I grew up thinking that hot peppers were bad for you. Anything that could set your body on FIRE, just had to be detrimental to your health. How wrong I was.
Sweet and hot chili peppers contain an amazing amount of vitamin A, C, and E. In fact, one ounce of raw sweet pepper contains approximately 40 MG. OF Vitamin C, two thirds of the recommended daily intake!
Peppers are very diversified. The pepper plant (piper nigrum) bears fruit that our black and white ground pepper is made from for food seasoning. It is considered the most important of all of the spices and takes its place right next to salt. Red chili peppers (capsicum) are an absolute necessity from the hottest, known as cayenne, to the mildest, known as mangoes. You can use them green, wait until they mature and use them red, making pimientos, paprika, stuffed olives or relish.
The capsicum pepper family has a long history of being known to release endorphins into the bloodstream. More recently, scientists have been conducting experiments to prove that the feeling of wellbeing is not just from the pleasant taste but also from a metabolic change that takes place inside our bodies.
Capsicum acts as a pain reliever for arthritis sufferers, clears the lungs, improves circulation and stimulates the appetite. I once saw a war veteran eating a handful of peppers when he was noticeably ill. He said that in Viet Nam, they used them as fever busters and they actually work pretty well.
Powdered pepper and peppercorns were priceless when first discovered. This spice was so expensive in Rome, 408 A.D., that one pound of pepper was considered a royal present. Taxes were often times paid with pepper. In 1101, soldiers were paid two pounds of pepper each for their role in the capture of Caesarea. Of course, once pepper plants were found to be growing wild in other countries, the price relaxed quite a bit.
So the next time you think of eating healthy and grab for an orange, stop and consider the many assets of the pepper. You just might change your habit!
