Chile peppers are an amazing source of vitamin A, B, and C. They are high in fiber, phytonutrients and Capsaicin. Capsaicin is being researched for its preventive effects on cancer at several major universities.
These peppers also pack a punch for your metabolism. Capsaicin has an effect that is similar to green tea (ECCG) and caffeine and has been shown to stimulate weight loss when eaten as part of a healthy diet.
Capsaicin is a safe and effective topical analgesic agent and is used in the treatment of arthritis, shingles (herpes zoster), nerve damage, and even migraines. It is also used in pepper spray – hence the name.
There are many delicious ways to consume chile. New Mexico is known for it’s enchiladas, rellenos, chile con carne, green chile cheeseburgers and more. I often add it to eggs at breakfast or to spice up tuna salad. You should experiment with it, you’ll be surprised at its versatility.
Fortunately, New Mexican chiles are not too torturous on the heat index. I like to think they are just hot enough. I’ve included a reference table for your evaluation.
|
Chile Pepper
|
Heat Range
|
|
Pimento
|
0
|
|
Sweet Banana
|
0
|
|
Hot Cherry
|
50 ~ 500
|
|
Pepperoncini
|
100 ~ 500
|
|
Poblano
|
500 ~ 2,000
|
|
Hatch Green
|
5,000 ~ 6,000
|
|
Jalapeño
|
2,500 ~ 8,000
|
|
Kung Pao
|
8,000 ~ 10,000
|
|
Serrano
|
8,000 ~ 22,000
|
|
Tabasco
|
30,000 ~ 50,000
|
|
Cayenne
|
30,000 ~ 50,000
|
|
Thai
|
50,000 ~ 100,000
|
|
Orange Habanero
|
150,000 ~ 325,000
|
|
Scotch Bonnet
|
90,000 ~ 325,000
|
|
Trinidad Scorpion
|
1,029,000 ~ 1,390,000
|
|
Ghost Pepper
|
1,020,000 ~ 1,578,000
|
|
Moruga Scorpion
|
1,200,000 ~ 2,009,231
|
|
Carolina Reaper
|
1,200,000 ~ 2,100,000
|
Go out and get yourself some chile – it is roasting season after all!
