The substance in the peppers that make them hot is called capsaicin. The amount of heat is measured in Scoville units. A habanero pepper has 150,000 to 350,000 Scoville units, while a jalapeno has only 5,000.The part of the pepper that is hot are the seeds inside and the white membrane. When cooking jalapenos if you want to cut the heat, you cut out all of that.
In addition to culinary uses the hot peppers have medicinal uses as well. The substance capsaicin is a well-known pain reliever. It works by causing the sensation of heat to be registered in the brain as pain. The brain then releases endorphins. The endorphins cause a temporary elation, a sort of "high". This is good for a number of things. One of those things is relief of pain. There are a number of preparations in the forms of creams and ointments that can be applied topically to relieve arthritis pain and pain in the joints. These are available at your local drugstore.
Hot peppers are known for other things. The capsaicin is said to reduce the itching and inflammation that are caused by psoriasis.They are loaded with vitamin C, they have been touted as an aphrodisiac, they increase blood flow in the body, and speed up the metabolism. Peppers have carotenoids and flavonoids which work as antioxidants fighting free radicals. Men who use chili peppers regularly in their diet appear to have less occurrence of prostate cancer.
A word of caution. When handling hot peppers, be sure to wash your hands afterwards and keep your hands away from your eyes. You do not want the capsaicin in your eyes. Peppers are a good choice, both for eating and for health.
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Valerie Lull, Author
Ten Healthy Teas
Lullval@clearwire.net
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