What is useful red capsicum: a description of the composition and properties of the product. Red capsicum - an indispensable seasoning

Ecology of life: Red hot pepper has amazing properties due to the presence of capsaicin in its composition. Capsaicin is an alkaloid found in various Capsicum peppers.

Red hot pepper has amazing properties due to the presence of capsaicin in its composition. Capsaicin is an alkaloid found in various Capsicum peppers. Pure capsaicin is a colorless crystalline substance with a pungent taste. It is he who has a beneficial effect on the human body.

In countries such as Mexico, Chile, red pepper is constantly used in the preparation of meat and other types of dishes. These countries are famous for their spicy recipes, but also for the opportunity to improve their health by eating red pepper.

Residents of Mexico claim that it brightens the mind, while the inhabitants of Thailand and India consume hot pepper the most and are sure that they owe their good health to it. Hindus believe that, if it were not for red pepper, the poor population of the country would have died out without exception long ago due to poor nutrition.

Let's see what is the use of red hot pepper?

First, it is a benefit to the stomach. Thanks to the alkaloid it contains. Hot red pepper is able to help digest heavy foods. For example, if you use this seasoning for meat, it will become the most useful, and will contain fewer harmful substances, fats and carbohydrates. Thus, a person will be able to enjoy the taste of his favorite dish, which will satisfy his appetite and at the same time he will not have to worry about extra calories, because red pepper can reduce them by 2 times. However, it is worth remembering that red hot pepper will not be useful for those who suffer from high acidity in the stomach, diabetes, diseases of the liver, intestines, as well as ulcers or gastritis.

Secondly, red pepper is good for the intestines. The intestines contain a very large number of various bacteria, so it is very important to monitor its regular cleaning. In order for the process of getting rid of excess food residues to be more effective, you need to pay attention to nutrition, daily routine and physical activity. Often people observe only the last two points, but, alas, they forget about the first. The result is colic, constipation or frequent urges. The intestines must work constantly, being freed after each meal. If a failure occurs, then it is enough to eat a piece of meat or fish, to which seasoning is added - red hot pepper. After a while, you will feel that the intestines have begun to work like clockwork again. By the way, if you refuse products such as meat or fish, then prefer to use a side dish for lunch or dinner, which will be prepared using this miraculous seasoning.

Pepper is actively involved in the metabolic processes in the body and thus saturates the blood with useful components. As for blood clots, we can say that pepper is able to cope with the causes of thrombosis and similar diseases.

We must not forget about such a wonderful property of pepper as a hematopoietic and diuretic. Thanks to pepper, many women can solve their gynecological problems. For example, such a problem that occurs in most women - an irregular menstrual cycle, occurs due to the fact that a woman is emotionally stressed, has not paid much attention to her food for a long time, does not move much, and has little sleep and rest. In this situation, it is useful to use the usual seasoning - red hot pepper - for the treatment and restoration of the ovaries. After a week of use, you can notice how the work of the gastrointestinal tract has improved, as well as how the ovarian system has begun to improve. Thanks to the particles that make up its composition, it is able to quickly return menstruation.

But it is important to remember that during the period themselves, you can not use red pepper for nutrition, as it will not bring benefits. The fact is that those girls who experience abdominal pain should not eat salty, fatty and spicy foods. This can only provoke spasms and thereby increase pain. In order to get rid of the pain, you need to temporarily stop taking spicy foods and it is better to pay attention to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Now it is worth considering the effect of red hot pepper on hair growth and improving the blood supply to nail tissues. Red hot pepper can effectively promote hair growth, as well as strengthen hair roots and make nails strong and healthy. Hair masks made from vegetable oils with the addition of hot red pepper well stimulate the blood circulation of the scalp, strengthen the hair follicles. That is why in medicine they consider pepper a useful product, an excellent healing seasoning and also an excellent healer for those who suffer from brittle hair, weakness of the nail plate. In just a couple of days, it will restore the functioning of internal organs and help strengthen hair and nails.

For many housewives, hot red pepper is considered one of the favorite seasonings. In a small amount, pepper complements various dishes, giving a piquant taste to meat, soups, marinades. Since ancient times, it has already been known about the miraculous healing agents of this vegetable. So, red pepper is able to strengthen the immune system, helps in the treatment of sore throats, normalizes blood circulation, improves the well-being of a person suffering from bronchial asthma.

More recently, scientists have found that red pepper helps fight excess weight. Due to the fact that this vegetable activates blood circulation and normalizes metabolism, the body accelerates the process aimed at splitting fat cells. In addition, pepper helps to remove various toxins and harmful substances from the colon.

