EntranceChilli. How to soothe a chili burn Why red peppers don't burn me
Great sweating, runny nose and burning in the throat. It looks like the symptoms of the disease, but this is a typical reaction to eaten hot peppers.
Every fourth person eats hot peppers every day. Why is a product that causes burning and discomfort so popular? If you get to know him more useful properties, then this is not surprising.
Chile comes from the warm regions of America. Chili has been known there since 7000 BC. To this day, they remain a popular ingredient in Mexican and South American cuisine.
Columbus was the first to name the pepper chili. He mistakenly thought that chili? a relative of black pepper, the most pungent plant in the Old World.
Black pepper belongs to the pepper family, but chili? to the nightshade family, like tomatoes and potatoes. Chile immediately became popular in certain regions of Europe, because it was a cheap alternative to expensive black pepper.
Chili soon spread to Asia, Africa and other tropical regions, where they became even more popular. It is impossible to imagine Indian, Thai or Sichuan cuisine without this spicy seasoning.
life spice
Chile? an economical way to add spice to unleavened food. But there is another reason why he has become such an important part of traditional cuisine. According to a 1998 report by biologists at Cornell University, the main reason? its ability to "kill bacteria and fungi in food".
Before the invention of refrigerators, spoiled food easily caused poisoning and death, especially in tropical regions. Chili not only gave the food a spicy taste, but also made it safe.
Studies show that chili reduces the risk of Salmonella, Listeria and other pathogenic bacteria and fungi. According to other studies, capsaicin, a pungent tasting substance, helps against cancer.
Pain Remedy
The botanical name for the chili pepper is Capsicum. This name comes from the Greek "bite".
Capsaicin? an odorless, oily alkaloid contained in the shell of the pepper that holds the seeds inside the fruit. When capsaicin comes into contact with any part of the body, a burning sensation occurs that lasts from a few seconds to several days. Mucous membranes are especially sensitive to this substance. Anyone who has accidentally rubbed their eyes while slicing a japapeño will attest to this.
From poblano and cayenne to habanero? pungency different varieties pepper is different. In 1912, pharmacist Wilbur Scoville developed a scale for estimating the spiciness of chili. The Scoville system describes how many cups of water it takes to get rid of the burning sensation in the tongue after eating a certain pepper. For example, capsicum is zero on this scale? it does not leave a burning sensation. Jalapenos have a rating of 5,000 to 15,000 points, while cayenne peppers sometimes reach 100,000 points.
Peppers keep getting hot
Over the past few years, several new records have been set. Recently, Bhut Jolokia (ghost pepper) was considered the hottest pepper. Its pungency reached 1,000,000 points. But he lost the title to the Trinidad Scorpion with 2,000,000 points. Its pungency is comparable to pepper spray. In 2014, the Carolina Reaper entered the Guinness Book of Records as the hottest pepper in the world? 2,200,000 points.
Botanical illustration of cayenne pepper by Frank Eugen Kohler. Photo: Public Domain
For a plant that causes so much discomfort, pepper is extremely safe. According to one study, in order to die, you need to eat 1.3 kg of hot pepper. Considering that most people cannot safely eat even one chili pod, the likelihood of pepper poisoning is negligible.
In fact, capsaicin has a positive effect on the body. It can be used to treat chronic pain. Commission E, the German commission that regulates herbal medicine, has approved cayenne pepper as a topical treatment for muscle cramps. American Control Commission food products and medicine approved an arthritis ointment containing 0.25 percent capsaicin. According to some studies, carsaicin is effective for cluster headaches.
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It seems incredible that a substance that causes pain relieves pain. But capsaicin affects the body's chemistry. The application of capsaicin depletes the neurotransmitters that signal pain and pain fade away. But first, the ointment causes a burning sensation.
Cansaicin concentrated ointment is only available at doctor's offices. To use such a burning ointment, the patient is first given local anesthesia.
Does capsaicin also trigger the release of endorphins? happiness hormone secreted by the pituitary gland in response to pain. Those who endure the terrible sensations of eating a very hot pepper then experience a euphoria that can last for hours.
