The name chili pepper was given personally by Christopher Columbus by analogy with the well-known seasoning from South India. The prefix "chili" means "red" in the Aztec language. Both the famous traveler and the natives appreciated the benefits of the plant.

Benefits of chili pepper

Despite the name, chili peppers have no botanical relationship to black pepper. Plants belong to different families and grow in different parts of the world. They are related only by their culinary purpose: most of the peoples of the world are familiar with different types peppers and uses them as seasonings.

Chili peppers are native to South America. Aborigines cultivated the plant about 6 thousand years ago in Ecuador. Now the family includes hundreds of types of pepper, which differ in the degree of hotness.

The strong pungent taste is due to the high content of the alkaloid capsaicin. Its highest concentration is in the white pulp and small seeds inside the fruit. Ordinary vegetables contain very small amounts of this substance, for example, bell pepper- only 0.03%. Wilbur Scoville, an American chemist, developed a scale based on his own subjective sensations to assess the pungency of capsicums. Scoville dissolved extracts different peppers in sugar syrup until their taste ceases to be felt. The more syrup required, the hotter the pepper was considered. According to the ranking, the world's hottest pepper Naga Jolokia from India has a capsaicin index of 1.04 million SHU. This means that the burning taste ceases to be felt if 1 g of the extract is dissolved in 1000 liters of sugar syrup!

Indian Naga Jolokia pepper is so pungent that it can cause irritation even if it is simply applied to the skin, and rubber gloves are recommended when handling it. Its Scoville index is 1.04 million SHU. At the same time, American pepper sprays for self-defense have an indicator of 2 million.

Hot pepper is widely used in the medical industry. On the basis of capsaicin, frostbite ointments, alcohol tinctures, medical plasters and therapeutic toothpastes are made, which accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues of the oral mucosa and have a weak analgesic effect. What else is useful for chili peppers?

Pepper against germs

The natural purpose of capsaicin is to protect the plant from pathogenic organisms. When eating pepper, the body increases its immunity. Chili pepper is especially effective in the treatment of rhinitis and colds. In addition, plant extracts were given to the wounded during military conflicts, when there was not enough medicine.

Capsaicin inhibits the bacterium helicobacter pylori - the main "culprit" of gastritis and stomach ulcers. In addition, capsaicin can act as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals.

capsaicin and essential oil increase blood flow to the pelvic organs and tone the nervous system

Pepper and male potency

It is believed that the Indians of South America were the first to add hot peppers in food to increase potency. Capsaicin and essential oil increase blood flow to the pelvic organs and tone the nervous system.

At the same time, a water-alcohol solution infused with pepper has the opposite effect, inhibiting the reproductive system.

Pepper burns fat

Scientists from the University of California have concluded that chili peppers can help burn fat in the body. Capsaicin activates the process of fat oxidation.

Researchers at Purdue University have shown that small amounts of red pepper suppress appetite if a person does not normally consume spicy foods. Red pepper increases body temperature and speeds up metabolic processes. According to the authors of the work, pepper should be consumed in its usual form, and not in capsules.

Also, chili pepper is often used in the manufacture of anti-cellulite preparations. It causes a rush of blood to problem areas and stimulates the breakdown of fat cells, creating the effect of "orange peel".

Pepper lowers blood pressure

Chinese doctors from the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing claim that chili pepper can lower arterial pressure. In experiments with laboratory mice, capsaicin relaxed blood vessels. Chile increased the production of nitric oxide, which is known for its protective properties against inflammation and vascular dysfunction.

Chinese doctors cannot yet say how much pepper should be consumed per day in order to protect their blood vessels.

Pepper and cancer

A group of researchers from the University of Nottingham found that hot pepper capable of killing cancer cells. This idea was prompted by the fact that peoples who traditionally consume hot peppers for food are less susceptible to this disease.

It turned out that capsaicin affects the mitochondria - "energy stations" - of malignant cells. Capsaicin binds to mitochondrial proteins and stimulates the processes of apoptosis - self-destruction of the cell. In this case, capsaicin attacks only cancer cells, not affecting healthy ones.

However, there is also an opposite opinion. Scientists from the University of Minnesota have found that capsaicin can also act as a carcinogen, especially in the early stages of tumor development.

Some varieties of hot peppers, such as jalapeno, cayenne, and habanero, are high in capsaicin, the main self-defense ingredient in pepper spray. Capsaicin can add flavor and spiciness to a dish, but it can also cause an extremely intense burning sensation that can last for minutes or even hours. Capsaicin is a natural oily substance found in all varieties of hot peppers, which we used to call simply “chili peppers”. Burning in the mouth or on the skin can be neutralized with various liquids such as milk or sweetened water.

Steps

Removing burning sensation in the mouth from hot peppers

Drink some cold milk. Instead of water, try drinking milk! The fat and butter found in dairy products will help reduce the burning sensation by dissolving the capsaicin.

Don't try to get rid of the hot pepper taste with drinking water. Believe it or not, the burning sensation will not go away if you only drink water. In fact, the water will only spread the capsaicin throughout the mouth and increase the burning sensation.

