Chilli facts

Health benefits of chillies:

• Improves blood circulation
• Helps prevent abnormal blood clotting
• Lowers systemic blood pressure
• Inhibits some types of detrimental
• bacteria (due to the Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin content.)
• Increases the bodys’ BMR
• Alleviates fatigue
• Beneficial for the relief of pain (stimulates the release of Endorphins)
• Alleviates Asthma
• Helps to prevent the onset of Bronchitis
• Protects the Gastric Mucosa from the toxic effects of Alcohol

Myths dispelled:

Chillies do NOT damage the stomach or intestines (to prove this, researchers sprayed liquid chilli directly onto a human stomach and observed absolutely no damage to the stomach or its lining).

The capsaicin in the chillies irritate the pain receptors in the nose and mouth. As soon as the brain receives the pain message it causes the release of the chemical ( substance P ) to counteract the condition.

Repeated stimulation of the pain receptors leads to diminished sensitivity, which is why people who eat chillies regularly are far less susceptible to chilli burn than those who don't.
It is also a fallacy the men can tolerate hotter food than women. The ability to withstand a chilli burn has nothing to do with gender, but largely on the distribution of taste buds on the tongue.

But if you are desperate to cool down have a glass of milk or eat some yoghurt or a slice of bread.

Chillies contain these substances:

(mg of Substance per 100 grams)
Although many of Chilli's benefits are attributed to its constituent Capsaicin, scientific studies have proven that whole Chillis are more effective than isolated Capsaicin for the therapeutic benefits listed above.
Alkaloids: Capsaicinoids* 700, Capsaicin 400, Dihydrocapsaicin 200, Homocapsaicin 33, Homodihydrocapsaicin 33, Nordihydrocapsaicin 34
Carotenoids: Capsanthin, Capsorubin
Lipids: Steroid
Saponins: Capsicidins#
Vitamins: Vitamin C
Volatile Oils:
* Responsible for the burning sensation caused by the consumption of Chillis.
# Capsicidins are found in Chilli Seeds and Chilli Root only.

Rocoto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	Rocoto peppers
	A Manzano pepper plant with ripe pods
	Rocoto flower bud with lots of Trichomes, characteristic that gives this species its name.
	Typical flower of a Rocoto: purple corolla with white spots in the center.

The rocoto, or locoto (Capsicum pubescens) is a medium sized round chili pepper common in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Rocoto pods have thick walls, like a bell pepper, but are quite hot. Foliage is dark green and pubescent (hairy). The plant has purple blossoms with yellow spots and the seeds are dark brown or black, whereas the seeds and seed-bearing membrane of most domesticated Capsicum species are light in color. The plants grow up to 6 ft (1.8 m) high if supported. Capsicum pubescens is a perennial, and if protected from frost and pruned back it will grow many years.

Rocoto is among the oldest of domesticated peppers, and was grown up to 5000 years ago. It is probably related to undomesticated peppers that still grow in South America (cardenasii, eximium, and others). This pepper is a species; most other chili peppers are cultivars or hybrids from Capsicum annuum.

The rocoto will grow well in temperate and even cool climates without hot summers, unlike most hot chilis.

Although most rocotos are red, there is also a yellow type that is common in the Caribbean and Mexico and an orange variety.

Other names for Rocoto: locoto, manzano, canario (the yellow type), caballo, & peron.
A popular dish in South America, the Peruvian rocoto relleno, is prepared by stuffing rocotos with a meat mixture.

In the United States, locoto sauce is sometimes available at Latin-American grocers. Locoto peppers themselves are available in some markets fresh, but also occasionally frozen.

Habanero chili

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the feminine form of the Spanish word Habanero, see Habanera.

A habanero chili

The habanero chile (Capsicum chinese Jacquin) (sometimes incorrectly spelled "habañero") is one of the most intensely spicy species of chilli pepper of the Capsicum genus. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Typically a ripe habanero is 2-6 centimeters (1-2½ in) long.

Origin and Current Use
Like all Capsicum, the habanero pepper originated in Meso- or Southe America most likely the Yucatan and its coastal regions. Upon its rediscovery by Europeans, it was rapidly disseminated in other adequate climate areas of the world, to the point that 18th-century taxonomists mistook China for its place of origin and called it "capsicum chinense"-the Chinese pepper. In more recent times, and after research, it has been denominated with an origin in the Mexican state of Yucatán.

The chili's name is derived from the name of the Cuban city of La Habana, which is known as Havana in English. Although it is not the place of origin, it was frequently traded there.
Today, the crop is most widely cultivated in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Other modern producers include Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, and some U.S. states including Texas, Idaho, and California. While Mexico is the largest consumer of this spicy ingredient, its flavor and aroma have become increasingly popular all over the world.

