All about peppers

In most of the world's cuisines, peppers, in all their facets, They are a basic ingredient. Thanks to their wide variety of species, colors, shapes and flavors, peppers have been used to cook dishes of all kinds from pre-Columbian times to the present. Although they are often considered vegetables, peppers are technically a fruit since they contain seeds. With their nutritional richness and ability to enhance the flavor of foods, peppers are always a valuable addition to any diet.

In this article we will talk about peppers in depth, from their history to their health benefits, their varieties and some tips for cooking them. We will also talk about peppers in world cuisine and the most traditional and modern dishes. We will also delve into growing peppers at home and the hottest variety in the world.

If you are a cooking lover and interested in the world around peppers , keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this food and how to best incorporate it into your diet.

History and origin of peppers

To put ourselves in a proper context, we must go back 6000 years in Mesoamerica, when wild varieties of Capsicum annuum, the most common species of pepper, were cultivated. Peppers were highly prized foods for their flavor and medicinal properties. They were used to season dishes and treat ailments, such as headaches or arthritis.

Peppers arrived in Europe thanks to Spanish explorers in the 15th century, quickly becoming popular in European gastronomy. Over time, new varieties of peppers were developed that had different colors, flavors and shapes… this caused that would increase the possibilities in terms of culinary uses.

Later, in the 17th century, peppers were exported to incorporated Asia becoming in this way in the kitchens of countries such as India, Thailand and China. In these places, peppers ended up becoming a key ingredient in local cuisine, being used as pickles and in spicy dishes.

Nowadays, thanks to globalization, peppers are cultivated around the world, from Asia and Africa to South America. In addition, there are many varieties of peppers, from some that are milder and sweeter to others that are extremely spicy… In any case, they are used in a wide range of dishes around the world.

Varieties

We are going to review some of the most common varieties of peppers according to their color, flavor and shape:

Bell pepper: also Known as sweet pepper, it is a large variety, bell-shaped and red, green, yellow or orange in color. It is mild and characterized by its sweet flavor, which makes it the perfect pepper to roast, stuff or use in salads.
Chile: also known as hot pepper. This type is usually red and elongated. They are especially known for their spiciness and are mainly used for sauces, curries and any spicy dishes.
Cayenne: a type of pepper that is also thin and long but smaller, bright red and extremely spicy. It is usually used in powder form to add flavor and spiciness to dishes, although it can also be added whole.
Banana pepper: is a type of long pepper and thin, yellow or light green (hence its name). Thanks to its mild flavor, it is ideal for sandwiches and salads.
Italian pepper: long and narrow, green in color or red. Also very mild and sweet in flavor, perfect for sautéing or roasting.
Piquillo pepper: a well-known type of pepper , is small and triangular, and is mainly grown in Spain. It is dark red in color and, like most, has a mild, although slightly spicy flavor. It is very common to combine it with potato tortillas or gazpacho.
Pimiento de padrón: is a A variety of small, green pepper, it is generally grown in Galicia (Spain) and is a popular delicacy in Spanish cuisine. In addition, they are accompanied by the saying “Padrón peppers, some are hot and others are not”, with that I tell you everything.

Health benefits of peppers

Although in moderation, like any food, peppers are an excellent source of essential nutrients that can offer many health benefits…

Peppers are a good source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps maintain a healthy healthy immune system and consequently helps prevent diseases… What's more, a cup of raw red peppers, cut into small pieces, provides more than 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

On the other hand, peppers contain antioxidants, such as carotenes and vitamin A, which help protect cells from possible damage caused by free radicals (a type of unstable molecule that is made during normal cell metabolism) and reduce the risk of chronic diseases (such as heart disease or cancer).

In addition, peppers can help you with digestion since they are a rich source of fiber, which helps maintain a healthy digestive system and is able to reduce diseases related to digestion.

Being rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, peppers may be beneficial for the skin and help you keep it healthy in addition to preventing premature aging to a certain extent.

Peppers are a vegetable… or rather fruit (although it sounds strange) low in calories and, as we have mentioned before, very rich in fiber. Therefore, it can help control weight along with a balanced and healthy diet prescribed by a nutrition specialist.

Peppers in world gastronomy

At this point in the article you will already have It has become quite clear that peppers are an especially popular food, not only in national cuisine, but also internationally. Their flavor, versatility and easy cultivation make them available to different cuisines around the world.

Let's review some ways that different countries have to prepare peppers:</span

Mexico: in Mexican cuisine, the Peppers are used in a multitude of dishes… from stews to spicy sauces. For example, the poblano chile is a type of pepper that is used to make stuffed chile, a traditional dish in the gastronomy of this country.
Italy: in Italian gastronomy, peppers They are used in dishes such as pizza and pasta, among others. For example, roasted red pepper is commonly used in panzanella salads (an Italian salad) while hot pepper is perfect for making arrabbiata sauce.
India: in Indian cuisine, peppers are They are mainly used to make spicy chutneys and curries. The hot pepper is often used in the preparation of traditional country dishes such as vindaloo and tikka masala.
Morocco: regarding Moroccan gastronomy ;, peppers are the best option for dishes like tagine (a meat stew with vegetables and spices). They are also often used to make harissa, a spicy paste used as a condiment in many traditional Moroccan dishes.
Thailand: in Thailand peppers are used especially for make nam prik sauce, a type of spicy sauce made from fresh chili, garlic and lime. They also use the pepper for dishes like Thai green curry and green papaya salad.

With the examples we just talked about, you can see that peppers They are a food widely used in world cuisine and, if you look closely, although they are dishes specific to each country, they are very well known internationally.

Do you dare to try the hottest peppers in the world?</ span>

As there are a large number of hot peppers in gastronomy, a scale is used call “Scoville” which ranges from 0 (no hotness) to more than 2 million (extremely hot) to measure how unbearably spicy as they can be. I present to you some of the hottest peppers in the world:

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T: this pepper, Also originally from Trinidad and Tobago, it has an average score of 1.4 million Scoville units.
Bhut Jolokia: also known as "ghost pepper" is native to India and has a score of 1 million Scoville units.
Naga Viper: is a hybrid between three different types of hot peppers, including the Bhut Jolokia. It is originally from Great Britain and has a score of about 1.3 million Scoville units.
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: nation It is produced in Trinidad and Tobago, and is a pepper that has a score ranging from 1.2 to 2 million Scoville units.
Carolina Reaper: this pepper is native to South Carolina (United States). It is known as the spiciest in the world, with a score between 1.4 and 2.2 million Scoville units.

Please note that these peppers are extremely spicy and can be dangerous if used. consumed in large quantities or if handled without caution. Therefore, I recommend that, if you decide to try one, make sure you do it in moderation and have milk, yogurt or bread nearby to relieve the itching in case of urgency.