Chili pepper (from Nahuatl chilli), also known as, or spelled, chilli pepper, chilli, chillie, chili, and chile, is the fruit of the plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae.
Although botanically speaking, the fruit of capsicums are berries, the peppers are considered as vegetables or spices for culinary purposes. Depending on flavour intensity and fleshiness, their culinary use varies from use as a vegetable (e.g., bell pepper) to use as a spice (e.g., cayenne pepper).
Chilli peppers originated in the Americas. Their cultivars are now grown around the world, because they are widely used as food and as medicine.
The substances that give chilli peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) and several related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids.Capsaicin is the primary ingredient in pepper spray.
The "heat" of chilli peppers is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), which is the number of times a chili extract must be diluted in water for it to lose its heat. Bell peppers rank at 0 SHU, New Mexico green chillis at about 1,500 SHU, jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 SHU, and habaneros at 300,000 SHU.
Scovill units Pepper type
| 16,000,000
|
Pure
capsaicin , dihydrocapsaicin |
| 9,100,000
|
Nordihydrocapsaicin
|
| 8,600,000
|
Homodihydrocapsaicin
and homocapsaicin |
| 5,300,000
|
Police
grade pepper spray |
| 2,000,000
|
Common
pepper spray |
| 350,000
- 580,000 |
Red
Savina habanero |
| 100,000
- 350,000 |
Habanero
chile |
| 100,000
- 325,000 |
Scotch
bonnet |
| 100,000
- 225,000 |
African
birdseye (aka "African Devil") |
| 100,000
- 200,000 |
Jamaican
hot pepper |
| 100,000
- 125,000 |
|
| 95,000
- 110,000 |
Bahamian
pepper |
| 85,000
- 115,000 |
Tabiche
pepper |
| 50,000
- 100,000 |
Chiltepin
pepper |
| 50,000
- 100,000 |
Rocoto
|
| 40,000
- 58,000 |
Pequin
pepper |
| 40,000
- 50,000 |
|
| 40,000
- 50,000 |
Santaka
pepper |
| 30,000
- 50,000 |
Cayenne
pepper |
| 30,000
- 50,000 |
Tabasco
pepper |
| 15,000
- 30,000 |
de
Arbol pepper |
| 12,000
- 30,000 |
Manzano
pepper , Ají |
| 5,000
- 23,000 |
Serrano
pepper |
| 5,000
- 10,000 |
Hot
wax pepper |
| 5,000
- 10,000 |
Chipotle
|
| 2,500
- 8,000 |
Jalapeño
|
| 2,500
- 8,000 |
Santaka
pepper |
| 2,500
- 5,000 |
Guajilla
pepper |
| 1,500
- 2,500 |
Rocotilla
pepper |
| 1,000
- 2,000 |
Pasilla
pepper |
| 1,000
- 2,000 |
Ancho
pepper |
| 1,000
- 2,000 |
Poblano
pepper |
| 700
- 1,000 |
|
| 500
- 2,500 |
|
| 500
- 1,000 |
|
| 500
- 700 |
|
| 100
- 500 |
Pepperoncini
pepper |
| 100
- 500 |
Pimento
|
| 0
|
Sweet
bell pepper |
As well as tasting
good, your intake of chillis has far reaching medicinal benefits. A single
chilli pepper has been found to contain a full day's supply of beta carotene
and nearly twice the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C.
Chillis can boost your immune system and cut cholesterol.They have been
successful in treating asthma and arthritis. Chilli has been used to help
people lose weight naturally because it increases the metabolic rate. Because
Chilli encourages the body to release endorphins you feel satisfied and
less hungry.
Research carried out at the University of California and the University
of Pittsburgh has revealed that capsaicin (the hot part) in chillis could
help to fight cancer by killing off cancer cells. You’ll also find
that capsaicin is an ingredient in many traditional remedies for colds,
flu and nasal congestion.
There are many more health benefits from eating chilli peppers. Just type
health benefits chilli peppers into your browser to find them.
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