Bird's eye chilli: Weight loss and other hot benefits of 'kanthari mulaku'

By:Sandhya Raghavan, Updated: Nov 30, 2021 | 17:39 IST

facebooktwitterwhatsapp
birds eye chilli health benefits

It is believed that the smaller the chilli, the hotter it tastes. This holds true for bird’s eye chilli, a chilli pepper that features mostly in South East Asian cuisines. In India, it is usually found in Meghalaya, Kerala, and Assam and is among the world’s 10 hottest chilli peppers. It's called "kandhari mulaku" in Malayalam and is often eaten raw with rice or ground into chutneys.



Apart from being spicy, it packs a great nutritional punch. The tiny chilli comes in colours of white, dark green and red.

Health Benefits of Bird’s Eye Chili

Like many of its bigger cousins, bird's eye chilli is rich in antioxidants and other micronutrients. If eaten in moderation as part of a nutritious diet, it can help torch fat and aid in weight loss.

Some health benefits of bird’s eye chilli:

  • Has microbial and anti-fungal properties
  • Boosts appetite
  • Regulates cholesterol and blood sugar
  • Increases metabolism
1. Increases appetite: Bird’s eye chillies help in boosting the appetite and thus improving overall digestion. These chillies have capsaicin content that keeps digestive disorders at bay. Including them in your diet can speed up the movement of food in intestinal tracts and provide relief from flatulence.

2. Aids in weight loss: Bird’s eye chilli contains capsaicinoids that could help in reducing overall calorie intake, boosting metabolism, and torching body fat. It can also improve gut health, which can eventually lead to weight loss.

3. Anti-bacterial properties: As bird’s eye chilli is a medicinal plant, it has anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. This prevents blood clots, reduces the risk of heart diseases and tuberculosis. It also acts as a great pain reliever.

Nutritional Composition of Bird’s Eye Chili

Nutritional facts for 45 grams of bird’s eye chilli.

NUTRITIONAL FACT

 MEASURE
Calories

 18
Total fat

 0.2 g
Cholesterol

 0 mg
Sodium

 4 mg
Potassium

 145 mg
Total carbohydrates

 4 g
Dietary fibre

 0.7 g
Sugars

 2.4 g
Protein

 0.8 g
Vitamin A

 2%
Vitamin E

 2%
Niacin

 4%

How to use bird's eye chilli

To say that bird's eye chilli is spicy is an understatement. This tiny little pepper packs 100,000 Scovilles of heat. The Thai variant is at 225,000, according to Chili-Plant.com. So it's important that you handle the chilli with care.

In Kerala, where it's eaten widely, it's mashed with rice or made into a spicy chutney. It can also be added (a few of them albeit) into gravies, curries and marinades for an extra spicy kick.


Disclaimer:
“The recipes, food, its nutritional value or any other information are developed/shared by expert professionals as per their skill levels. The website shall not be responsible for any consequences arising as a result of using or following any information given in this video/article. Viewers discretion advised.”