Daily Food Tip from World's Healthiest Foods
Are green chili peppers good for you? Is there an advantage to eating the hot ones rather than the mild ones?
All peppers, including green chili peppers, belong to the Capsicum genus of foods, and this food group has been extensively studied with respect to health. We include three of the most widely available and commonly consumed Capsicum peppers on our website as World's Healthiest Foods: bell peppers, cayenne peppers, and chili peppers. But there are many other peppers with similar properties, including tabasco peppers, jalapeno peppers, and hot cherry peppers, as well as other sweet peppers in addition to bell peppers.
The bigger family of foods to which all Capsicum peppers belong is the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Nightshades also include tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes. Nightshades contain substances called alkaloids that can be problematic in the diets of some individuals.
In general, individuals with health problems involving their joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout may be more sensitive to the effects of nightshade alkaloids and may need to reduce or eliminate these foods in their diet. Green chili peppers would, of course, be included in this list of nightshade foods.
You mentioned the color "green" in your description. We would like to point out that peppers come in a wide variety of colors-green as well as yellow, red, orange and purple-and all of these varieties have unique health-supportive properties. Yellow peppers have more of the lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids. Red peppers have more lycopene and astaxanthin, two other important carotenoids. Orange peppers have more alpha-, beta-, and gamma-carotene, while purple peppers have more anthocyanin flavonoids.
Because green peppers are not fully ripened, their high chlorophyll content overshadows their carotenoid content and provides them with their distinctive green color. If allowed to ripen more fully, green peppers will change in color to show more of their carotenoid and/or flavonoid pigments.
All of the color-related pigments described above can provide you with important health benefits. Many function as antioxidants in the body. In addition, research studies have shown that intake of these carotenoid and flavonoid phytonutrients can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease and some forms of cancer.
In keeping with their Capsicum scientific classification, most peppers contain the very pungent and stimulating chemical called capsaicin. (Bell peppers are an exception to this rule, and do not contain capsaicin.) Research studies have examined potential benefits of capsaicin-when ingested in food or supplement form-with respect to stomach problems (including gastric ulcer), the common cold, inflammatory responses, blood fat levels, and other conditions. However, we believe that the jury is still out in these areas. We view the choice of "mild" versus "hot" as more of a personal preference at this point in time and look forward to future research that can help clarify these capsaicin-related issues.
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