Health Benefits of Capsicum
Capsicum is an edible vegetable commonly known as bell pepper. A member of Capsicum annuum, it is native to central and native America. Its relatives are tomato and chili peppers. The pepper is available in many colors and is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, and it is popular among top diet pills.
Capsicum has multiple health and nutritional benefits. Take a look at some of the numerous health benefits of this amazing vegetable:
1. Capsicum has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Capsicum contains phytochemical that makes it a good anti-inflammatory agent. Taking advantage of this property, it is extensively used to manufacture skin products and joint pain relievers.
It is generally known for combating a neurologic pain, crohn’s disease. You can add capsicum balms to Ayurvedic medicine to enhance its effectiveness at relieving arthritis pain.
2. It Supports Healthier Heart
Some capsicum components enable the edible vegetables to support a healthy heart. By lowering the homocystein levels in the body, folate and vitamin B removes one of the major causes of cardiovascular illnesses.
Lycopene and fiber reduce the level of fat in the body while its potassium component helps the body to maintain the right blood pressure for a healthy heart.
3. It Improves Sight
Red bell pepper is rich in vitamin A. Eating this pepper will improve your sight. It is notably very effective at improving consumers’ night vision.
Due to the vitamin A capsicum contains lutein, otherwise known as carotenoid. This ingredient makes consumers less susceptible to macular degeneration, an eye condition that is responsible for visual loss in adults.
Its vitamin C and beta-carotene components offer protection from cataract, another eye-related health condition that impairs sight.
4. It Fights Off Cancer
Chronic oxidative stress and excessive inflammation are two of the major causes of cancer. Capsicum offers anti-cancer benefits because it is rich in both anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants.
The regular consumption of bell peppers will control these factors that trigger cancer. Gastric cancer can be prevented by the enzymes in capsicum. The carotenoid lycopene in this vegetable is effective in preventing different forms of cancer such as bladder, prostate, pancreas, and cervix.
An article entitled “Anticancer Properties of Capsaicin Against Human Cancer” highlights the effectiveness of capsicum as an anti-cancer agent.
5. It Boosts Immune System
A compromised immune system is a waiting time bomb. Once your immunity is breached, you will become susceptible to all forms of illnesses. Regular consumption of this edible vegetable will help you beef up your immunity to ward off ailments.
It contains vitamin K, an essential nutrient for protecting cells from destructive oxidative damage and the development of strong bones. The vitamin prevents you from bleeding excessively from bruises and wounds. It also promotes faster healing.
Its vitamin C component beefs up the immune system. This is in addition to its ability to repair damaged brain tissues and build strong collagen. The body needs collagen as support for joints and the skin and thus prevents unnecessary damage to these body parts.
Possible Side Effects of Capsicum
Some of the downsides of consuming capsicum in excess are:
- Stomach flu.
- Skin irritation.
- Liver damage.
- Runny nose.
- Sweating.