This week we are combining our Health Tips and Recipe articles. This is because chili peppers of all types are not only a delicious addition to foods, but they have enormous health benefits. Read on!
Curbing the Junk-Food Craving
Right now we are concentrating on curbing the junk food cravings we often get during the winter months, hopefully giving healthy alternatives to potato-chips and sugary fixes. This week’s recipe is another crispy treat, more on the savory side. These pita chips are inexpensive, and incredibly easy to make. Get the kids involved on movie night, and change-up the seasonings to keep it interesting.
What You’ll Need
4-6 inch Pitas (we suggest whole-wheat)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon Kosher or Sea-Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Ancho Chile Powder
Directions
Peel apart the pitas so that you have 8 circles instead of 4. Cut these into chip-sized pieces (approximately 6 chips per pita). Place pieces into a bowl.
In a separate bowl stir together olive oil, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Sprinkle this mixture over pita chips while tossing until chips are evenly seasoned.
Lay the chips flat, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F
Don't care for Ancho Chili? You can make these chips just about any flavor you want, but be mindful of the salt or sugar, remembering that a little goes a long way. Here are some popular suggestions:
Garlic powder Ground coriander
Italian seasoning Ranch dressing powder
Lemon-pepper Sun-dried tomato
Fresh ground sea-salt and/or black pepper
If you have a sweet-tooth the chips can be sprinkled with cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey in with the oil before tossing.
What's so Healthy About Chili Peppers?
Chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin. The hotter the pepper, the more it contains. Capsaicin is an inhibitor of the neuropeptide substance P which is associated with the inflammation process.
The Chili Pepper's benefits include:
Natural Pain Relief for osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, and psoriasis.
Cardiovascular Benefits, reducing blood cholesterol, platelet aggregation, triglyceride levels, and an increase in fibrin dissolution (blood-clot prevention).
Reduction of Damage by Free Radicals on fats in the blood, which can cause atherosclerosis.
Clears Congestion by stimulating secretions which clear mucus from stuffy noses and lungs.
Prevents Stomach Ulcers. You might feel like the opposite is true, but peppers actually kill bad bacteria and stimulate the cells in the stomach lining to secrete protective juices.
Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. A 2006 study by Australian researchers showed that a meal including chili peppers reduced the amount of insulin needed to lower blood sugar, and that if chilies are part of a regular diet, this amount goes even lower.