Habaneros are an integral part of Yucatecan food. Habanero chilis accompany most dishes in Yucatán, either in solid or purée/salsa form.

The Scotch bonnet is often compared to the habanero since they are two varieties of the same species but have different pod types. Both the Scotch bonnet and the habanero have the characteristic thin, waxy flesh. They have a similar heat level and flavor. Although both varieties average around the same level of heat, the actual degree of "heat" varies greatly with genetics, growing methods, climate, and plant stress.

Recently, the habanero's heat, its fruity, citrus-like flavor, and its floral aroma have made it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and spicy foods. In some cases, particularly in Mexico, habaneros are placed in tequila or mezcal bottles for a period ranging from several days, to several weeks, in order to make a spiced version of the drink.

Bhut Jolokia chili

Fresh Bhut Jolokia Peppers (whole and cut) Scientific classification:

The bhut jolokia—also known variously by other names in its native region, most commonly naga jolokia— is a chili pepper generally recognized as the hottest in the world. The pepper is often called the ghost chili by Western media, possibly erroneously. The Bhut Jolo-kia is a naturally-occurring interspecific hybrid from the Assam region of northeastern India. It grows in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur, and the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. It can also be found in rural Sri Lanka where it is known as Nai Mirris (Cobra Chilli). There was initially some confusion and disagreement about whether the Bhut was a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense pepper, but DNA tests showed it to be an interspecies hybrid, mostly C. chinense with some C. frutescens genes. In 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia as the world's hottest chili pepper, 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce.

Scoville rating
Bhut Jolokia pepper - Maximum (SR: 1,041,427)

In 2000, India's Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale, and in 2004 a rating of 1,041,427 units was made using HPLC analysis. For comparison, Tabasco red pepper sauce rates at 2,500–5,000, and pure capsaicin (the chemical respon-sible for the pungency of pepper plants) rates at 15,000,000 – 16,000,000 Scoville units.In 2005, at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, regents Professor Paul Bosland found bhut jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.In February 2007, Guinness World Records published that the bhut jolokia was the hottest chili pep-per ever submitted for judgment. [The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of bhut jolokia peppers is dramatic. A 2005 study comparing per-centage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in bhut jolokia peppers grown in Tezpur (Assam) and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) showed that the heat of the pepper is decreased by over 50% in Gwalior's more arid climate.

Uses
The pepper is used in India in homeopathic preparations for stomach ailments. It is also used as a spice as well as a remedy to summer heat, pre-sumably by inducing perspiration in the consumer. In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or incorporated in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance. As a weaponIn 2009, scientists at India's Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the chillies in hand gre-nades, as a non lethal way to flush out terrorists from their hideouts and to control rioters. It will also be developed into pepper spray as a self defense product.to be used by potential victims against attackers and for the police to control and disperse mobs.

The Scoville Scale:

The Scoville scale is a measure of the "hotness", or more correctly, piquancy, of a chili pepper. These fruits of the Capsicum genus contain capsaicin, a chemical compound which stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucus membranes. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Some hot sauces use their Scoville rating in advertising as a selling point. The scale is named after its creator, American chemist Wilbur Scoville.

Chilli Heat: In 1902 Wibur Scoville developed a method for measuring the strength of capsicum in a given pepper, which originally meant tasting a diluted version of a pepper and giving it a value. Nowadays it can be done more accurately with the help of computers to rate the peppers in Scoville units, which indicate parts per million of capsaicin. The fiery sensation of chillis is caused by capsaicin, a potent chemical that survives both cooking and freezing, but apart from the burning sensation it also triggers the brain to produce endorphins, natural painkillers that promote a sense of well being.

The Scoville scale begins at zero with mild bell peppers and moves to the lower range of peppers measuring 1,500 to 2,500 such as cascabels, four out of ten. The Jalapeño is mid range at about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units. The eight out of ten chillis such as cayenne, aji and pequin will rate about 30,000 to 50,000 units, while the habernero which rates as one of the hottest comes somewhere between 100,00 and 500,000 units, but as can be seen above in the article has a hotter chilli been found.

Chillis are easy to grow, they require minimal area and care. They will do best in warm climates or under glass with a long growing season and can be kept over winter in the right conditions. Many varieties make excellent pot plants and can be grown indoors as ornamentals although these are still edible. Be careful when growing different species close together as they will cross pollinate and produce hybrids, therefore do not keep these chilli pods for next years seeds as the required heat of the chilli may be effected by crossing with a hotter chilli.

