Jalapeno Now Flowering

My Jalapeno plants have started to flower, along with the Tabasco and Habanero.

[January 2008, Auckland, New Zealand]

Hot peppers can make eyes water but also give an endorphin high

She adds that scientists have isolated five capsaicinoid components: three that produce the rapid bite sensation in the back of the mouth and throat and two that linger longer with a slow, spicy burn.

There is one upside to the spicy heat sensation: it actually releases feel-good endorphins in the brain.

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chili peppers | pepper health guide

It was recently discovered that tarantula venom activates the same pathway of pain as is activated by capsaicin, the first demonstrated case of a such a shared pathway in both plant and animal anti-mammal defense.

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Spice up your life with chili

Speeds up metabolism

A British study found hot peppers boost the metabolic rate, which burns extra calories. And losing excess pounds is as good for your health as it is for your vanity, since it reduces the risk of adult onset diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

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Facts About Peppers

Capsaicin itself holds numerous health benefits:

· Effective treatment and natural pain relief for inflammation such as arthritis, psoriasis, diabetic neuropathy.

· Reduce risk of heart attack and stroke as it helps to reduce cholesterol levels and formation of blood clots.

· Clear blocked nose and congested lungs.

· Prevent prostate cancer by inhibiting growth of cancerous cells · Prevent stomach ulcers by killing bacteria in the stomach and stimulate more protective stomach juices.

· Help to lose weight as it speeds up the body’s metabolism rate, suppresses appetite and cravings for sweet foods.

· Lower risk of Type 2 diabetes by controlling the blood sugar.

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Munchcast 15: Chili

Listen to this great audio podcast about Chili with Leo Laporte and Cammy Blackstone

Click here to listen now

or download the .mp3 file here

Superfood No. 7: Hot Peppers

All peppers contain compounds called capsaicinoids. This is especially true of chili peppers, which derive their spicy heat—as well as extraordinary anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-cancer, heart-healthy effects—from very high levels of capsaicinoids, the most common form of which is capsaicin.

Superfood No. 7: Hot Peppers

Benefits of hot peppers:
From headaches to arthritis relief — Capsaicin's health benefits
The Scoville Scale: How hot is your pepper?