Chili pepper or cayenne pepper is a spicewhich you can easily find on store shelves. It is produced mainly from one variety of chili pepper – Cayenne, but there are also mixtures of other industrially grown varieties such as: Jalapeño, Piri-piri or Habanero. called chili pepper can be found in two versions: powdered or dried, containing both fragments of pepper pulp and its seeds – i.e. elements, which contain the highest amount of capsaicin responsible for sharpness.
Chili peppers are characterized primarily by: spicy taste. It has become the basis of many Indian, Japanese, Chinese and Hungarian dishes. Depending on the variety from which it was produced, it may contain different amounts of capsaicin.
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The Scoville scale is used to measure the spiciness level of chili peppers. The more points it has, the hotter the pepper. What is the score for the most popular chili pepper varieties?
- jalapeno – 3,500 – 8,000 SHU,
- cayenne – 30,000 – 50,000 SHU,
- tabasco – 30,000 – 50,000 SHU,
- habanero – 100,000 – 350,000 SHU.
When choosing a spice, it is worth paying attention to what varieties of peppers it was made from. This will allow you to determine its degree of sharpness.
Powdered chili pepper is a source of valuable antioxidantsamong which the most important is capsaicin, responsible for its sharp taste. Fresh pepper is also a valuable source of vitamin C and flavonoids. However, these ingredients decompose when dried at high temperatures. Capsaicin, on the other hand, is resistant to it.
Consuming chili peppers causes a feeling of heat and burning because capsaicin acts on the neurons responsible for the feeling of heat and pain. This is often followed by an increase in heart rate and sweating. These are the direct effects of consuming chili peppers. Including it permanently in your diet can but bring many health benefits.
Capsaicin is powerful an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. It not only protects against cancer, e.g. prostate or stomach cancer, but also prevents muscle atrophy caused by cisplatin used during cancer therapy.
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Eating chili peppers regularly also works analgesic and anti-inflammatory in rheumatic diseases. Speeds up the fight against upper respiratory tract infections. It dissolves and helps expel phlegm stuck in the bronchi. Capsaicin reduces bacterial skin inflammation, e.g. in acne. Scientific research also confirms its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, thanks to which protects against type 2 diabetes.
The health benefits of chili peppers include: impact on the circulatory system. Capsaicin lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it dilates blood vessels, thanks to which lowers blood pressure.
Chili peppers should be avoided primarily by people with a sensitive digestive system and intestinal diseases, e.g. irritable bowel syndrome IBS. It may cause stomach pain after consuming it.
After chili peppers were introduced to Europe, the spice quickly spread throughout Europe and Asia. Currently, it is commonly used in Indian cuisine to prepare, for example, dal, and is part of the popular curry mixture. We can also find it in Japanese and Chinese cuisine as addition to ramen or wok vegetables. It also took Hungarian cuisine by storm. Without chili peppers, Hungarian goulash wouldn’t taste the same.
You can use chili spice in almost any dish in which you want to increase its spiciness. Perfect for stews, sauces, dips, soups and bread spreads.. You can also use it for preparation desserts based on chocolate or cocoa.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, deietetyki.org.pl, elektroia.pl
