Chili Pepper

Chili Pepper
chi-lē


Why is it called chili pepper – it doesn’t give you the chills and on the contrary, it is quite HOT!

Origin: Chili peppers originated in the Americas, in Mexico, Central America and parts of South America and are known to have been around since about 7,500 BC. The name “Chili” originated from Nahuatl, an Aztec language.

Chili peppers have a very interesting background and history about how the spice became one of the most widely used spices today.

It all started when Christopher Columbus stumbled upon them on his quest for the New World. He was in search of a new spice trade route to India when he found himself in the Americas and came across the spice. He thought the spice added a hot flavor to food as did black pepper and thus named it ‘pimiento’. He then brought this “pepper” back to Spain. However, it was not until Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama discovered a trade route from South America through Africa and on to India in 1498 that the chili pepper traveled to India and other parts of the world, adding a lot more spicy flavor to the world.

It was later determined that chili peppers are part of the capsicum family and grow as a fruit. Today, there are so many variations of chilies with varying spice levels. 

A few common peppers are jalapeños, serrano, cayenne, piri piri and habanero.
  • The spiciest chili peppers are measured by the spice level in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) 
  • The Carolina Reaper comes in at 2,200,000 SHU.
  • The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion comes in at 2,009,231 SHU
  • Another pepper from Trinidad is the 7 Pot Douglah is 1,853,936 SHU
  • The Dorset Naga Chili Pepper from the Dorset, England region is 1,400,000 SHU
And the list goes on…

There’s a whole exciting world of chili peppers

There’s even chili pepper eating contests worldwide.

If you love spicy food, there’s even a name for you…"pyro-gourmaniac." "Pyro" indicates "fire," and "gourmaniac" means "person who loves to inflict pain on himself, via food," more or less. 

Recipes: There are many recipes that can be made with peppers. Chili peppers are used globally and in many variations – in the form of chili oil, chili paste, as powder or as whole peppers.
Chili oil is a great addition to add to dishes for some delicious hotness goodness.





There are some very interesting recipes made with peppers that may not be your usual pick.When one thinks of jelly, you usually think of a sweet flavor but have you ever tried hot pepper jelly? Here’s a homemade recipe made with a combination of a few bell peppers and jalapeno for some extra kick!

You can also make stuffed hot peppers .



How about some hot chili pepper dip with a combination of chili peppers such as Siracha sauce, chili pepper powder and paprika.


Let’s not forget dessert. Chili peppers can also be used to make a delicious chocolate truffle – Cayenne Hot Chili Pepper Truffles.

Benefits: Chili peppers are more than just spicy! Red peppers are known to be powerful antioxidants while the green ones can help improve eye health. It is also connected to weight loss because it can reduce appetite and help men and women burn more fat. 

Cayenne peppers are also known for their anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties. They can help clear congestion, boost immunity and  even help to lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes according to a study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 


There are some precautions to take with chili peppers. Although chili peppers can help with pain relief, for some it causes heartburn and upset stomach. Chili peppers are great to add to recipes but take caution and don’t overdo it because it can be linked to risk of stomach and throat cancer.

When you cut up peppers, don’t forget to wash your hands so you don’t end up rubbing irritating your eyes and mouth. Otherwise, you’ll just be a hot mess. Speaking from experience 😊

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