The Spice Guys
3/327 The Esplanade, Scarness,
Hervey Bay Qld 4655
Marjon Chilli Pepper Heat Guide
A few items of interest
for those interested in chili peppers
http://members.visi.net/~mandy/pepguide.html Scoville Test For Capsaicin--A Thermal Richter Scale
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness encyclopedia of food and
nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every variety of fresh food.
Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6.
"All hot peppers contain
capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning
sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run,
and even induce perspiration. Capsaicinoids have no flavor or odor, but
act directly on the pain receptors in the mouth and throat. The primary
capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000
drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
"Capsaicinoids are found
primarily in the pepper's placenta--the white "ribs" that run
down the middle and along the sides of a pepper. Since the seeds are in
such close contact with the ribs, they are also often hot. In the rest
of the vegetable, capsaicinoids are unevenly distributed throughout the
flesh, so it is likely that one part of the same pepper may be hotter to
milder than another. You can reduce the amount of heat in a chili pepper
by removing the ribs and seeds, but you must wear gloves while doing so.
"Capsaicinoid content is
measured in parts per million. These parts per million are
converted into Scoville heat units, the industry standard for measuring
a pepper's punch. One part per million is equivalent to 15 Scoville
units. Bell peppers have a value of zero Scoville units, whereas
habaneros -- the hottest peppers--register a blistering 200,000 to
300,000.Pure capsaicin has a Scoville heat unit score of 16 million."
Peppers and Health
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness
encyclopedia of food and nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every
variety of fresh food. Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6
"Are hot peppers bad for
you? Probably not, according to recent studies. A common
concern is that hot peppers or other spicy foods cause ulcers, but
there's no evidence that they do. Studies of areas where hot peppers are
used extensively in cooking, such as Brazil and Thailand, have found no
higher incidence of stomach ulcers among their populations. And in a
study conducted at a Veterans Administration hospital, researchers
ground up about an ounce of jalapeno pepper and injected it directly
into the stomachs of volunteers. Follow-up observation showed no damage
to their stomach linings. Nor do hot peppers aggravate or cause
haemorrhoids, as has often been claimed, since capsaicinoids...are
broken down before they reach the lower intestine.
"Actually, evidence has
shown that peppers may have some beneficial properties.
Capsaicin--the predominant capsaicinoid--has been found to work as an
anticoagulant, thus possibly helping prevent heart attacks or strokes
caused by blood clot. Small amounts of capsaicin can produce numbing of
the skin and have a slight anti-inflammatory effect. In some countries,
peppers are used in salves.
"Moreover, peppers are
high in vitamin C, which, in turn, may be effective in
protecting against cancer. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, a chemical
substance capable of removing the threat from free radicals, which can
cause cells to mutate....
"By weight, green bell peppers have twice as
much vitamin C as citrus fruit; red peppers have three times
as much. Hot peppers contain even more vitamin C, 357 percent more than
an orange. And red peppers are quite a good source of beta carotene...
Remedies For the
Pepper's Bite
"There are several
remedies for the effects of eating a pepper that is too hot for you,
something that is usually discovered when it is too late. (Eventually,
you can build up tolerance to the heat of peppers, and will be able to
eat hotter and hotter chillies without having to resort to these cures.)
Many people recommend drinking tomato juice or eating a fresh lemon or
lime, the theory being that the acid counteracts the alkalinity of the
capsaicin. Some people won't begin eating hot peppers without a pitcher
of cold water handy, though this is not the best idea. The capsaicin,
which is an oil, does not mix with the water but is instead distributed
to more parts of the mouth. More useful solutions include drinking milk
(rinsing the mouth with it as you sip) or eating rice or bread, which
absorb the capsaicin. My own favourite retaliation against attack by hot
chili pepper is to simply eat another. And if that doesn't work, eat
another one.....
In closing, keep in mind the words of a jolly
old Mexican man to me during my boyhood days in Texas: "Don't rub the
eyes, Gringo". This I have found to be very true (unless you can rub
them with your elbow)....Adios....Amigo!!
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