It is worth saying that red pepper is a very low-calorie product, which contains practically no carbohydrates. It is recommended to lose weight with red pepper by taking a tincture obtained from this vegetable. When creating this tincture, alcohol or vodka is used.

To prepare the tincture, one part of red pepper, which should be crushed very finely, is poured with five parts of vodka or the same amount of 90% medical alcohol. If alcohol is used to create the tincture, then the remedy should be infused for seven days. In the case of using vodka, the resulting infusion must be kept for three weeks. Red pepper for weight loss, prepared as a tincture, should be taken three times a day 30 minutes before meals.

For men, there is great news - red hot pepper restores potency and solves the problem associated with sexual addictions. Now you can make a tincture of red pepper or cook something spicy for your loved one for dinner. Then the evening will be unforgettable. The main thing, of course, is not to overdo it.

Children who do not like to learn lessons, have poor attention, can also achieve heights if they start eating pepper, because it is very useful for brain function.

According to experts, red pepper should also be included in the daily diet. If you can not eat this vegetable whole, then chop finely, and make seasonings for various dishes. You can also use ground red pepper.

Cook delicious dishes with the addition of pepper for the whole family and be healthy! published

Types of pepper and their history

The word pepper refers to various botanical plants. To begin with, we divide all of them into two concepts. One has the Latin name Piper and is a spice (famous in cooking Black pepper and its varieties), and the second is called Capsicum and these include Vegetable peppers (Capsicum, Bell pepper). In cooking, as a rule, three types of pepper are used, namely white, green and black. Note that all of them are essentially one plant, differ only in the time of collection and the ripeness of the harvested fruit.)

All plants that belong to the Pepper family are commonly referred to as simply Pepper. This family includes more than 700 species, some of which are cultivated only for spices, such as black pepper and long pepper. Pepper, also called some species of plants of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) - Paprika, it is also Sweet pepper and Chili pepper, both do not belong to the aforementioned Pepper family. By mistake, pepper is also called Jamaican pepper - a plant from the Myrtle family, Peruvian pepper (aka Chinus soft), Brazilian pepper (aka Chinus pistachio), Water pepper, which generally belongs to the Buckwheat family.

Types of pepper

A little about the history of the appearance of pepper in Rus'. Pepper is one of the most famous and ancient spices on earth. The word - pepper, even became the collective name of all spices - spicy, feathery, peppered, in Russian, because black pepper was the first overseas spice that Russian people met.

About four thousand years ago, there was a custom to season food with pepper and the first in this was India and at the same time South America. It is surprising that in different parts of the world there were completely different plants with similar properties: Black pepper - in India and Red pepper - in America. In India, on the southwestern part of the coast, the so-called homeland of Black pepper, pepper is grown in our time.

Plants belonging to the genus of peppers (Piper) of the pepper family, numbering more than one and a half thousand species. Pepper, these are small clinging semi-woody shrubs, that is, lianas, giving inflorescences-brushes like bunches of grapes, each of which fits 30-50 small spherical drupes, covered with a thin layer of pulp - pericarp. However, only 5-6 species of them are used as spices, growing in South Asia. They produce black, white, gray and brown (according to the color of the finished product) peppers.

Plants from which red peppers (capsicums) are obtained - hot, semi-burning and sweet - have nothing to do with the genus of real peppers and belong to the nightshade family.

Bell Pepper or Sweet Pepper

Most of the popular culinary peppers, such as chili and paprika (Sweet pepper), are not botanically peppers at all. They belong to the genus Capsicum (Capsicum) families Nightshade (Solanaceae)

Capsicum, Hot pepper, Paprika

Capsicum, Hot pepper or Spicy (Capsicum annum L.)

Capsicums, hot peppers or spicy ones are grown specifically as a spice. Capsicum is an annual plant of the Solanaceae family. Presumably, the plant received the name paprika from the word "piper", since the new vegetable tasted similar to black pepper.

Mexico is the birthplace of capsicum. At home, this plant is a perennial woody shrub with a thin, straight or winding stem and a height of up to 60 cm. The leaves are ovate or lanceolate, can be pointed, entire, bare or drooping with long petioles. The flowers of the plant are white with yellowish patches on the forks of the branches, appear singly, sometimes they can be in a pair or a bunch. Flowering occurs in June. The fruit of the plant has a thin, conical shape with a length of 5 to 15 cm, ripening occurs in November, have a red color. Pepper seeds are pale yellow in color, flat in shape, up to 4 mm long. Capsicum is a heat-loving and light-loving plant, it reacts heavily to frost, the soil is moist and fertile.

