Chile peppers belong to the Solanaceae, or Nightshade family. Plants in this family are dicotyledon, meaning they first sprout two seed leaves, have flowers with five points, often have leaves that tend to have a slight droop, and contain chemical compounds called alkaloids. The Nightshade family has about 2000 species divided up into 85 genera of mostly tropical plants that have long had a bad reputation of containing the nasty chemical Alkaloids, which are occasionally deadly poisonous. Hence the dark family name, Nightshade.

 

This reputation started in ancient times most likely with Deadly Nightshade, also known as Belladonna, which has been used by assassins and as a weapon of war since it’s deadly berries were discovered growing in Europe and North Africa. Other members of the Nightshade family such as Angels trumpet can be fatal, with many others having less deadly negative affects. These included the commonly found Woody Nightshade, Jimsonweed, Henbane, Boxwood, Boxthorn, and the flowering Petunias found in many gardens.

 

 

A number of plants in this notorious family have found their way into the lives and kitchens of modern people, these include: Tobacco, Tomatoes, Eggplants, Potatoes, Tomatillos, Gooseberries, Huckleberries, bell peppers and of course chile peppers. These edible, and even delicious, members of the Nightshade family also contain alkaloids that can be mildly harmful. Because of this you shouldn’t eat tomato leaves, green potatoes, or raw eggplant, the psychoactive properties of the nicotine in tobacco are well known and even chile peppers contain an alkaloid called Capsaicin. For more information on capsaicin click here

 

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Kingdom :  Plantae - Plants
  Subkingdom :  Tracheobionta - Vascular plants
    Superdivision :  Spermatophyta - Seed plants
      Division :  Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
        Class :  Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons (two seed leaves)
          Subclass :  Asteridae
            Order :  Solanales
              Family :  Solanaceae - Potato family
                Genus :  Capsicum L. - peppers
                   Species :  Capsicum annuum - - Includes Bell, cayenne, and most varieties of chiles
                                     Capsicum baccatum - - Includes aji pepper or Peruvian hot pepper, no varieties domestically grown
                                     Capsicum chinense  - -Includes Habanero, Tabasco and Squash peppers
                                     Capsicum pubescens - - Includes Rocoto, no varieties domestically grown

Not all animals can tastes the fiery effects of the Capsaicin found in hot chili peppers. Fish and birds are immune to capsaicin and do not suffer any negative effects from consuming even the hottest chili peppers. This interesting fact can be put to good use by bird watchers who are tired of watching their birdfeeders constantly raided by pesky squirrels and other rodents. Birds are unaffected by eating birdfeed spiked with hot peppers while squirrels and other mammals will feel the burn and look for another food source. Bird lovers one, squirrels zero!

To make Squirrel Proof Birdfeed: Hot chili pepper powder made from cayenne or habanero peppers will work nicely. Shake it directly onto the birdfeed and mix, or for better cohesion very lightly coat the feed with vegetable oil first, this will help the hot pepper stick as well as provide a little extra energy for the birds.

 

The Scoville scale is a slightly subjective measure of how the heat in hot chili peppers is calculated. Sugar water is added to a sample of chili pepper until the heat of the pepper can no longer be detected. A panel of five people's answers for when they can no longer detect heat are averaged to assign the hot pepper a rating in blocks of 100 Scoville Units. So if the heat from 1 part chile peppers can no longer be detected only after it is mixed with 666,666 parts water, the pepper has a heat of less than 100 Scoville unit (SHU).

Or .0000015 x W = SHUs

Were W is equal the the number of units of sugar water added to one unit of chili pepper to make the heat undetectable. This method of classifying chili peppers by their heat level was devised by a chemist named Wilber Scoville in 1912. This method is no longer used by the scientific community, but Scoville units are commonly used by chili pepper sellers and pepper enthusiasts to describe the amount of heat different peppers pack.

The most common active ingredient in hot chili peppers is called capsaicin, a compound which modern research has shown to be effective in treating minor pain such as those caused by arthritis. capsaicin is usually added to a cream or patch and applied topically. To learn more about capsaicin creams click here Besides from easing the discomfort from minor aces and pains the capsaicin found in hot chili pepper also has antibacterial properties as well as increasing blood flow.

Modern research has shown that contrary to popular belief hot chili peppers do not cause stomach ulcers, the opposite is true. The antibacterial properties of the capsaicin found in hot chili peppers actually kills the bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, that has been shown to cause stomach ulcers. Animal studies have even shown that capsaicin can prevent this bacteria from causing stomach ulcers, but that's not to say that someone who already has ulcers won't feel the pain of eating hot chili peppers.

Capsaicin is even added to some nasal sprays to help relieve chronic headaches, allergies and sinus problems. The anti-inflammatory properties of capsaicin helps allergens be released from the nose and opens sinus passages while preventing the brain from receiving the pain signals created by a headache.

Hot chili peppers consumption helps protect against blood clotting by improving blood circulation and lowering blood pressure in a way similar to aspirin. It may also reduce triglycerides, lower the bad cholesterol while raising the good making hot chili peppers a potential heart health food.

Eating hot peppers also has nutritional benefits. Most types contain vitamin A, several in the B complex, C and E along with minerals and even the ever important antioxidants that protect against damaging free-radicals.

 

To learn more about capsaicin click here.

Learn about growing hot peppers