Chilli is a fantastic ingredient that can be used in to add spice and flavour to lots of dishes. You can buy them fresh, dried or as a powder. They also have many health benefits. So here are 5 reasons why chilli should be part of your diet (number 3 is my favourite). Just be careful not to have too much as they can be very spicy!

They help with weight loss

Chilli contains a substance called capsaicin. Studies have shown that this helps reduce appetite and increase fat burning. It speeds up your metabolism causing you to use more energy than you would normally. This is why many weight loss supplement will contain capsaicin or chilli powder extract.

They help your heart

Chilli is shown to improve heart health, reduce cholesterol levels and protect against strokes. In fact countries where chilli is used in meals regularly are shown to have a lower rate of heart disease than other countries.

They help with colds

One of the worst things about a cold is when your nose is blocked up and you struggle to breath. The good news is that eating spicy foods has been shown to help clear this congestion!

They boost your immune system

Chilli contains lots of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene. It also contains a good amount of Vitamin C. All 3 of these are important for your immune system to work properly.

Helps prevent diabetes

The capsaicin in chilli also lowers blood sugar levels. It is not understood exactly how this happens but studies have shown that eating chilli helps to reduce the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar. This helps prevent insulin resistance which helps prevent type 2 diabetes

So there you have great reasons why you should be using chilli with your food. If you have any great ideas for recipes why not share them here?