Sip some alcohol containing drink. Beer won't help since it's mostly water, but stronger liquor can relieve the burning sensation in your mouth.

• Take a few sips of vodka. The vodka will not only relieve the burning sensation, but it will also invigorate you, as long as you don't drink too much!
• Alcohol will "put out the fire" from hot peppers in your mouth. Suitable for these purposes different kinds alcohol.
• Drink wisely. Don't drink too much, especially if you're underage, and generally don't drink it if you're driving.

1. Use oils to relieve the burning sensation. Apply olive or vegetable oil to your tongue to relieve the burning sensation.

   • These oils, along with peanut butter, contain a lot of fat, so they are good folk remedies for burning.
   • The fat in these oils helps relieve heat from hot peppers and relieves burning symptoms.
   • It may seem strange, but you should use oils instead of water to deal with hot peppers, as they are much more effective in dealing with this problem.

2. Eat starch. Eat starch if your mouth is on fire from hot peppers. Starch will reduce the intensity of burning.

   • While starchy foods, such as rice or bread, will not be as effective in dissolving capsaicin as fats, oils, or alcohol, they may be able to reduce the burning sensation slightly.
   • There are reasons why in many cultures hot peppers are served with white rice or potatoes. Most often this is done in Asian and Indian cultures.
   • Eating a spoonful of sugar will also help relieve burning symptoms. Mix a tablespoon of sugar with 260 ml. water and rinse your mouth with this composition. Alternatively, put a spoonful of honey on your tongue.

3. Try folk remedies. Many find that certain vegetables and other foods are excellent remedies for burning mouth.

   • Eat cucumbers. In Thailand and Indonesia, people deal with the burning sensation in this way. Eat bananas, as they contain sugar, which will help neutralize the effects of peppers.
   • Eat chocolate. The high fat content in most bars helps dissolve the capsaicin molecules in your mouth. V milk chocolate contains more fat and casein than dark, so it will help to cope with the situation much faster.
   • Apply a soft corn tortilla to the affected area (lips, mouth). Just bite off a piece and it will help reduce the burning sensation.
   • White toothpaste will greatly alleviate the burning sensation from the habanero. It will help relieve the burning sensation in the oral cavity from hot peppers. Eat a slice of lemon, drink juice, or all together (lemon with juice); acid will dissolve the oily substance.

   Removing burning sensation from hot pepper on the skin

   1. Wash your hands and other skin areas with liquid soap. You can also use a solid soap, but a liquid soap will dissolve the hot pepper oils more effectively. Many people experience a burning sensation on their skin if it comes into contact with hot pepper oil.

      • You can also periodically dip your fingers into a mixture of water and bleach (in a ratio of 5 to 1) while slicing hot peppers.
      • Bleach turns capsaicin into a water-soluble salt. In the future, you can simply rinse your hands with water.
      • Be careful not to let the bleach get on the peppers. Wash your hands with soap and water after cutting the peppers.

   2. Use alcohol to reduce the burning sensation on the skin of the hands or other areas of the body. Hot pepper oil and capsaicin, which cause burning, dissolve in alcohol.

      Dip your hands into the bowl of milk. Take very cold milk. Try adding ice cubes to the bowl. Plain ice water will also help get rid of the burning sensation, but will not do it as effectively as milk.

      Apply the oil to your hands and other affected areas. Hot pepper oils will dissolve under the influence of other oils, which will help reduce burning sensation. You can also smear Vaseline on your hands.

      Relieve the burning sensation in the eyes from hot peppers. Sometimes people make a huge mistake by rubbing their eyes while slicing hot peppers. This can cause an unbearable burning sensation.

Hot pepper can cause quite unpleasant sensations when consumed. These sensations include: tearing, burning, shortness of breath. However, despite all the consequences of eating hot peppers, many still cannot refuse their favorite spicy dishes. There are several ways to eliminate the unpleasant consequences of eating pepper, which lovers of gastronomic "thrills" should know.

Why does pepper burn

Red peppers contain the active ingredient capsaicin. Capsaicin is a fat found in chili and peppers that have the word "spicy" in their names. It is he who is the main component used in the manufacture of pepper gas sprays. Because of this substance, pepper can cause an acute burning sensation in the body, which lasts for several minutes, and sometimes even hours.

There are few enough effective ways getting rid of the burning sensation that red hot peppers give. Let's consider them all.

Milk

For example, you can get rid of discomfort with the help of milk. Casein, being a milk protein, acts as a kind of “cleaner” when interacting with capsicin. It minimizes the effect of capsacin on nerve endings.

To get rid of a burning sensation, you need to drink at least half a glass of milk, but first it is better to rinse your mouth with milk, this will relieve pain. The lower the temperature of the drink, the more effectively the burning sensation from red pepper is reduced.

In the event that the skin of the hands is burned with red pepper, it is necessary to lower them into a container with milk, adding ice cubes to it, which will significantly ease the pain. If the discomfort has resumed, it is necessary to repeat the procedure, replacing the used milk with fresh. In the absence of milk, you can replace it with any other natural dairy product.