After ripening, the fruits are harvested, the seeds and core are separated, and the pulp is dried, after which it is ground into a powder. Thus, ground red pepper or paprika is obtained, used in cooking as a spice. The powder is characterized by a red color and a sweetish taste with a slight bitterness. Read more >>>

Variety of types of pepper

Chili Pepper or Cayenne Pepper(Capsicum frutescens L.)

Chili pepper differs from paprika in smaller fruits with a burning taste. Chili pepper is a perennial shrub plant up to 1.2 m high - it is a bitter pepper. Appearance is similar to capsicum, while the fruits are smaller, have a light orange or yellow color. The fruits are very burning, some may even have burns on the skin. The aroma of chili pepper is stronger and more specific than that of capsicum. Note that it is from this pepper that the famous pepper plaster consists. The unripe green fruits of this pepper are called pepperoni.

Jalapeno pepper

Jalapeno peppers are a variety of chili peppers that have a particular pungency and pungency that starts with a warm sting that lasts in the mouth for a long time. This pepper got its name in honor of the city of Xalapa in Mexico, in which the production of this pepper is established in large volumes. Jalapeno peppers are used in almost all Mexican dishes.

Types of Black Pepper

In fact, it is correct to call pepper only the fruits of plants of the same genus, belonging to the family Pepper (piperaceae), whose name in Latin sounds like " Piper". Real pepper is common in the nature of East Asia and tropical America.

Spicy Pepper Varieties

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

Homeland - South India. It grows and is cultivated in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Ceylon, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Caribbean, South America. Black pepper as a spice is prepared from green unripe fruits, which are dried whole, with the pulp of the pericarp, directly in the sun. Sometimes, in order to speed up drying, the pepper fruit clusters are immersed for several minutes in hot water or simply scalded.

Dried pepper is black or black-brown wrinkled grains with a diameter of 3.5-4 mm. Black pepper is better, the harder, darker, heavier it is. 1000 grains of good quality black pepper should weigh exactly 460 grams. Such a ratio in weight and number of black pepper grains determined its use in the Middle Ages as weights for weighing pharmaceutical products and other small measures that require great accuracy. Well-dried black pepper should not turn grey. Graying means damage to pepper, complete or partial, the loss of its healing and aromatic properties.

The best Black Peppers on the world market are Malabar and Tellisheri. Black pepper is often called the most versatile spice, or rather, it is the most common and best known spice, no more versatile than many other classic spices. Black pepper is used in meat, fish, vegetable, mushroom and egg dishes, both cold and hot. It is part of the marinades and dry mixes of spices. Occasionally, in small quantities, along with other spices, black pepper can also be used in sweet dishes - in some types of cookies. The norms of bookmarking black pepper are very different and depend solely on taste.

White pepper, Black pepper, Green pepper, Pink pepper

white pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

White pepper is not a separate type of pepper, but a specially processed Piper nigrum (black pepper). It is almost ripe, peeled fruits (more precisely, already seeds) of a creamy white color with a subtler and stronger aroma than black pepper.

In the old days, pepper seeds were soaked in water for several days, the skin was removed by hand, dipped in a bleaching solution, and after two days they were washed and dried. Sometimes this method is still used today, although now white pepper is more often produced using machine cleaning after a preliminary 10-15 minute steam treatment (the so-called decortication method).

White pepper is valued more than black pepper and is used in meat and fish dishes, as well as in light sauces or dishes where dark blotches of black pepper are undesirable from an aesthetic point of view. The best varieties are Muntok (from the island of Sumatra, Indonesia) and Sarawak (Malaysia).

Pepper Cubeba

Pepper Cubeba (Piper Cubeba L.)

Liana Piper cubeba of the pepper family, originally from Indonesia. Most of the Cubeba peppers are grown in Java and other Indonesian islands; it also grows in African countries - Sierra Leone and Congo. Cubeba fruits consist of a thin (1 mm) hard but brittle shell containing a small seed; they are harvested before full maturity and dried in the sun. They are larger than black peppercorns (4-6 mm), very wrinkled, with a small point at the top, and their color varies from gray-brown (such are considered the best) to black.

Cubeba has a more pungent taste than black pepper, with a characteristic minty chill and a delicate aroma reminiscent of allspice. Grind it just before use.

During the Renaissance, Europeans used cubeba very widely, but later it was replaced by black pepper. Modern European chefs rarely use cubeba (with the possible exception of the French).

