You may wonder how there can be health benefits to eating peppers, but there are many. They are packed with nutrients that most don’t think about. Not to mention they are very low in calories and high in fiber. Along with the health benefits, they liven up food. Some are moderate in temperature and some a very, very hot. They come in many colors and sizes.
Pepper Types
All types of peppers are part of the genus Capsicum, which includes hot varieties, also known as chili peppers, and sweet varieties, such as the bell pepper.
The heat of a pepper is measured using Scoville Units: The scale ranges from zero all the way to 3,000,000
Below are a few more popular peppers, how they are used, and their heat index.
Bell Peppers
Great for adding color to dishes. Adds a mild flavor.
Heat unit is “0”
Bananna Pepper
Mild but tangy. Used on pizza or in sandwiches.
Heat unit is “0-500
Cherry Pepper
Cherry peppers are usually chopped and you will find it stuffed in olives and in Pimento loaves and cheese.
Heat unit is “500”
Poblano Pepper
Mostly used in Mexican dishes and are mildly spicy.
Heat unit is “1000-2000”
Anaheim Pepper
Chile Verde and Salsa
Heat unit is “500-2500
Chilacha
When dried it is black and wrinkly and has a prune-like flavor with a hint of licorice. It’s soaked and toasted and usually combined with fruit.
Heat unit is “1,500-2,500
Jalapeno Pepper
As Mexican pepper is usually picked green. When ripens, it turns red. Jalapenos are used for sauces and salsas. When dried it is called Chipoltle.
Heat unit is “3,500-8,000”
Serrano Pepper
Used in Mexican and Thai Cooking
Heat unit is “6000-23,000”
Cheyenne
Used in Tex Mex dishes like Chili con carne
Heat unit is “30,000-50,000”
Tabasco
This pepper grows throughout the world. It is used to make the famous Tabasco Sauce
Heat unit is “30,000-60,000”
Rocoto
From South America and commonly used in Salsa
Heat unit is “100,000-250,000”
Habenero Pepper
Mainly used in sauces
Heat unit is “150.000-350,000”
Ghost Pepper
This pepper is very hot! It comes from India. It is half as hot as pepper spray used by law enforcement and 100 times hotter than the Jalapeno.
Heat unit is “1,000,000 +”
Nutritional Value of Peppers
Peppers are high in Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, a chemical substance capable of removing the threat from free radicals.
The Chili pepper is very rich in vitamin C, even more than the orange and lemon. Even after cooking, the Chili only loses a third of its Vitamin C. The chili pepper also contains A, B1, E, and P, though smaller quantities, and is high in antioxidants. It contains mainly carbohydrates, water, fiber, and minerals with almost zero fat.
By weight, green bell peppers have twice as much Vitamin C as citrus fruit; red peppers have three times as much. Hot peppers contain even more Vitamin C, 357% more than an orange. Red peppers are a good source of beta carotene as well.
When these peppers are dried, they lose most, if not all, of the Vitamin C, but Vitamin A increases 100 times.
Capsaicin in peppers
When you eat a hot pepper, the capsaicin in the pepper causes the nerve cells in the spinal cord to release substance P, a chemical that may lead to the desensitization of your reaction to hot peppers. The more you eat hot peppers, the less the effect they have on you.
Capsaicin has been found to work as an anticoagulant, thus possibly may help to prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. Small amounts of capsaicin can produce numbing of the skin and have a slight anti-inflammatory effect. In some countries, peppers are used in salves.
Capsaicin acts as an antioxidant to neutralize nitrosamine, a carcinogen. Capsaicin stimulates the flow of gastric juices, which shields the lining of the stomach from acids.
Capsaicin has been found to reduce pain in arthritis when typically applied repeatedly over several weeks. Researchers have found that it reduces substance P.
Preparing food with peppers
Sweet Bell Peppers are used in many dishes. They taste good raw or with a dip. When preparing the sweet pepper, the seeds are usually taken out. The Bell Pepper comes in different colors. Some varieties turn from green to red, others turn from green to orange, and still others change from green to yellow. Most are red, orange, and yellow, but there are even Purple Bell Peppers. They can really brighten up a snack tray.
If you want the flavor without your mouth being on fire, remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the chile before cooking it. It’s also a good idea to have dairy products, such as milk or yogurt, on hand. They contain casein, which helps neutralize capsaicin, the chemical that gives Chile their heat. Always protect your skin by wearing gloves and never touch your eyes when handling hot peppers.
If you try to take the seeds out of Jalapenos with bare hands, the juices can get into your pores. I did this once to make pepper jelly. My hands hurt for days! I would wake up in the middle of the night and it felt like the skin was coming off the bones. I kept washing them and putting cream on them. I didn’t pay attention to the directions because I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Well, I found out different, so thought I would share the story.
Also, when cooking peppers it’s a good idea to open windows or turn on a fan. The vapors can take your breath away.
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are a lot of health benefits of eating peppers, even the hot ones. Some people can handle hot peppers better than others. In most cases, you will get used to some of the semi-hot ones if eaten enough. I have heard some people can eat Habaneros. The Ghost Peppers is another story.
Please, leave a comment.
Medical waiver
“The information on this post is for informational purposes only and not as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter, you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare providers.”