Cayenne Pepper

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

The hot cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) is actually the popular chili, considered the hottest pepper on earth. The degree of spicy taste of cayenne pepper depends on its type and the place where it is grown. This spiciness is measured on a special scale - from 1 to 120. On the same scale are distinguished and color, aroma, degree of astringency.

Origin of cayenne pepper

Tropical America is considered to be the homeland of cayenne pepper. In the beginning, the locals used them as ornamental plants, and later cayenne pepper entered cooking and traditional medicine because it is rich in valuable ingredients. The name of this "hot friend" comes from the port city of Cayenne.

The color of cayenne pepper is from green and yellow to dark red, and the size is between 2 and 20 cm. Nowadays, large producers of cayenne pepper are some areas in West Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, California, Guyana, Vietnam, Indonesia and India..

Red or yellow chili is several times hotter than green, known as piperone. The hottest part of cayenne pepper is the seeds, so before you add them to your culinary specialties, it is good to carefully remove them. Otherwise, they can literally ignite you with hotness and burn the mucous membranes and esophagus.

When cleaning it, be sure to wash your hands constantly and never touch them to your eyes, as there is a serious risk of blindness. An interesting fact, and not accidental, is that tear gas is produced on the basis of cayenne pepper.

The substance contained in chili - capsaicin, and which gives it a specific spicy taste, significantly lowers blood sugar. This is a prerequisite for the pharmacy to look for options for the use of the substance in preparations to be used for the treatment of diabetes. This fact was proven by an experiment on dogs, which after taking capsaicin reported lower glucose levels.

Composition of cayenne pepper

The most popular active ingredient in cayenne pepper is capsaicin. It is followed by the plant form of vitamin A - beta-carotene. Capsaicin has the ability to block the flow of pain in the nerves, which is a prerequisite for relieving most inflammatory processes. As an analgesic agent, capsaicin is used in creams to prevent pain in muscle, joint and bone injuries.

Beta-carotene makes cayenne pepper a powerful antioxidant. It has a high activity in terms of neutralizing free radicals. A single dose of cayenne extract provides enough carotene to synthesize one-third of the daily dose of vitamin A.

Storage of cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper can be purchased from specialty spice shops. Keep it tightly closed in a dry and dark place.

Cayenne pepper in cooking

In winter, a good idea is to make mulled wine with exotic spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves or cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is used fresh, ground and dried. Use it very carefully because it is very spicy. Everyone who likes spicy and spicy food appreciates cayenne pepper and often adds it to various sauces and in the preparation of vegetable and meat dishes.

Cayenne pepper perfectly improves the taste of beef, pork, fish, a lot of vegetable soups and meat soups. Cayenne pepper is part of many sauces, including of the famous Tabasco sauces, chili, ketchup and others. Even our favorite mixture of spices curry, quite often prepared with the addition of cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper gives the dishes a specific and fresh, slightly bitter aroma. Quite often cayenne pepper is added to some types of cakes and in particular creams and mousses.

Chocolate mousse with cayenne pepper

Necessary products: 2 eggs, 1 tsp. strong espresso, 1 tbsp. powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, 20 g butter, 100 g dark chocolate, whipped cream - for decoration.

Preparation: Melt the crushed chocolate together with the espresso in a water bath and add the butter, pepper and both yolks. Stir quickly until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the powdered sugar. Gradually stir the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with light movements. Distribute chocolate mousse with cayenne pepper in cups or dessert bowls. Allow to cool in the refrigerator and serve with whipped cream.

Benefits of cayenne pepper

In folk medicine, cayenne pepper is considered one of the strongest natural stimulants, which is a valuable stimulant. Pepper has a warming effect, improves blood circulation and lymph circulation, while helping to prevent various infections.

Cayenne pepper stimulates and improves metabolic processes in the smallest capillaries and intercellular spaces at the sites of inflammation. Spicy stimulates the work of the sweat glands and helps to remove toxins and harmful substances from the body through the pores. In this case, capsaicin acts intelligently, because it has the most powerful effect in areas of inflammation.

Cayenne pepper has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides and prevent blood clots. As mentioned, it stimulates digestion and has an analgesic effect. Cayenne pepper is used to strengthen the cardiovascular system, even for headaches, diabetic neuropathy, as well as to enhance the activity of the digestive glands.

Harm from cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper should not be consumed by people suffering from peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women. It is possible that an overdose of cayenne pepper may lead to some degree of toxic effect on the liver and kidneys.