Fan of veggies?
Be part of the fun!
Subscribe to the
Vegetarian Fun Newsletter !
You will receive 2 bonuses:
- A Vegetarian recipe ebook
- A Smoothie recipe ebook
+
Get free vegetarian recipes, learn about rare spices, interesting condiments and mind-boggling facts. We're an equal opportunity question answering site -- have a question? Ask. We'll get you an answer or a source for more information, anyway! From backyard gardens to the stove, anything veggie goes!
Subscribe today:
Privacy policy:
Your email is safe;
we NEVER share our list.
Chili Peppers -- How Hot is Really Hot?
Chili peppers are a zippy way to spice up your foods and keep your body
zipping along, too.
Documented proof abounds, assuring us that the compound in chili pepper that
makes it hot, capsaicin, will find its way into your bloodstream and keep the
fats moving, thereby not clogging your arteries! That's a very simplified
explanation, but capsaicin is a thermogenic agent. As such, it does increase
overall fat burning activity, all of which is good for us.
There are a thousand websites touting chili peppers, but here are a few
interesting facts we've accumulated:
1. The heat index used for chili peppers is called the Scoville Scale and
named for Wilbur Scoville's 1912 work. Accordingly, a Habanero or Scotch
Bonnet pepper can be rated 250,000 - 500,000 heat units, whereas a Jalapeno is
a mere 3,500 units!
2. The hottest parts of the pepper pod are the ribs, then the skin and
finally, mildest of all, the seeds. Want to tone down the strength of the
fire? Take out the ribs and seeds, soak the peppers for 30 minutes in cold
water and then use. To soak them longer just diminishes their flavor, not
their heat.
3. Ongoing studies abound on the medical uses of peppers and their capsaicin
content, but one completed study in Australia has shown that insulin spikes in
diabetics are ameliorated by adding chili pepper spices to their diets.
4. To rescue your mouth from excessive pepper fire, you are best advised to
hold a large spoonful of yogurt in it for as long as you can manage. Do NOT
swallow it -- spit it out. You can then follow 5 minutes of that with a
spoonful of sugar, again spitting it out after your mouth fills naturally with
saliva. What does NOT help is drinking water, alcohol, coffee or anything
else -- you'll spread the oily pepper juice containing the capsaicin and make
things worse!
The only liquid that does do a good job is peach juice from heavily sugared
canned peaches. But if that is not handy, try one of the other helpful
substances. A helpful word about the average time that debilitating heat
lasts: 20 minutes. If you live that long, you'll recover and so will your
sense of taste! That's a promise.
Peppers are your friends. You just need to know how to behave around them!
