"Hotter is better
Although the chemical compound capsaicin itself is colorless and odorless, it is generally associated with hot peppers. Hot peppers like the ghost pepper and the newly crowned Smokin' Ed's Carolina Reaper contain some of the highest amounts of capsaicin found naturally. The amount of capsaicin in a pepper is measured using the Scoville index, where pure capsaicin is rated at 16,000,000. The hottest peppers in the world only measure up to 1.5-1.6 million Scovilles. Jalapenos and cayenne pepper come in at around 8,000 and 50,000, respectively. For beginners to spicy food, start small and add more heat as tolerance increases, you can always add more, and you don't want to ruin a meal with too much."
(Source: Natural News by Dr. Daniel Zagst)
When I think about Chili Peppers I usually correlate them to ethnic cuisines. There are some really great benefits to including "spicy" peppers into your diet. I have been going through 1 pound bags of Jalapenos and Serranos' each week for a while now, and not to mention Kui and Jesse love their food spicy so they go quick. Since they have become such a constant in my food world as of late I decided to do a little research so I could share my findings. There are the really obvious things about hot peppers that we all know like they clear the sinuses and are classified as a fruit, so they have to be full of beneficial nutrients. Peppers like Jalapenos, Serranos, Habaneros, and Chili (Cayenne Peppers) have Capsaicin, which is the reason why they are so hot and should not to be confused with the Capsicum or Bell Peppers which has none.
Peppers, in general, are full of Vitamins A, C, and K. Vitamins A and C prevent cell damage, improve immune function and aging related diseases. They are also great for the reduction of inflammation found in arthritis and asthma. The Vitamin K supports healthy blood clotting, healthy bones and protection of cells.
Capsaicin has been shown to speed up a persons metabolism and we all know that a slow metabolism is a deterring factor in losing weight. Eating spicy peppers (raw mainly) with meals has also shown to help you eat less, but to consume more water which will help you feel full faster.
"Ironically, the same intense heat from capsaicin that makes hot peppers intolerable to some people also makes it an effective pain reliever. Topical capsaicin cream or ointment can be used on the skin to help relieve pain from surgery, neuralgia, shingles, cluster headaches, arthritis, psoriasis and mouth sores caused by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Capsaicin relieves pain by stimulating and then immediately decreasing intensity of pain signals sent to the brain. It also blocks Substance P, a neuropeptide responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain and causing swelling of nerve fibers." (source Amazing Health Benefits of Capsaicin by Jennifer LaMaire)
To further the above fact that spicy peppers clear the sinuses, the nasal passage is cleared by thinning the mucus and relieving congestion. Antibacterial properties of the peppers capsaicin fight off chronic infections and allergy symptoms. It has also been found to ease the pains associated with COPD and emphysema which are common lung complications.
Lastly for health benefits, something we all love to hear, "CANCER KILLER." The capsaicin kills cancer cells by prompting the mitochondria in the cells to go through "apoptosis," in layman's terms means cell-suicide.
"When exposed to capsaicin cancer cells are destroyed but there is no damaged to the surrounding tissue. Prostate cancer tumors shrank by 80 percent when exposed to capsaicin." (source: cont. by Dr. Zagst)
It has been really easy to integrate peppers into my diet, I slice them up raw and throw them into practically everything, soups, stews, pasta, beans, cottage cheese, they are pretty versatile. While the heat of each individual pepper can vary, if you can get used to the heat you will gain a whole lot more than a "spicy" mouth:)
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