[9+ Best] Chili Powder Reviews and Comparison

Chili Powder Health Benefits

Chili powders are often great for your health in normal amounts, as they contain ingredients that are great for the heart and circulatory system, and they carry with them a myriad of other benefits as well. Chili powders are high in capsaicin and antioxidants, and have been shown to improve insulin regulation. Some of the key benefits of chili powder include:

1.) Great for Hair and Skin Health

Ingesting adequate amounts of Vitamin C provides many benefits including immune and digestive benefits, but it also acts with the Vitamin A within most chili powders to maintain collagen fibers, an important protein found in the hair and skin. Vitamin A also acts by increasing sebum secretions, which improves the sleek appearance and feel of a healthy head of hair. One tablespoon of the average chili powder contains approximately 44% the daily value of Vitamin A.

2.) Fighting Infections

As discussed, chili powders are high in Vitamin C, a key water-soluble antioxidant that bolsters the immune system and preps it for immediate and effective action. It helps the body develop resistance against infections and eliminates cancer-inducing free radicals throughout the body.

3.) Supports Digestive Health

Most chili powders contain a considerable amount of fiber. Fiber stimulates digestive motion and increased secretion of gastric juices, which helps to ease digestion and prevent conditions like constipation. Fiber also helps to protect the body from more serious conditions like colorectal cancer.

4.) Helps Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure

Due to the fact that most chili powders contain an ideal potassium-to-sodium ratio, they can provide benefits to the health and malleability and fortitude of blood vessels throughout the body. One tablespoon of chili powder contains 144 milligrams of potassium, compared to just 75.8 milligrams of sodium. These nutrients help the blood vessels relax and maintain proper blood pressure.

5.) Improve Cognitive Function

It contains enough iron to help lead to increased hemoglobin production within the blood, as well as increasing overall blood flow. These nutrients facilitate improved blood and oxygen flow to the brain and its accompanying neurons, helping to improve overall function. Proper amounts of oxygen and iron in the brain lead to improved cognitive performance and a decrease in cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

6.) Red Blood Cell Aid

Iron and copper are found in high amounts in a majority of chili powders sold. They are important for forming new cells and a health blood cell metabolism throughout the circulatory system. Deficiencies in iron can cause fatigue, anemia and muscular weakness.

7.) Optical Health

As discussed, chili powder contains plenty of the ever versatile Vitamin A. On top of the aforementioned benefits of this powerhouse vitamin, it has also been shown to improve your eyesight and prevent night blindness. It has also been shown to prevent macular degeneration from developing as we age.

With great benefits and a variety of choices, there are plenty of great choices for chili powder, all of which may contain unique and flavorful combinations. We have put this list together to help simplify the process and inform you of key features, ingredients, and pros and cons for each product. 

10 Best Chili Powders

Usage Recommendations

When using chili powder, the possibilities are a great many. Popular choices are with meats, vegetables, chilis, barbecue sauces, curry, fried vegetables, and much more. The flavor complex is commonly very smoky and southwestern flavored, and serves to add spice and flavor to bland dishes. A great chili powder brings deep flavor and complex heat to recipes, and different recipes provide varying levels of these characteristics. When searching for your ideal chili powder, keep in mind your taste preferences. How much spice do you prefer? Do you prefer smokier or spicier? What meals would you like to use the chili powder with?

There are options in our list that go great with most dishes that could call for chili powder, and there are also more specific options that may be much spicier or smokier. The possibilities for usage of chili powder really only end with your creativity, as there are a huge amount of recipes that could benefit from the addition of a rich and flavorful spice.

When choosing and utilizing your chili powder, be sure to understand the ingredients in your product. If it contains salt, be sure to not overload on usage, as this can flood your recipes with sodium and take away from the inherent health benefits that chili powder possesses.

Chili Powder Additional Uses

Chili powder is the dried, minced fruit of one or more multiplicities of chili pepper, occasionally with the inclusion of other spices. Chili powder is occasionally integrated in various foods, such as Indian, Korean, Chinese, Thai, and Tex-Mex. Chili powder is a spice that is used to enhance a dish with tanginess and flavor. However, chili powder is far more useful that just spicing up your favorite meal!

Combat Inflammation

Chili peppers comprise of an element known as capsaicin. This substance is what provides the peppers with their distinguishing spiciness and can range from mild to extreme heat when consumed. Capsaicin is a powerful inhibitor of element P, which is a neuropeptide that is linked to the inflammatory developments. The spicier the chili pepper, the greater amount of capsaicin it holds. The hottest assortments currently include Scotch bonnet peppers and habanero. Next are jalapenos in their spice and capsaicin substance. Milder assortments include Hungarian and Anaheim cherry peppers and Spanish pimentos.

Currently, capsaicin is being researched as a valuable remedy for sensory nerve fiber ailments such as pain related to arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, and psoriasis.

