Pepper: all the properties and benefits for health

The pepper (genus capsicumfrom the Solanaceae family) comes from South America, where it was cultivated since before the Inca culture, between 5200 and 3400 BC.

The natives call it chilli –in Nahuatl– or ají –in Caribbean Taíno–, but Columbus named it pepper because he believed that, being the seasoning hotter than pepper, which he already knew, it must be the “macho” variety. But pepper and capsicum botanically have nothing to do with each other.

Pepper properties

It has a high water content and provides a low caloric intake (20 calories/100 g) with a significant concentration of micronutrients and fiber, which produces a feeling of satiety.

One of the best sources of vitamin C

100g of fresh red pepper They provide nothing more and nothing less than 190 mg of vitamin C, more than triple that of oranges.

The pepper was precisely the food from which the Hungarian chemist Albert Szent-Györgyi He synthesized that vitamin in 1928, which would earn him the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology a decade later.

They also stand out in beta-carotene, vitamin A precursor, and another fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that is often in short supply in low-fat vegetables: vitamin E.

This antioxidant and protective cocktail is accompanied by vitamin B6, folic acid, flavonoids, organic acids and salicylates with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Health benefits of bell pepper

All this contributes to protect eyesight, digestive system and cardiovascular health; It favors diuresis and the elimination of toxins, and reinforces the antioxidant defenses of the organism.

Peppers are recommended in slimming diets.

They are very digestive

Fiber prevents constipation Prevents colon cancer and contributes to controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Spicy aphrodisiac, antibiotic and analgesic

The most characteristic element of the composition of peppers, in the hot varieties, is not a nutrient but an alkaloid, the 8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide, which is the exact chemical name of capsaicin, responsible for the burning sensation in the mouth.

Capsaicin is, first of all, a natural antibiotic quite effective. That is why foods prepared with chili peppers are better preserved.

Second, it has analgesic effect. Apparently it reduces the availability of the chemical messenger of pain –called substance P– so effectively that it is used in post-operative treatments and in cases of arthritis.

Contrary to what was thought until recently, hot pepper is not harmful for people with stomach problems in general: in moderate quantity it favors digestion, as it stimulates stomach mucus and the function of the gallbladder.

As if that were not enough, it is also an aphrodisiac. This is how the Aztecs considered it, due to its shapes, colors and the internal heat they produce.

Now it is known that in adequate doses, once the pain is overcome, the spicy induces the production of endorphins in the brain, related to the feeling of well-being.

It also activates blood circulation, stimulates the genitourinary tract and improves male fertility.

in skin problems

It is also used as an ingredient in balms for irritated skin for psoriasis or herpes.

For reasons that are not yet well understood, people who are allergic to latex or to tropical fruits such as bananas or kiwis may also be allergic to peppers.

pepper in the kitchen

The pepper is used in many dishes. In regional specialties such as the Valencian paella, it gives a colorful touch. It is a basic ingredient of catalan samfaina, the Basque ratatouille or the Andalusian gazpacho. And to the Castilian lentils, the paprika from La Vera gives them their characteristic flavor.

In international cuisine it is no less common. Adaptable and humble, the pepper is also a good wild card on the table. In summer combine and gives a color contrast to leafy salads, in which red and green peppers can be mixed.

Diced in summer legume salads it refreshes, alkalizes and facilitates digestion.

As an autumnal garnish in a mushroom dish with rice or couscous, it is excellent roasted in the oven.

Once again roasted, but with aubergine, it gives rise to one of the most popular recipes in Catalan lands, the escalivada.

A delicacy in preserve

The quality of the canned pepper will depend on the brand. Sometimes it is peeled with a caustic bath, sometimes mechanically, and sometimes by hand. Our pocket and taste will have the last word.

It can be sautéed with oil, garlic and aromatic plants, or baked for a few minutes to accentuate its flavor.

To make homemade preserves they are prepared and, already clean and peeled, they are placed in the jar as tight as possible.

Its own juice is added and if that is not enough, it is filled with brine (20 g of salt per liter of water) and lemon juice.

They are covered and sterilized for at least 45 minutes in a pot with water and salt, and again after 24 hours for safety.

Purchase and conservation

A good pepper must have the smooth and glowing skin, No bumps, wrinkles or soft spots.

It can be kept in the fridge for up to 15 days as long as some rules are respected. It is strong and resistant but it does not like changes in temperature, nor excess cold.

As it contains a large amount of water, it freezes quickly, so it must be kept in the refrigerator. away from the colder walls. Excess moisture is not good for it because it rots.