ang chili ay dapat kainin nang tama para makakuha ng tamang nutrients. Ang nutritionist ay nagsuggest na ang raw consumption ay pinakamahusay, dahil ang vitamin C sa chili ay hindi stable, at maaaring mawala kung inilalagay nang mahabang panahon o iniluluto nang sobra. Kaya dapat kainin nang fresco, o maaaring idagdag sa salad bilang garnish. Tandaan na ilagay ang chili sa huli ng pagluluto para maiwasan ang pagkawala ng nutrients.
Benefits of Eating Chili
From color, spiciness correlates with the color of chili. Generally, red chilies are spicier than green ones, and green ones are spicier than purple, yellow, or black chilies. This is because chilies turn red when ripe, and that’s when they’re the spiciest. Yellow and purple chilies are mostly sweet peppers.
When the spiciness of chili stimulates the tongue and mouth nerves, the brain immediately commands the body to "prepare": heartbeat accelerates, saliva or sweat increases, the gut works harder, and endorphins are released. If you eat another bite, the brain thinks there’s pain again, releasing more endorphins. Continuous release of endorphins makes you feel relaxed and excited, creating the "high" after eating spicy food. Another reason for chili addiction is capsaicin. When taste cells touch capsaicin, they become more sensitive, enhancing the perception of food flavor.
When eating chili, as long as the mouth isn’t burned, taste actually becomes more sensitive. Also, eating chili increases saliva and gastric juice secretion, speeds up intestinal movement. When someone lacks appetite or eats less, they may crave chili. In fact, regardless of whether one is addicted to spice, moderate chili consumption has certain therapeutic benefits. Chili benefits health by: improving digestion, preventing gallstones, lowering blood sugar, and aiding in weight loss.
Who Should Avoid Chili
More and more people are interested in chili, believing it can dispel cold and dampness. With the rise of hotpot restaurants, clay pot shops, and spicy skewers, chili-based dishes are now common in homes. But not everyone should eat chili. These people should avoid excessive chili intake:
Those with heat-related illnesses, ulcers, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, hemorrhoids, dermatitis, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, or hypertension should not eat too much chili. Research shows that consuming large amounts of capsaicin-rich chili causes excessive digestive fluid secretion, leading to congestion, swelling, and increased intestinal motility in the gastrointestinal mucosa, potentially triggering gastritis, enteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and worsening digestive issues. Excessive chili intake also increases heart rate and blood volume, which is harmful to cardiovascular patients.
Thin people should avoid too much chili. From a TCM perspective, thin people are often yin-deficient and heat-prone ("thin people have fire"). They commonly experience dry throat, bitter mouth, eye congestion, dizziness, irritability, and if they eat too much chili, these symptoms worsen, possibly leading to bleeding, allergies, inflammation, or even boils and infections.
Hyperthyroid patients should avoid chili. Hyperthyroid patients are often in a state of high excitement, so they should avoid strong stimulants like chili. Since hyperthyroid patients already tend to have rapid heartbeats, eating chili can further accelerate the heart rate, worsening symptoms.
Patients with kidney disease should avoid chili. Research shows that spicy foods like chili and other condiments (e.g., onions, ginger, garlic, curry, mustard, pepper) and aromatic spices (e.g., scallions, fennel, celery, radish) contain volatile oils that, during metabolism, must pass through the kidneys for excretion. These spicy components can mildly stimulate kidney cells, potentially affecting kidney function if consumed excessively.
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