Chili peppers add fire to all types of dishes and belong to the family of foods with the Latin name, Capsicum. There are hundreds of types of chili peppers available which vary in shape, color, size, flavor and ‘hotness'. Chili peppers have many seeds inside and can range from less than an inch in length to about six inches. It is usually a half to an inch in diameter and red or green in color.
Most chilies are not sprayed because insects tend to avoid capsaicin (the hot compound in chilies). Organic chilies have superior culinary quality because they are grown in nutrient-rich soil.
What to look out for?
Storage and preparation tips:
Cooking and use of chili peppers:
Chili peppers are ground to make chili powder, paprika and cayenne powder. Chili pepper is used both as a seasoning and for medicinal purposes.
As different varieties of chili pepper have different ranges of ‘hotness', you have to adjust the amount to use based on the type of chili pepper used, and the recipe. It is recommended to taste some chili pepper powder before adding to a recipe to determine its spice level and thus, decide how much to use it.
Chili Peppers Nutrition Facts:
Red chili peppers have lots of vitamin A and C, iron, potassium and dietary fiber. All types of chili peppers have capsaicin, which gives them a particular taste that varies from mild to intense spice on eating.
Capsaicin inhibits substance P, a neuropeptide that is related to inflammatory processes. It is also effective in treating sensory nerve fiber disorders and pain related to arthritis, diabetic neuropathy and psoriasis.
Red chili peppers like cayenne also help reduce blood cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and platelet aggregation. It also helps the body dissolve fibrin that is important in helping with formation of blood clots.
