Green chili, apart from health benefits of bird’s eye chili is also another important yet popular variant of the chili family. Known to be less fiery than the red ones, green chili in average are slightly less hotter than red chili, with the hotness striking at a slower speed as well.

Meanwhile, the similarities in between green chili and red chili are its function as spices or dish ingredients. Back to the taste of chili, all becomes possible thanks to capsaicin, an active compound inside chili responsible for its hotness and also its health benefits. By the way, these are the interesting benefits of green chili for weight loss.

Nutritional Facts of Green Chili

• Serving Size – 100 g
• Water – 88.02 g
• Calories – 40 kcal
• Total Fat – 0.4 g (0% of DV)
  • Saturated Fat – 0 g (0% of DV)
  • Polyunsaturated Fat – 0.2 g (0% of DV)
  • Monounsaturated Fat – 0 g (0% of DV)
  • Trans Fat – 0 g (0% of DV)
• Cholesterol – 0 g (0% of DV)
• Sodium – 9 mg (0% of DV)
• Total Carbohydrates – 9 g (3% of DV)
  • Sugar – 5 g
  • Dietary Fibre – 1.5 g (6% of DV)
• Protein – 1.9 g (3% of DV)
• Potassium – 322 mg (9% of DV)
• Vitamins and Minerals
  • Vitamin A – 952 IU (19% of DV)
  • Vitamin B6 – 0.506 mg (25% of DV)
  • Vitamin C – 143.7 mg (239% of DV)
  • Vitamin D – 0 mg (0% of DV)
  • Vitamin E – 0.69 mg
  • Calcium – 14 mg (1% of DV)
  • Cobalamin – 0 mg (0% of DV)
  • Iron – 1.03 mg (1% of DV)
  • Benefits of Magnesium – 23 mg (5% of DV)
  • Phosphorus – 43 mg
  • Zinc – 0.26 mg

All the information above are in relation to a 2,000-calorie diet. The percentage of daily value (% of DV) may differ depending on personal calorie needs.

What are its Health Benefits?

1. Green Chili has Extremely Low Calories

With 40 kcal, this has made green chili to possess one of the lowest calories around. In addition to that, green chili also accelerates digestion to the point that it boosts metabolism by up to 50% within three hours of consumption.

2. Green Chili offers Cancer Protection

The antioxidants contained inside green chili offers cancer protection, particularly for prostate cancer.

3. Green Chili Supports Cardiovascular Function

Next, green chili supports cardiovascular function in terms of preventing blood clots that lead to stroke and heart attack, plus reducing blood cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis.

4. Green Chili Can Also Reduce Body Temperature

Interestingly, health benefits green chili peppers also reduces body temperature by stimulating the center of the brain’s hypothalamus. Hypothalamus is a region of the brain responsible for several functions, including regulating body temperature.

5. Green Chili for Mucus Membranes

Capsicum inside green chili provides stimulating effect for the mucus membranes of the nose and sinuses, which comes in handy for battling against common cold and sinusitis respectively.

6. Green Chili Contains Extremely High Vitamin C Benefits

With 143.7 mg of vitamin C, this makes green chili to contain way more-than-enough supply of vitamin C, at 239% of the daily value! Vitamin C is useful for a healthy immune system.

7. Green Chili as Mood Boosters

Green chili contains endorphins that work as mood boosters as it is eaten.

8. Green Chili also Helps Regulating Blood Sugar Levels

Green chili is also proven to help in the regulation of blood sugar levels, which means that it is perfectly safe for diabetic people. The extremely low sugar content at only 5 grams also supports this feature of green chili.

9. Green Chili Provides Antibacterial Properties

Green chili provides antibacterial properties and helps the treatment of skin infections.

10. Green Chili Supports Weight Loss

And finally, here is the main theme of today; benefits of green chili for weight loss! As it is discussed earlier, the capsaicin, low-sugar, low-calorie and antioxidant traits of green chili help weight loss in one way or another. In fact, that also applies to other types of health benefits chilis, not just the green ones!

But on top of those, it is indeed capsaicin that contributes most to the weight-loss feature of green chili. Capsaicin’s heat help ignite a process known as thermogenesis wherein fat is converted into heat, so that more fat is burned for weight loss. Thermogenesis boosts metabolism and fat burning by 5% and 16% respectively.
Cautions and Recommendations on Green Chili

Side effects such as skin irritation, burns as well as itching have been listed as the side effects of green chili, or capsicum rather in general. Capsicum has also to be known to be extremely irritating to the eyes, nose, and throat. That’s why, prevent using chili products around the eyes or sensitive skin.

Breastfeeding mothers are also discouraged from eating chili products fearing that the nutrients might pass on to the baby through mother’s milk and hence causing skin problems (dermatitis) on the infants.

How to Prepare Padang Style Green Chili Paste (Sambal Hijau)

Ingredients

• 250 g of large green chili (stems removed)
• 50 g of green bird’s eye chili
• 4 cloves of red garlic
• 3 teaspoons of cooking oil
• 2 cloves of white garlic
• 2 pieces of green tomato
• ½ teaspoon of lime juice
• Salt
• Sugar

Steps

1. First things first, cut the large green chili and green bird’s eye chili into small pieces.
2. Second, steam the chopped chilis together with the red and white garlic and also green tomato for 5 minutes until it withers.
3. And then, punch the mixture well. Make sure that each and every one of the ingredients are evenly mixed during punching.
4. Heat the cooking oil inside a pan, and stir-fry the mixture until fragrant.
5. Include salt, sugar as well as lime juice as needed and mix it well afterwards. Continue cooking until it is done.
6. Finally, remove the finished green chili sambal from the pan, place it into a plate or bowl and the Padang-style green chili sambal is now ready to be served as condiments!