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This is an archive article published on December 8, 2007
Chilli-a mood lifter?
Chilli comes in many shapes and sizes. The more pungent ones that generate extreme distress...
Written by Neelanjanasingh
December 8, 2007 12:00 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
Chilli comes in many shapes and sizes. The more pungent ones that generate extreme distress and sweating, tend to be long, thin and smooth with a tapering and pointy end. The larger bell shaped fruit, which includes paprika, is less pungent and is used as a cooked vegetable or in salads. A very pungent variety of chilli found in the tropics is Cayenne pepper, which is made from bird chilli.
Besides being a potential and potent antibiotic, there are other health and medicinal benefits connected to chillies. One of these is related to capsaicin, the one common factor that makes them pungent.
The presence of capsaicin qualifies any variety of the spice to be called a chilli. It is one of the principal ingredients in many pain-relieving ointments as it stimulates the release of pain-relieving endorphins. Chillies are a great aid for the digestive process too. When crushed in the mouth, they stimulate the taste buds and this in turn results in an increased flow of salivary juices. Gastric emptying is also improved with capsaicin, which means that it could rid the feeling of food 8216;sitting8217; in the stomach. Scientific data shows that this happens because the sensory nerves regulating the stomach movements are capsaicin sensitive.
In addition, if you are ever feeling low, it may be worth your while to try and eat some chillies. This releases some endorphins in our system, which generates a 8216;feel good8217; effect. It8217;s no wonder that people can get addicted to the chilli!
nsingh.rxpressexpressindia.com
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