It is apparent that a lot of care should be exercised in the selection, and combination of food materials. It is important that our food should contain some or all of  the various food elements. Food is usually plant or animal and contain absolutely necessary nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, as previously mentioned. Here Dr. Joseph Mercola, Mercola.com, adds a little spice to your cooking and food preparation with capsaicin:

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“Chili peppers (capsicum annuum) are one of the most common yet important spices in cooking, and is enjoyed by countless people all over the world. While most people believe that they originated from India, China or Thailand — countries that make extensive use of chilies in their cuisine — did you know that they actually originated from the Americas?¹

The history of chili peppers goes back to more than 6,500 years ago in the Mexican region.² Ancient Mexicans extensively used them to spice up their food, and in 1492, it was introduced to the Europeans when Christopher Columbus unexpectedly ended up in America.³

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Originally, Columbus wasn’t looking for chili peppers — he was simply looking for another route to Asia to acquire black peppercorns, which were considered luxury items in Europe back then. After he returned with plant samples to the Iberian Peninsula, Portuguese traders brought them around the world for bartering, eventually ending up in Asia and becoming even more widespread.⁴

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What makes chili peppers unique is capsaicin, the ingredient that gives them their spicy flavor, as well as their unique health benefits. It was first isolated in 1846 by a British Chemist named John Clough Thresh,⁵ but it was only in 1979 that capsaicin was tested in a scientific environment for therapeutic uses.

Tony Yaksh, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic, discovered that repeated topical applications of capsaicin depleted substance P (a signaling molecule), which helped ease irritation and inflammation. Since this discovery, capsaicin has become more prevalent.⁶

Chili Peppers Are the Best Natural Sources of Capsaicin

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If you’re looking to add capsaicin to your diet, chili peppers are your best source. The only exception to this food group is the bell pepper, which has no capsaicin.⁷ To gain the health benefits of this compound, you need to buy real chili peppers that will give your food that distinctive spicy flavor.

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The spiciness of chili peppers is measured using the Scoville Scale, developed by pharmacist William Scoville in 1912. To measure the pepper, it needs to be diluted repeatedly until the strength is not detectable anymore by the human tongue. For example, a jalapeño has a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of 8,000, which means it was diluted 8,000 times.⁸ The table below shows the SHU of the most commonly used peppers in cooking:⁹

Pepper	Scoville Heat Units	Description
Cherry	500	Typically measures 4 inches long and 4 inches wide, with a shape that resembles a heart. The heat is very mild.
Anaheim	1,000 to 5,000	Maroon in color and has a long, skinny body. The flavor is only slightly hotter than the cherry variety.
Jalapeño	2,000 to 8,000	This pepper is usually red or green, with a length of 2 to 3 inches. Many people agree that it gives off the right amount of spiciness, leading to its popularity.
Serrano	10,000 to 25,000	The appearance is similar to the jalapeño, but with a hotter taste.
Cayenne	25,000 to 50,000	This pepper is popular for spicy food lovers because it adds a noticeable amount of heat.
Tabasco	30,000 to 60,000	This special type of pepper is used to produce the popular Tabasco hot sauce. A single pepper usually measures 2 inches long, and can come in green, red, yellow or orange.
Thai	50,000 to 100,000	Typically measuring less than an inch per pepper, Thai peppers pack serious heat. It’s mainly added to spicy Thai dishes.
Rocoto	100,000 to 250,000	The rocoto pepper has a large size similar to the bell pepper, but is rounder and only comes in red or green. It’s usually used to make special hot sauces.
Habanero	150,000 to 350,000	The habanero is well-known for being one of the spiciest peppers. It can come in various colors, and measures only 3 centimeters in length.
Ghost	1,000,000	Recognized as one of the hottest peppers in the market, a single seed from a ghost pepper can leave your mouth scorching for up to 30 minutes.

The great thing about chili peppers is their versatility. Depending on the variety you choose, they can be mixed in recipes or added to dips, marinades and salsa to give them the right amount of heat.^10″

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Read More … Article Source: https://articles.mercola.com/vitamins-supplements/capsaicin.aspx

 

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