What exactly is chili powder? How is it made? What are the requirements for the peppers used to make it? What are its health benefits? And who is it suitable for? Many people who love spicy flavors surely have these questions.
Chili powder is a red or reddish-yellow, oily, and uniform powder, which is a mixture of finely ground red peppers, yellow peppers, pepper seeds, and parts of the pepper stalks. It has the inherent spicy aroma of chili, and its pungent smell can make you sneeze. Authentic chili powder should be pounded in a stone mortar. It can also be made by using dried peppers, which are either sun-dried or dried slowly over a low flame in a wok before being ground into a powder.
Chili is pungent and warm in nature. It can lower body temperature through sweating and relieve muscle pain, thus possessing a strong antipyretic and analgesic effect.
The active component of chili, capsaicin, is an antioxidant that can inhibit the metabolism of related cells, thereby terminating the carcinogenic process of cell tissue and reducing the incidence of cancer cells.
The strong spicy flavor of chili can stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, increase appetite, promote intestinal peristalsis, and aid digestion.
The capsaicin contained in chili can promote the metabolism of fat, prevent fat accumulation in the body, and is beneficial for lowering blood lipids, losing weight, and preventing diseases.