Prostate Cancer Prevention

According to a study published in March 2006, the compound capsaicin, which is found in red chili peppers, can prevent the spread of prostate cancer in the cells through a range of processes. There are two major kinds of prostate cancer; those that whose development is invigorated by male hormones and those that are not affected by male hormones at all. Capsaicin prompts suicide in both major kinds of prostate cancer cell lines. Furthermore, capsaicin diminishes the manifestation of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), impedes the ability of the most powerful kind of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, to trigger PSA, and openly constrains PSA transcription, triggering PSA levels to drop.

Aids in Weight Loss

After consuming hot chili peppers, you may notice that you feel all that heat, which requires energy, or calories to create. Sweet red peppers have even been observed to hold ingredients that considerably improve oxygen consumption as well as heat production for more than twenty minutes after consumption.

Increases Immunity

The vivid color of the red chili pepper signifies its high substance of pro-vitamin A or beta-carotene. By consuming two teaspoons of red chili peppers, you will receive approximately six percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C combined with an additional ten percent of the everyday value of vitamin A. Vitamin A is crucial for supporting healthy mucous membranes that line the lungs, nasal passages, urinary tract and intestinal tract and aid as the body’s first line of protection against pathogens.

Avoiding Stomach Ulcers

Unfortunately, chili peppers do have a reputation for causing stomach ulcers. However, not only is this claim false, but they can aid in preventing ulcers by eradicating bacteria that you may have consumed, while encouraging the cells lining the stomach to discharge shielding safeguarding fluids.

Related Reading: 5 Foods to Avoid When Your Tummy Hurts

Circulatory Advantages

Red chili peppers, including cayenne, are known to decrease triglyceride levels, blood cholesterol, and platelet accumulation while also improving the body’s ability to dispel fibrin, which is an ingredient essential to the development of clotting blood. Nations where hot pepper is consumed copiously have a much lesser rate of stroke, heart attack, and pulmonary embolism.

Decreased Threat of Type 2 Diabetes

Using chili pepper regularly to spice any dish could aid in the reduction of your chances of hyperinsulinemia, or high levels of insulin in the blood, which is an ailment linked to type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that the quantity of insulin needed to decrease blood sugar following a meal is abridged if the meal comprises of chili pepper. When meals contain chili is a part of a regular diet, insulin needs are reduced.

Criteria for Evaluation

All of the options contained in our list were hand picked based on a variety of factors that include:

Ingredients

All of the products contained in our list come from respected brands that pride themselves on sourcing their ingredients naturally and providing safe and healthy products. While the majority of chili powders use cayenne, oregano, and allspice to add to flavor profiles, each pick has its own unique flavor profile and combination of ingredients that provide a unique experience each time. We curated a variety of products with varying combinations of ingredients to provide a choice between great tasting products based on your preferences.

Flavor Profile

Chili powders are known for their deep spice and complex and smoky flavor profile. There are varieties that are best suited for southwestern and mexican dishes, and also options that are more geared for asian and indian fare. Also, we included powders that have a very versatile flavor profile and usage and made sure to point that out in our descriptions. Powders that were not too overpowering but contained rich and balanced flavors made the top of our list, while more niche and unique tasting products can be found lower on the list. Products lower on the list do not sacrifice any quality, they are just simply more unique products that some may not be as fond of as others.

Source of Ingredients

Our list contains products with all-natural and organic ingredients, and all of them come from well-respected and authentic brands. You can be sure that any chili powder you choose from this list will provide the health benefits you would normally expect from a natural chili. Ingredients in these products are sourced from across the world and we have curated a list of products that contain a wide range of organic and lively ingredients.

Chili Powder Vs Cayenne Pepper

The cayenne pepper is a hot, red chili pepper used to relish dishes as well as for medicinal resolutions. Chili powder is a powder consisting chastely or primarily of powdered hot chili pepper, most normally either red peppers or cayenne peppers.

Cayenne pepper that is powdered and chili powder can look a lot alike; however, their flavors are very distinct. Both cayenne and chili comprise of the substance known as capsaicin, which is what makes these peppers spicy. Although, cayenne is a lot hotter than chili powder and also does not provide additional ingredients that are found in many blended chili powder arrangements. For certain recipes, you may be able to switch one for the other; however, you may require adjusting the ingredients to reason for the alteration in taste.

What is the Primary Differentiation between Cayenne Pepper and Chili Powder?

To be exact, cayenne pepper powder is basically chili powder. Cayenne pepper powder is actually one hundred percent chili powder, which is something more than you would characteristically receive from a conventional bottle of chili powder. These kinds of spices can contain cumin or oregano. The flavor of taste of each can vary from the next.

Which is Hotter?

Cayenne pepper powder usually is hotter than chili powders. Many chili powders apply hot peppers that are on the lower side of the heat scale than cayenne. Normally, cayenne pepper will use thirty thousand to fifty thousand Scoville heat units.

Yet, if cayenne pepper is used as the chili powder’s base, the actuality is that because it is cut using other ingredients, these other peppers will reduce the complete heat you can experience.

Is It Possible to Switch Cayenne Pepper for Chili Powder or Vice Versa?