Chilli Health: Chillis are loaded with vitamin A, a potent antioxidant and boost to the immune system. As the pods mature and darken, high quantities of vitamin C are gradually replaced with beta carotene and the capsaicin levels are at their highest. Due to these capsaicin levels, some believe that eating chillis may have an extra thermic affect, temporarily speeding up the metabolic rate, hence burning off calories at a faster rate. Whatever, you certainly do sweat and actually cool down in hot climates as sweat evaporates. Your nose runs, your head clears ... you can breath! And with that extra flow of saliva, the gastric juices also flow. The alkaloids from the capsaicin stimulate the action of stomach and intestine improving the whole digestion process!

Beyond soothing gastric wonders and taste delights, the very nature of fiery capsaicin has been medicinally beneficial down through the ages and put to use for some chronic health woes. These same heat inducing properties have a cumulative effect and over time are believed to alleviate pain when used in transdermal treatments for arthritis, nerve disorders (neuralgia), shingles and severe burns ... even cluster headaches. The mucus thinning properties promote coughing and can act as an expectorant for asthmatic conditions. Other claims are boosts to the immune system due to the antioxidants, lowering cholesterol, and blood thinning properties beneficial for the heart and blood vessels.

The Times Newspaper article 01/04/2006: The world's hottest chilli pepper does not come from a tropical hot spot where the local's are impervious to it's fiery heat but a smallholding in deepest Dorset, Uk. Some chilli's are fierce enough to make your eyes water. Anyone foolhardy enough to eat a whole Dorset Naga would almost certainly require hospital treatment. The pepper, almost twice as hot as the previous record holder, was grown by Joy and Michael Michaud in a polytunnel at their market garden. The couple run a business called Peppers by Post and spent four years developing the Dorset Naga. They knew the 2cm-long specimens were hot because they had to wear gloves and remove the seeds outdoors when preparing them for drying, but had no idea they had grown a record breaker. Some customers complained the peppers were so fiery that even half a small one would make a curry too hot to eat. Others loved them and last year the Michauds sold a quarter of a million of them. At the end of the season they sent a sample to a Lab in America out of curiosity. They were stunned when the Dorset Naga gave a reading of nearly 900,000SHU. A fresh sample was then sent to a lab in New York used by the American Spice Trade Association and they recorded a record mouth numbing 923,000SHU's. Mrs Michaud said 'The man in the first lab was so excited he'd never had one half as hot as that. The second lab took a long time because they were checking it carefully as it was so outrageously high. The Dorset Naga was grown from a plant that originated in Bangladesh. The Michauds bought their original plant in an oriental store in Bournemouth, UK 'we were't even selecting the peppers for hotness but for shape and flavour when the test results came back we were gob smacked'

The couple are now seeking Plant Variety Protection DEFRA which will mean that no one else can sell the seeds.Anyone wanting to try the chillis will have to be patient as they are harvested only from July on. In Bangladesh the chillis grow in temperatures of well over 100F (38C) but in Dorset they thrive in poly tunnels. Aktar Miha from the Indus Bangladesh restaurant in Bournemouth said that even in it's home country it is treated with respect. 'It is used in some cooking mainly in Fish curry's but most people don't cook with it . They hold it by the stalk and just touch their food with it ' he said. It has a refreshing smell and a very good taste but you don't want to much of it. It is a killer chilli and you have to be careful and wash your hands and the cutting board. If you don't know what you are doing it could blow your head off.

Tips for cooking

• As a rule red fresh fruit are two or three times hotter than green fruit, and dried pods are up to ten times hotter than fresh pods.
• The seeds and white pith of a chilli are the hottest part, so remove them if you don't want your dish to be too fiery.
• Chillies contain a pungent oil that can cause an unpleasant burning sensation to eyes and skin. Try to avoid handling them too much, wear gloves if possible, and be sure not to touch your face or eyes during preparation.
• As a general guide the smaller the chilli the hotter it will be.
• Soaking a chilli in vinegar has the effect of distributing the hot chilli flavour through the dish. Discarding the vinegar and soaking again has the effect of further reducing the heat

Possible health risks & precautions

• A high consumption of chilli is associated with stomach cancer.
• Chilli powders may sometimes be adulterated with Sudan I, II, III, IV, para-Red, and other illegal carcinogenic dyes.
• Aflatoxins and N-nitroso compounds, which are carcinogenic, are frequently found in chilli powder.
• Chronic ingestion of chilli products may induce gastroesophageal reflux
• Chilli may increase the number of daily bowel movements and lower pain thresholds for people with irritable bowel syndrome.
• Chillies should never be swallowed whole; there are cases where unchewed chillies have caused bowel obstruction and perforation.
• Consumption of red chillies after anal fissure surgery should be forbidden to avoid postoperative symptoms.