The achar is the most undervalued food accompaniment we have in our kitchens. Depending on where you are, there are many types of pickles that we use as sides or even to complete meals in the absence of our gravies. Throughout the length and breadth of India, you can find Achars or pickles made with many ingredients, the popular ones being mango, lemon, dates, and other vegetables. Today, we are going to discuss Red Chilli and Green Chilli Pickles.
There are many who don’t like extreme spiciness- they would avoid extremely spicy foods rather than ‘burn their tongue’ and have a lot of water or something sweet to douse the burning sensation in their mouths. However, spiciness does bring with it a host of health benefits. Here is why you should eat spicy food-
- Helps prevent heart disease- Chillies help the body from the negative effects of bad cholesterol, also known as Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL). Moreover, chillies also have the nutrients and compounds needed to fight inflammation.
- Helps prevent cancer-Compounds found in chilles help to protect the cells against harmful molecules (free radicals) that can cause cancer.
- Depression- Specific compounds found in chilles work as endorphins, which, in turn, produce serotonin that the body mistakes for pain. This helps those suffering from depression to feel better and also to reduce the risk of stress.
Why to have Red Chilli Pickle?
With its hot and spicy flavour, red chillies, the main ingredient in Red Chilli Pickle or Lal Mirch ka Achar, gives your body a lot of nutrients and other health benefits.
Nutrition facts of Red Chilli Pickle:
- 1 tablespoon of Red Chilli Pickles gives you approximately
- 6 calories
- 0.3 gm protein
- 1.3 gm carbohydrates
- 0.8gm sugar
- 0.2gm fibre
- 0.1gm fat
In addition to this, red chillies are known to have:
- Vitamin C-an important antioxidant, required for boosting immunity and healing wounds.
- Vitamin B6- Needed for boosting energy levels.
- Vitamin K1-Required for proper blood clotting and maintaining the health of your kidneys and bones.
- Potassium- Reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Copper- Needed for strong bones and healthy neurons.
Red chillies also help in:
- Pain Relief- Chillies are known to contain a big amount of Capsaicin, a compound that has a host of unique properties. Primarily, it helps you to control pain. Though we get a burning sensation when consuming red chillies, we do not get any burning injuries to our body thanks to Capsaicin. In fact, regular consumption of red chillies stops the burning sensation over time. This also helps to relieve other kinds of pain, such as acid reflux or heartburn.
- Weight Loss- Another great benefit of Capsaicin is the way it can help you to lose weight by reducing your appetite and assisting your body to burn fat. Capsaicin also helps to reduce your intake of calories, if any dish with red chillies (read Red Chilli Pickle) is had with your meals.
Why to have Green Chilli Pickle:
Green chillies, in its pickled form, can be a crucial source of many nutrients, when taken in the right quantities. Let’s see some of the benefits of Green Chilli Pickle.
Nutrition facts of Green Chillies:
- 1 tablespoon of green chilli pickle gives you-
- 0.2 gm fat
- 5.3mg sodium
- 1.5gm protein
- 7 gm carbohydrate
Here is why Green Chilli Pickles are recommended by experts-
- Great for a healthy diet- Having practically no calories, this is an ideal addition to your diet. Moreover, green chillies(whether in a pickled form or otherwise) speeds up your metabolism by 50% after 3 hours of eating them.
- Great for your skin- Green chillies help keep your skin healthy and glowing, with the help of vitamin D and beta-carotene. As Green Chilly Pickles are stored in a dark and cool environment, the vitamin C present is retained, as the quantity of vitamin C can reduce when exposed to light.
- A natural source of iron- Green chillies in your Green Chilli Pickle contain a lot of iron, making it a great recommendation for those suffering from anemia. Having small amounts of green chilli pickle with your meals regularly will ensure you never feel tired and weak due to a lack of iron.
- Balanced blood sugar levels- Great news for diabetics! Regular consumption of Green Chilly Pickle can be a great way to control blood sugar levels, helping you stay worry-free as far as maintaining sugar level is concerned.
- Maintaining optimum health-Green chillies almost eliminate the likelihood of atherosclerosis, by helping reduce blood cholesterol. Having a small serving of Hari Mirch ka Achar (Green Chilli Pickle) helps to stop blood clotting, which, if left unchecked, can result in a stroke or heart attack.
Conclusion
Indian food is incomplete without some form of pickle. Those of you who are diabetics, heart patients, have anemia or depression can add Red or Green Chilli Pickles to your diet for a healthy lifestyle. One word of caution though, always ensure you have a limited quantity of Chilli Pickle regularly.
