Can birds eye chili help in weight loss? What’s the benefit of taking birds eye chilies in your diet?

Bird’s eye chili is a chili pepper usually seen in Southeast Asian countries. It is also called by the name bird’s chili or Thai chili. In India, it is commonly seen in Meghalaya, Assam and Kerala.

Birds love to pick the ripe chili and since it is spread by birds they are called by the name bird’s eye chili. In Kerala, bird’s eye chili is known as ‘Kanthaari Mulaku‘. Traditional Kerala dishes have bird’s eye chili as their main ingredient.

Bird’s eye chilies are small in size with an average length of 2-3 cm. These are famous for its pungent and hot taste. The essential components in bird’s eye chili provide various health benefits. Bird’s eye chili plants produce small fruits that taper from the stem to their end and often grow two to three peppers per node.

Matured bird’s eye chilies tend to have mostly red colour. But they can also be seen in seen as yellow, black, and even purple colours. Even if it is small in size, its heat is quite intense.

Bird’s eye chili pepper is considered as one among the ten hottest chili peppers in the world. Compared to other chilies, its production is very low. Bird’s eye chilies are used in Vietnamese cuisines for making soups, salads and also stir fried dishes. These chilies are extensively used in Thai dishes, such as Thai curries and in Thai salads. Since it is a native variety, bird’s eye chili is not usually seen in supermarkets or other vegetable shops across Kerala.

Influential in weight loss

Bird’s eye chilies are known for weight reducing qualities. They can play a key role in increasing the metabolism of the body. As a result of this, your body temperature would increase. In order to bring back the body to original temperature body would burn more calories, thereby speeding up the metabolism rate. Increased metabolism is beneficial and would increase the usage of the unused fats stored in various parts of the body. As you would have noticed, an increase in metabolism results in more sweating and hence results in weight loss. Fast metabolism, proper digestion and waste expulsion, can decrease the chance of fat accumulation in the body.

Bird’s eye chili

The chemical compound present in bird’s chili which results in burning sensation is called Capsaicin. The effects of this compound can vary among individuals. However, most of them experience a burning sensation of the mouth, throat, and stomach upon ingestion. The consumption of bird’s eye chili thus increases the metabolism and hence reduces the body weight.

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The presence of capsaicinoids will reduce the overall calorie intake. Although more long-term research is required, relatively low intake of bird’s eye chili can help with the capsaicin requirement and hence helpful in weight loss.

Other health benefits

• Helpful for digestion: The alkaloidal presence in the chemical compound called Capsaicin can help in stimulating the action of stomach and can speed up the movement in the intestinal tracts, thereby helps in improving digestion.
• It can also aid in the healing process of stomach ulcers.
• Bird’s eye chili was traditionally used against arthritis and rheumatism.
• It was also used as a cure for dyspepsia, flatulence, and toothache.
• It also can be useful for reducing blood cholesterol.

• Tribals make use of bird chili as an insect repellant when crushed with water.
• Traditionally these chilies are also used for reducing blood pressure.
• Indigenous people believes that the usage of this chili can help with the treatment of bruises and swellings. It is believed to have qualities to make the blood thin which enables the supply of fresh blood to the injured parts.

It’s advisable to use only a very small quantity. Uncontrollable use of bird’s eye chili can have harmful effects on our body.