Paprika

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from ground, dried fruits of Capsicum annuum, either Bell Pepper or Chili Pepper varieties or mixtures thereof.

Special Precautions of Paprika

• Side effects of paprika are allergic reactions, especially in people with low tolerance for peppers and according to one study, latex, gastrointestinal diseases, colds, and the flu.
• Interaction with drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, antibiotics, pain killers, and dietary supplements.
• Pregnant and nursing women should also exercise caution.
• The many healthy benefits of paprika can easily be lost through the wrong processing. Commercially-dried peppers, for instance, are exposed to high heat environments that can easily leach away most of the vitamins and nutrients present. It is therefore advisable to seek out paprika that has been naturally dried (in the sun), or simply make your own. This way you can be assured of attaining the health benefits that attend this useful spice.

Benefits and uses of Paprika are

• Vitamin A and Carotenoids : Paprika comes loaded with carotenoids -- the pigments that give it its deep red color. Its lutein and zeaxanthin content benefits your eyesight by preventing harmful light rays from damaging your eye tissues, while its vitamin A content aids in night vision and plays a role in healthy cell development. A tablespoon of paprika contains 3,349 international units of vitamin A -- more than 100 percent of the daily intake requirement for men and women, set by the Institute of Medicine. While, as of September 2013, the Institute of Medicine has not set a recommended daily intake, consuming 12 milligrams daily improves eyesight, reports the American Optometric Association. Each serving of paprika has 1.3 milligrams of lutein and zeaxanthin, or 11 percent of this goal.
• Vitamin E : Paprika also boosts your daily intake of vitamin E. Each tablespoon provides 2 milligrams of vitamin E, or 13 percent of the recommended daily intake determined by the Institute of Medicine. Vitamin E helps control blood clot formation and promotes healthy blood vessel function, and also serves as an antioxidant, preventing cellular lipids from destruction. Getting enough vitamin E in your diet also promotes healthy cell communication.
• Vitamin C : The types of peppers generally used to create paprika can have six to nine times the amount of vitamin C found in tomatoes
• Iron : Adding paprika to your diet also helps you get more iron. The iron from your diet supports your cellular metabolism -- it allows your cells to carry out a series of chemical reactions, called the electron transport chain, that result in the energy production. Iron also supports the function of hemoglobin and myoglobin -- two proteins tasked with transporting and storing oxygen that your tissues need to function. A tablespoon of paprika contains 1.4 milligrams of iron, providing 8 and 18 percent of the daily recommended intakes for women and men, respectively, determined by the Institute of Medicine.
• Antibacterial : Paprika contains an antibacterial protein that has been found to naturally control (by limiting the growth of) certain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that are transferred through ingestion. Considering typical treatment is chemical, paprika may provide an alternate treatment for people poisoned by these particular illness-inducing bacteria (although further testing is necessary).
• Heart-Health : Paprika is a stimulant that can have a marked effect on the cardiovascular system. It can improve circulation and even help normalize blood pressure. Along with vitamin C, this gives users a double whammy of heart-healthy benefits.
• Cholesterol-Lowering : Potential heart-health benefits of paprika were demonstrated in a study published in the December 2009 "British Journal of Nutrition." In the animal study, supplementation with capsanthin, a carotenoid antioxidant in paprika, significantly increased levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the good form of cholesterol. Capsanthin did not increase triglycerides and levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, the bad form of cholesterol. Capsanthin also promoted increased activity of an enzyme involved in production of HDL cholesterol.
• Digestion : It can also aid in digestion through a boost in saliva and stomach acids (as such, it can also be used to treat indigestion). Interestingly, high doses of paprika may interact with some other medications to cause drowsiness, so if you plan to add it as an herbal supplement to your diet, you may want to first consult a physician.
• anti-inflammatory properties.
• Cancer Prevention : Cancer-preventive benefits of capsanthin were demonstrated in a study published in the October 2011 "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." In the tissue-culture study, capsanthin and related compounds prevented growth and spread of human pancreatic cancer cells and mouse skin cancer tumors. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results before paprika or its active constituents can be recommended in the prevention or treatment of cancer.
• Weight Management : Paprika may promote weight loss, according to an animal study published in the November 2009 "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." In the study, animals that consumed a paprika beverage in place of water for six weeks lost significant amounts of weight. Paprika also activated genes that promote production of glycogen -- the liver's short-term storage form of glucose -- increased the use of glucose for energy and lowered cholesterol levels.