Chili peppers

Chili peppers are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants, notable for their hot flavor, and are a member of the nightshade family. Many varieties of chili peppers exist, such as cayenne, serrano, habanero, Thai chili, birds-eye chili, and jalapeño. Chili peppers are primarily used as a spice and can be cooked or dried, and powdered. Capsaicin is the chemical compound found in peppers, and you can find it in the oil residing in the pepper or seed. Capsaicin is what makes the peppers hot and why you get that burning sensation that lingers on your tongue and lips.

Capsaicin even has a medical purpose where it’s a key ingredient in creams and patches that can give you relief from pain. This can help relieve pain like muscle sprains, strains, migraines, and arthritis. Capsaicin is synthetically derived for pharmaceutical formulations due to its analgesic properties. Used topically, capsaicin aids in controlling peripheral nerve pain. This agent has been used experimentally to manipulate substance P and other tachykinins.1

Substance P’s most well-known function is a neurotransmitter and a modulator of pain perception by altering cellular signaling pathways. Substance P plays a role in gastrointestinal functioning, memory processing, angiogenesis, vasodilation, and cell growth and proliferation. 2 It’s believed that substance P plays a role in psoriasis; one study showed that psoriasis patients treated with capsaicin cream had significantly reduced scaling, redness, and patchiness than patients who received a placebo cream. 3

Capsaicin is often used as a topical analgesic. It exists in many formulations of various types of cream, liquid, and patch preparations; it may also be found in some dietary supplements. 1

Capsaicin helps boost metabolism, but the overall effect is small. In one study, people who ate a breakfast containing capsaicin and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil burned 51% more calories during that meal, compared to people who had neither for breakfast. 4 It’s also important to know that people who regularly consume cayenne peppers don’t continue to reap the same benefits from them over time, as their bodies adapt to the effects.5

Dietary spices and their active components may provide many benefits for your stomach. Cayenne pepper may help boost the stomach’s defense against infections, increase digestive fluid production and help deliver enzymes to the stomach, aiding digestion. 6It does this by stimulating nerves in the gut that signal for protection against injury. 7 While some believe that spicy food may cause stomach ulcers, a review has shown that the capsaicin in cayenne peppers may help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.8

Whether you are using chili peppers to add flavor in your cooking, capsaicin topically, or aiding digestion, you can benefit from incorporating chili peppers into your life. I have linked below an easy-to-follow guide that can help you have a successful growing experience from seed to harvest. I love dehydrating my harvest and grinding the chili peppers into a powder so I can enjoy year-round!

Pepper Growing Guide

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References:

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 1548943, Capsaicin. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Capsaicin.

2. Graefe S. Biochemistry, substance P. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554583/. Published April 29, 2021.

3. Bernstein JE, Parish LC, Rapaport M, Rosenbaum MM, Roenigk HH Jr. Effects of topically applied capsaicin on moderate and severe psoriasis vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986;15(3):504-507. doi:10.1016/s0190-9622(86)70201-6

4. Clegg ME, Golsorkhi M, Henry CJ. Combined medium-chain triglyceride and chilli feeding increases diet-induced thermogenesis in normal-weight humans. Eur J Nutr. 2013;52(6):1579-1585. doi:10.1007/s00394-012-0463-9

5. Ludy M-J, Mattes RD. The effects of hedonically acceptable red pepper doses on thermogenesis and appetite. Physiology & Behavior. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938410004063. Published November 18, 2010.

6. Maji AK, Banerji P. Phytochemistry and gastrointestinal benefits of the medicinal spice, Capsicum annuum L. (Chilli): a review. J Complement Integr Med. 2016;13(2):97-122. doi:10.1515/jcim-2015-0037

7. Satyanarayana MN. Capsaicin and gastric ulcers. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2006;46(4):275-328. doi:10.1080/1040-830491379236

8. Satyanarayana MN. Capsaicin and gastric ulcers. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2006;46(4):275-328. doi:10.1080/1040-830491379236