Hot Peppers: Origins, Varieties & the Scoville Scale

There are many varieties of hot peppers used to spice up dishes in cuisines around the world including Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Spanish and Cajun cuisines.

Origin

• Hot peppers, fruits of the genus Capsicum, have their origins in South America, where they were used by native cultures for centuries before Europeans arrived. Columbus brought hot peppers to Europe in the 1500s and they have spread across the globe since then.

Heat Scale

• The Scoville heat index measures how spicy hot peppers are, ranging from Cherry peppers at 100-500 on the low, mild end of the scale up to Habaneros and Scotch Bonnet peppers at 300,000- 500,000 on the high end.

Capsaicin

• Capsaicin is the compound in hot peppers that makes them taste spicy. This molecule binds to pain receptors in the tongue. Fats and oils can mitigate the fiery effect, which is why drinking milk can tame the spiciness.

Nutrition

• Hot peppers contain many vitamins and minerals that are vital for health, including high levels of vitamin C, vitamin B-6, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, folate, choline and iron.

Health Benefits

• Hot peppers have been linked to a number of health benefits, including having antimicrobial properties, killing cancer cells in laboratory experiments and curbing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.