Digestion
In traditional herbal medicine, chili is considered a stimulant. It is often used to improve slow digestion. In herbal medicine for constipation, it is recommended to add a lot of chili peppers to food.
Hot pepper does not harm the lining of the intestinal walls. It used to be that hot peppers aggravated stomach ulcers. But according to new research, it helps cure it. However, people who suffer from irritable digestive system, for example, irritable bowel syndrome, chili should be avoided: it will exacerbate these symptoms.
Cayenne pepper, illustration by Leonhart Fuchs. Photo: Public Domain
Benefits for the heart
Hot pepper not only helps with a number of ailments, but also enhances the effect of other herbs when used in herbal formulas. Therefore, some herbalists add cayenne pepper to almost all formulas.
One of the admirers of cayenne pepper is Samuel Thomson, the father of American herbal medicine. In the early 19th century, Western physicians were still using bloodletting to treat illnesses. Thomson became interested in medicinal plants used by the Indians. His favorite plants were cayenne pepper and lobelia.
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According to Dr. John Christopher, 20th-century herbalist, “cayenne pepper? one of the best plants ever." His daily diet included a tablespoon of cayenne pepper diluted in a glass of water. According to Dr. Christopher, cayenne pepper? one of the best remedies for cardiovascular diseases. According to him, a strong decoction of cayenne pepper can even save a person from a heart attack.
Chile improves heart function, prevents blood clots in blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure and dilates arteries. A pinch of cayenne powder sprinkled on a wound will stop the bleeding in a minute and usually without pain.
Due to its antimicrobial action, hot pepper is a good remedy for the treatment of flu and colds. Pepper kills germs and relieves cold symptoms. Capsaicin thins mucus, which will help get rid of stuffy nose and mucus congestion in the lungs.
How to use?
If you want to get regular doses of capsaicin to treat a specific condition, there are cayenne pepper tinctures and capsules. But it is much more interesting to consume it with food. In addition to capsaicin, chili peppers contain a large number of vitamins A, B, C, E, calcium, phosphorus and iron.
There are many ways to include capsaicin in your diet: fresh chopped peppers, dried flakes, cayenne pepper powder, chili vinegar, or hot chili sauce. Spicy sauce easy to cook at home. Take salt, vinegar, garlic and a few spicy varieties (raw or roasted) and blend everything in a blender.
How to understand that chili is too much?
It can only determine your language. Tolerance to hot pepper varies from person to person. But the more often you eat chili, the more you get used to the heat.
If you have eaten too much chili, do not drink water. This will only increase the pain. It is better to eat pepper with starchy food: bread, rice or potatoes. And the best remedy? milk. Dairy products contain the substance casein, which neutralizes capsaicin.
Website columnist Boris Burda explains why red peppers are so hot and shares a recipe for chili con carne.
From the darkness of fresh ages
Europe got acquainted with red pepper when, among other rarities, Columbus presented to the surprised nobles "red salt", which gives dishes a piquant taste, but completely unsalted. But it burned so much that a number of valiant conquistadors were sensitively affected by the use of poison gases by the Indians. Where did the Indians get their poison gases from? Yes, they burned peppers - clouds of excellent cayenne or chili led any warrior into a state completely unfit for battle. Moreover, the cruel Aztecs punished naughty children by forcing them to inhale burning red pepper. As a result of this, all the Aztecs were very obedient.
Burning secret
It's all about a substance called capsaicin, not only burning, but also insoluble in water. By the way, therefore, it is useless to drink water for those who grab pepper. Rather, alcohol helps - capsaicin dissolves well in alcohol. Sugar solutions, citrus fruits, soda, fats, and especially milk, which do not even dilute the burning substance, but neutralize it, also somewhat soften the hellish burning sensation. Absorbs capsaicin and ordinary bread. The lion's share of pungency is contained in the seeds and partitions of pepper. If they are carefully removed, the pepper will become softer, but will not lose flavor. It is better to do this with gloves on, and do not try to rub your eyes with the hands that touched the pepper - you will not see white light in the full sense of the word.
