Don't set those chillies aside. Eat them. Having done exactly that with my meal today, I thought I'd see what nutritional value I was getting. Looks like a lot.
Most of this from Wiki & lots from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=29: Anjana. *Nutritional value* Red chilis contain high amounts of vitamin C and carotene ("provitamin A"). Yellow and especially green chilis (which are essentially unripe fruit) contain a considerably lower amount of both substances. In addition, peppers are a good source of most B vitamins, and vitamin B6 in particular. They are very high in potassium and high in magnesium and iron. Their high vitamin C content can also substantially increase the uptake of non-heme iron from other ingredients in a meal, such as beans and grains. *Possible health benefits* - Fights inflammation - Natural Pain relief - Cardiovascular benefits – reduces cholesterol & triglycerides (especially so for women, but also for men) - Clears congestion - Boosts immunity (high Vitamin A & C content) - Helps stop prostate cancer - Prevents stomach ulcers (by killing bacteria) - Weight loss (causes oxygen consumption and heat production more than 20 mins after they're eaten) - Lower risk of Type 2 diabetes (chillies help drop insulin requirements) All hot chili peppers contain phytochemicals known collectively as capsaicinoids. When animals injected with a substance that causes inflammatory arthritis were fed a diet that contained capsaicin, they had delayed onset of arthritis, and also significantly reduced paw inflammation. Recent research in mice shows that chili (capsaicin in particular) may offer some hope of weight loss for people suffering from obesity. Researchers used capsaicin from chillies to kill nerve cells in the pancreases of mice with Type 1 diabetes, thus allowing the insulin producing cells to start producing insulin again. Research in humans found that "after adding chili to the diet, the LDL, or bad cholesterol, actually resisted oxidation for a longer period of time, (delaying) the development of a major risk for cardiovascular disease". Researchers found that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper. Chilli peppers are being probed as a treatment for alleviating chronic pain.[ Spices, including chilli, are theorized to control the microbial contamination levels of food in countries with minimal or no refrigeration. Hot peppers are claimed to provide symptomatic relief from rhinitis, but a review study found no effect. Several studies found that capsaicin could have an anti-ulcer protective effect on stomachs infected with H. pylori by affecting the chemicals the stomach secretes in response to infection. By combining an anesthetic with capsaicin, researchers can block pain in rat paws without causing temporary paralysis. This anesthetic may one day allow patients to be conscious during surgery and may also lead to the development of more effective chronic pain treatments. *Possible health** risks:* Increased risk of Stomach cancer if you go overboard.