Sugar

Helps relieve discomfort sugar syrup. It is necessary to add a tablespoon of sugar to a glass of water, mix well until completely dissolved and rinse the mouth and throat thoroughly with the resulting syrup. A ten percent cold sweet solution is as effective as milk. However, its analgesic effect can only be felt when there is contact with the burnt area. In order to exclude the resumption of pain, it will be necessary to systematically rinse the mouth with syrup for half an hour.

Alcohol

Since capsaicin is highly soluble in alcohol, it is washed out quite effectively by the alcohol, which acts as a solvent. Alcoholic beverages are not able to completely neutralize the burning sensation of capsaicin, as a result, alcohol is considered the least effective means. The effect of alcohol is achieved due to the dissolution and distribution of capsaicin throughout the body. That is, it is impossible to completely remove discomfort with the help of alcoholic beverages, but it is quite possible to slightly alleviate the condition.

Vegetable oil

Capsaicin is also highly soluble in vegetable oils, so they can be used to remove a burning substance from the skin and mucous membranes. However, it is worth noting that the oils in this case are only slightly more effective than ordinary drinking water itself, and this method should be used only when it is not possible to use more effective methods to get rid of the burning sensation caused by red pepper.

If, for example, the skin of the hand is damaged, Vaseline can be used to relieve pain. However, you should not use it for a burning sensation in the mouth caused by pepper.

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 types of Chili are under Mars, have a fiery, sharp, spicy taste, they burn and inflame the mouth and throat so violently that it is difficult to bear, and if externally applied to the skin in any part of the body, there will be symptoms as if they were burns from a fire, or scalding 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.

It's no secret that cooking today is simply fashionable. This is facilitated by TV programs with the participation of stars, which literally fill up with a variety of seductive recipes. So lovers of Mexican or other cuisine, whose dishes contain hot peppers (chili or other varieties), also prefer to cook their favorite dishes themselves. But it is unlikely that a person who does not have a special cooking education can imagine that you can get a serious burn when cutting hot peppers.

Usually, we do not think about safety in the kitchen when we cut hot peppers, and we neglect the elementary protection of the skin of the hands, for example. Moreover, pepper burn on the oral mucosa is not uncommon if you are not careful when using hot peppers. You need to be careful not only during the preparation of food and in the process of eating, but also during the harvest of this spicy vegetable. Also, a burn can be obtained if the pepper patch is used incorrectly, as well as if locally irritating masks are applied incorrectly in cosmetology.

Why hot peppers burn or how capsaicin works

Meanwhile, such an injury as a burn with red pepper, as well as green, is quite understandable. The fact is that the composition of chili peppers includes an active substance that gives it a burning sensation. It is called capsaicin or 8-methyl 6-nonenoic acid vanillamide, which is a fairly stable chemical compound. This fatty acid, which is part of hot pepper, does not have a pronounced color and is pungent in taste. It should be noted that capsaicin does not dissolve in alkaline water-based solutions. That is, if you, in search of a remedy for a pepper burn, come across a recommendation to treat it with soda dissolved in water, then you are unlikely to succeed. On the other hand, the active substance of chili pepper can be easily dissolved in organic solvents, fats or ethyl alcohol.

How to avoid

The well-known proverb “God saves the safe” perfectly reflects the essence of prevention against pepper burns. When using pepper in cooking, latex gloves must be used to avoid injury. The same should be done when harvesting all hot and bitter types of peppers.

If you are preparing a spicy dish with special gloves, then you should not rub your nose or eyes with your hands in seals, and even touch other, exposed areas of the skin. And in order to protect the mucous membrane and prevent burns, you do not need to use this seasoning in large quantities.

But what to do with a skin burn with an active substance contained in hot, bitter and hot peppers? This question torments several million people who have already fallen into a similar mess. First of all, remembering the nature of capsaicin (organic fatty acid), the burn site should be smeared with salt slightly moistened with water, which after a while will need to be washed off with milk. In this case, for a burn, we use salt as an alkali and milk as a fat, which also dissolves capsaicin well.

If you were lucky enough to eat a large, hot slice of Mexican Paulista Cake, then given the good solubility of the active substance of red pepper in alcohol, you can drink some alcohol. Also, in order to reduce the burning sensation, you can take a sip vegetable oil or other fatty drink, such as yogurt, milk or cream. From the consequences of swallowing an excessive amount of hot pepper, they say, the eaten cucumber, a spoonful of honey, a pinch of salt, a slice of bread or a glass of creamy ice cream helps.

But despite the diversity people's councils, doctors recommend treating the pepper burn with a spray containing lidocaine. This should be done only if there are no contraindications. Very rarely, pepper burns can cause complications such as nausea, corneal damage, or breathing problems. You may also experience: dermatitis, epistaxis, or even neuralgic disorders. Therefore, immediately after you have relieved the pain with a spray, you should definitely go to the doctor.

In order to avoid pepper burns on hands , the collection and processing of peppers must be approached with caution, while wearing latex gloves. And in order to avoid the need for treatment of the mucosa with anesthetics spicy dishes containing hot peppers, it is best to eat carefully, drinking small amounts of alcohol, for example. And if you have a sensitive mucous membrane, then it is better to refrain from such food altogether.