Chili con carne / Shutterstock
More or less nightmarish
Detroit pharmacist Wilbur Scoville developed a scale for the hotness of peppers, where hotness is the number of parts of water that must be added to one part of pepper so that three out of five people who taste this solution do not feel a burning taste. The hotness of pure capsaicin is 16.000.000, peppers are naturally less. Be guided, at least very approximately, by the fact that: a) small peppers are sharper than large ones, b) thin ones are stronger than thick ones. But the color says little about anything: super-hot peppers are both red and green. So, if you already eat pepper, eat more often - the body gets used to it, and if you eat pepper regularly, the dose can be greatly increased. True, if you don’t eat pepper for two weeks, the habit disappears ...
How red pepper affects health
If you do not have stomach problems, pepper will most likely be useful for you. But if abused - do not expect good. In India and Mexico, there are not only red peppers, but also stomach cancer. But red pepper does not harm healthy people, moreover, it reduces the likelihood of oncology. The use of chili is an excellent remedy for insomnia. And the runny nose does not tolerate the smell of chili - it disappears. I understand him ... And there are enough vitamins in pepper. Vitamin P got its name from the word "paprika" - it was there in 1936 that scientists found it.
What is eaten with
It goes with meat, fish, and marinades; it is the basis of a mass of sauces, including the famous Tabasco, which is added drop by drop to dishes, and Tunisian harissa, and Caucasian adjika, and Anglo-Indian curry, and Malay- American ketchup. He decorates and vegetable salads, and dishes from cottage cheese and eggs, and how good it is with rice - just try it! Lovers of real borscht will be happy to chat pods in a plate. And one more thing: vodka infused with beautiful peppers has a subtle taste and looks good on the table.
/Recipe
Chile con carne
Take 800 grams of beef and 200 grams of fatty pork, or in general lard. Cut the beef into small cubes, bacon - like cracklings. Melt half the fat and fry half the beef on it until a noticeable crust. Then we will do the same with the second half - so that the water evaporates faster and the meat is fried, not stewed. Cut three sweet peppers coarsely, peel four purple onions and cut into rings, half a can of tomatoes in own juice(four hundred grams) remember with a fork, open two cans of red beans, peel the head of garlic. Four or five chili peppers will be cleaned of seeds and partitions and cut into pieces.
Red pepper / Shutterstock
Let's put the meat in a cauldron. Add to meat Bell pepper, onion, chili, a glass of broth, close the lid and simmer until the meat is almost ready. Add spices to taste - ground coriander, oregano, cumin, you can have a little zira. Squeeze the garlic there with a crusher, add beans and tomatoes, salt to taste, mix everything and continue to simmer. Serve with rice.
Family: Nightshade
Latin name: Capsicum frutescens
English title: Chillies
Tibetan name: Sirban
Indian name People: Hari Mirch, Lalmirch
Used Parts: fruits
Taste: hot
Qualities: roughness, warmth and light
Bloom: November December
Fruiting: December - February
Application
Chili pepper fruits have medicinal value in the need to restore physical strength, digestive warmth, normalize body temperature and can also be used in the treatment of fluid accumulation in our body, dropsy, hemorrhoids, removal of harmful microorganisms, leprosy, as well as badkan diseases (mucus energy) and loong (wind energy) associated with tumors and swelling. In India, a pinch of pepper powder is commonly used in most curry dishes to give them a tangy flavor.
Distribution medium
The perennial plant grows in the tropics and subtropics, has a height of 0.75 - 1.8 meters. The fruits are green, turning red with time, contain numerous sharp seeds. It grows at altitudes below 1400 meters above sea level, mainly around human settlements, in fields and near forests.
Chili Pepper Processing Methods
The fruits are harvested as they ripen and carefully dried under hygienic conditions.
Chili pepper in European medicine
Chilli- Capsicum Frutescens - Nightshade family
Other Names: Guinea Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and Bird's Pepper. Red pepper, fragrant.
Description. A small shrub whose white flowers turn green, yellow and bright red, with hot seed flavor in the pod.