It is possible to do so; however there are a few things that you must take note of before making any substitutions. Firstly, the heat from a pepper can completely alter a recipe’s pungency. If you do decide to substitute one for the other, make sure to do so with care! The end result may cause too much spiciness. Another thing to consider is that due to chili powder being a mixture of spices, switching it with another spice can alter the anticipated taste of the meal. If it is necessary for you to switch out one for the other, examine the labels and deliberate whether it is required to lessen other spices to bring balance to your dish.

Best Chili Powder Recipes to Try

One of the greatest benefits from grinding your own chili powder is your ability to control the mixture to your personal preference. There are any different kinds of spices that can be found in chili powder such as garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, and more.

It is extremely simple to alter the heat level of your chili powder, even though the spice that each chili pepper stores contrasts greatly established on their growing environments. In order to effectively control the heat of your chili powder, you can either scrape off or leave the lightly colored membranes which hold the seeds to the chili pepper. These membranes hold capsaicin, which is the compound that is responsible for giving chili peppers their spice.

When you first make chili powder, you may wonder what you could season with it. Well, chili powder is comparable to other seasoning blends. Of course, you can make chili with chili powder, but you can use it to make a fajita seasoning, sloppy joe seasoning, or taco seasoning, with some obvious variances to the blend.

Dehydrated Peppers

Before you can start making your very own homemade chili powder, you first have to dehydrate the chilies of your choosing. In order to this appropriately, you will want to cut the pepper open into halves or quarters so that it will dry the pepper faster. Place them in an oven set at 200F degrees and make sure you keep a watch on them so that they do not burn! Depending on the size of the peppers, this can take anywhere from one to three hours. Once the peppers are dehydrated and cooled off, you can safely grind them and store them in an air tight glass jar away from sunlight.

Chili Powder Recipes

For a basic chili recipe, you should try two tablespoons of paprika, two teaspoons of oregano, one and a half teaspoons of cumin, ¾ teaspoons of onion powder, one and a half teaspoons of garlic powder, and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper can be subtracted or increased, depending on your own personal preference.

This chili mix is a medium-hot spice which includes one and a half tablespoons of ground cumin, one and a half teaspoons of brown sugar, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper, four teaspoons of onion powder, one teaspoon mustard powder, four teaspoons Hungarian paprika, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, two teaspoons garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, two teaspoons salt, a pinch of ground cinnamon, two teaspoons onion powder, two bay leaves, and a teaspoon of dried oregano.

For those who are searching for a chili that packs a spicy punch, then the ingredients you will want to use include a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon red pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin.

If you are looking for a chili powder that suites a Tex-Mex cuisine, then you are searching for ingredients such as three dried guajillo chilies, one medium dried ancho chili, a teaspoon of cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon of Mexican oregano, ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cocoa powder, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.

Another basic homemade chili powder recipe that is perfect to use to create chili or use as a base includes the following ingredients ¼ cup of sweet paprika, two teaspoons of ground cumin, a tablespoon of dried oregano, a tablespoon of garlic powder, a tablespoon of onion powder, and one tablespoon of cayenne pepper.

FAQs

Where are these products made?

Most of the products in our list are made here in the USA, but they also source chili peppers from across the world. All of the products were chosen from brands that have great production reputations for being safe, fresh, and environmentally-conscious.

What is the shelf life of chili powder?

The shelf life of these products is over a year, as customers have reported using chili powders after a year or more without losing flavor or spice. It is recommended that you store your powder in a cool and dry place to ensure freshness.

What is the “silicon dioxide” ingredient?

Silicon dioxide is found naturally in plants, animals, our tissue, and even the earth. It is free of side effects and simply used to keep your chili powder product from clumping during storage.

Can chili powder be used in liquids?

Yes, chili powders have been used in drinks and smoothies in order to add the nutrient value to the drink. While the flavor complex is difficult to pair with most smoothies, there recipes that call for it to provide a very well-rounded and nutritious meal.

Do the products with ginger still provide the health benefits?

Yes, the powders that include ginger in the ingredient list contain enough of it to provide the great health benefits.

Are these products gluten free?

Yes, due to the fact that these products only contain ground peppers, there are no wheats, grains, or anything of that nature contained in these products.

How much should I add to my recipes?

Each product on this list has a unique blend of ingredients and varying levels of potency. Therefore, consult your product’s usage instructions to learn about the recommended portion size of chili powder to incorporate into your favorite recipes.

Is the same pepper used in each chili powder?

No, some of the chili powders contain ghost chilis, ancho chilis, and even ghost chili peppers. Each of these products will have their own unique flavor, and based on your preferences you can choose your favorite. Each of these choices also carries a unique spice and flavor profile, so experiment and find out your favorite variation of chili powder that will make all of your favorite dishes pop!

What are some best store-bought chili powders?

Here are some best store-bought chili powders:

• Simply Organic Chili Powder
• McCormick Dark Chili Powder
• Japanese Mixed Chili Pepper
• Carolina Reaper Powder
• Cayenne Pepper Powder

What are the different types of chili powders?

• Guajillo Chili Powder
• Ancho Chili Powder
• Light Chili Powder & Dark Chili Powder
• Habanero Powder
• Chipotle Morita
• Chili Threads