Spice Chilli

The native land of Chilli is considered to be Mexico with secondary origin in Gautemala. Chilli is an annual sub herb belonging to the family Solanaceae. It is also called as hot pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper, capsicum, etc. Most of the cultivated varieties in India belongs to the species Capsicum annum. Chilli of commerce is the dried pod.

India is the only country rich in many varieties of chillies with different quality factors. Chilli is the universal spice of India. It is grown in almost all the states in India.
Chilli has two important commercial qualities. If some varieties are famous for red colour because of the pigment casanthin, others are known for biting pungency attributed by capsaicin. Chilli imparts pungency and colour to the dishes. It is an important ingredient in day to day curries, pickles and chutnies. It is also a rich source of Vitamin A, C and E and assists in digestion.
The medicinal value of chilli is well recognized today and is used for lowering blood pressure, to prevent cold hands and feet, for restoring stamina and vigour. Recently, a synergistic mixture of green tea with red chilli powder was found to be hundred times more effective in killing cancer cells than either by green tea or chilli powder alone.