Properties and scope. According to Culpeper: "... All kinds of Chili peppers are under Mars, have a fiery, sharp, pungent taste, they burn and inflame the mouth and throat so much that it is difficult to bear, and if externally applied to the skin in any part of the body, they will symptoms as if they were burns from a fire, or scalded with boiling water. The vapors that arise from the husk or pod when a person opens them to take out the seeds, especially if he crushes them into a powder, will act as a perforation of the brain. Entering the head through the nostrils, chili pepper dust will cause sneezing, causing watery eyes, and getting into the throat will provoke a sharp cough and cause intense vomiting.
Story. Chili pepper is folk remedy for flatulence, and for centuries red pepper was rubbed into inflamed and painful joints. It gives relief from backache, arthritis, rheumatism and neuralgia when applied as an ointment. For reasons not fully understood, capsaicin interferes with the action of substance P, a nerve chemical that sends pain messages to the brain. It is also used to cure headaches.
Why is chili pepper hot?
When chili peppers are consumed, areas of the tongue that normally feel heat and pain stimulated by capsaicin experience increased sweating and increased heart rate. Most of the heat-inducing capsaicin is found in the white core of chili peppers, not in the seeds, as most celebrity chefs tell us. The burning sensation triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, which gives us a sense of joy. Some people maintain their tolerance for chili peppers for a long time. If a curry containing excessive amounts of chili is too spicy, Wright's Indian garnish based on cucumber and yogurt dissolves the capsaicin and relieves the burning sensation. Also, the protein contained in milk washes away capsaicin.
Food is the basis of all life of any living being and what we eat reflects ourselves, but do we know enough about the products that make up our daily diet? For example, do you know what substance gives pepper burning taste and why fresh fish does it have a strong smell? How did it turn out to bring seedless grapes and why at moments when we are sad we want carbohydrates so much? The answers to these and many other questions are waiting for you in the continuation of the article.
Why is pepper hot?
Capsaicin, which is contained in it, gives spiciness to pepper - it acts on the nerve endings responsible for temperature changes, sending nerve impulses. Thus, it's all about the brain, which receives pain signals from the body.
To some, cilantro actually tastes like soap. It's all about the OR6A2 gene, which is very sensitive to aldehydes, which give cilantro its characteristic taste and smell and smell of soap.
Why does fish have a strong odor?
The fishy smell is caused by a substance called trimethylamine. Fish need trimethylamine to survive in an environment with lower temperature regime. In addition, it is involved in the processes of decomposition of plants and animals. By the way, trimethylamine is the cause of bad breath.
Why does an egg harden when boiled?
Can a boiled egg be turned into a liquid?
Theoretically yes, practically no. Scientists have come up with a way to return the molecules to their original position. But this process requires the use of chemicals that should not be eaten. But technically, it's possible.
How are seedless grapes made?
In fact, seedless grapes are clones of genetically mutated grapes that were seedless, or varieties that have been bred to have fewer seeds than normal. Unlike animals, some plants are asexual and therefore easy to clone. Under certain conditions, plant cells are easily cloned.
Why does alcohol affect mental clarity?
There are several reasons for this. First, alcohol promotes the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Second, it blocks access to glutamate, another important chemical responsible for memory and learning. Without it, the brain has a hard time.
Why is it undesirable to mix alcoholic beverages?
It's not about mixing. different types alcohol, but in the order they were consumed. When you drink low-alcohol drinks, you get drunk gradually and slowly. If, after low-alcohol drinks, you switch to drinks with a high degree, then, as a rule, the portion remains the same and you can get drunk much faster.
Why do we crave carbs in times of sadness and sadness?
Carbohydrates promote the production of serotonin, the happiness hormone that plays a big role in mood regulation. If you are sad, eat a piece of chocolate - and life will become more fun. But even if everything is so good, a couple of sweets also do not hurt.
Why is the bad always better than the good?
It so happened that high-calorie food increases the chances of survival. Now calories are readily available, we do not burn how much, how much we consume. However, nature has it that whenever we get a chance, we should eat.