The cubeb pepper is widely used in North African cuisine (for example, it is included in the Moroccan spicy mixture "ras el khanout"). Cubeba is especially popular in Malaysia and in its homeland, Indonesia, where it is seasoned with dishes from fish, rice, vegetables and marine crustaceans (crabs, lobsters and shrimp), and also flavors various alcoholic drinks. Due to its strong pungency, cubebu is used in very small doses, usually a quarter of the recommended serving of black pepper.

Long Pepper

long pepper (Piper longum L.-Piper officinarum)

Dried over the fire unripe axes of inflorescences (ears) are used. Long pepper is native to India. A related species, Piper retrofractum, is native to Indonesia and Thailand. In Europe, long pepper appeared in ancient times, perhaps even earlier than black, and was three times more expensive. The taste of long pepper is both hot and sweet, and this was a favorite combination of Roman cooking. Today, long pepper is almost forgotten in European cooking, but remains a popular spice in Southeast Asia, North and East Africa.

Long pepper is much more spicy than black pepper. Long pepper is used in the same cases as black pepper, with the possible exception of sweet dishes. G. Katzer recommends using long pepper in fondue and wine sauces. Black pepper cannot serve as a full replacement for long pepper. Something similar is obtained except in combination with black pepper and nutmeg. In general, long pepper goes into marinades, in other cases it is used ground.

Growing peppers

Pepper is a semi-shrub perennial plant of the Solanaceae family, a vegetable crop. In our climatic conditions, it is grown as an annual crop. Has a long growing season. The color of the fruits is varied, depending on their maturity and variety, it is white, yellow-white, green, dark green, orange, red, dark red. There are large-fruited, wide-fruited (tomato-shaped), long-fruited and small-fruited peppers.

Various groups of Peppers

There are three groups of peppers (depending on the content of capsaicin alkaloid in their placenta):

Sweet peppers - with large fruits with thick fleshy walls (up to - 6 mm);
Semi-hot peppers - with large long fruits and a wavy surface;
Hot peppers, Spicy or Bitter peppers are multi-fruited with thin-walled fruits. The leading place belongs to vegetable (sweet) pepper with tender, juicy and fleshy pulp, which is used in various forms: fresh as a salad, canned, pickled, stewed, stuffed and others.

Three groups of peppers

The root system is well developed. The bulk of the roots are located in the upper soil layer. The roots grow most intensively before the beginning of fruit formation, then the growth rate gradually slows down. Roots are the most cold-sensitive part of the plant.

The stem of the pepper is herbaceous, soft at a young age, coarse and stiff in adult plants. Depending on the nature of branching, they distinguish: standard (single-stemmed); semi-standard (1-3 shoots are formed in the lower part of the stem), and bushy (the main stem branches from the base).

Pepper flowers are formed in the axils of the leaves, one at a time, less often two on each side shoot. Flowering goes without fail until the frost. The flowers open first on the shoots of the first and second orders, then the flowers on the main stem, not taking into account the apical bud.

Planting Peppers

Place for planting Peppers and soil for Peppers

Peppers are extremely demanding on light - they need abundant sunlight from the moment they emerge until the end of the growing season. Under the pepper allocate a sunny, wind-protected area with fertile, deeply dug, loose, light, sandy, loamy, fairly moist soils.

In the fruit shift, it is placed after early white and cauliflower, legumes, pumpkin and green vegetables.

Place for planting Peppers and soil for Peppers

Planting Peppers

Unlike tomatoes, peppers do not tolerate transplanting well, so seedlings should only be grown in pots. The terms of growing seedlings, planting plants in a permanent place are approximately the same as with the culture of tomato and eggplant. Plant deep to the first pair of true leaves. Pepper requires a slightly smaller feeding area than a tomato, so the distance between plants in a row for sweet pepper is 25-30 cm, for hot pepper 18-20 cm, when planted according to the 70x70 cm scheme, three plants are left in the hole.

Two-line schemes 90 + 40x20cm are also used for plants of sweet varieties and 80 + 40x15cm for sharp ones. Pepper does not need pinching, requires more frequent, but less plentiful than tomato, watering (better sprinkling, with a break during flowering). Pinching over the sixth or seventh leaf stimulates the formation of side shoots, a more powerful leaf apparatus and prevents wilting, as the leaves protect the soil from overheating.

Pepper Care

It must be remembered that at temperatures above 30 ° C and below 10 ° C, fertilization is disturbed. Greenhouses need to be temperature controlled. During the fruiting period, the emergence of new flowers slows down. After the removal of the first fruits, flowering again intensifies. Therefore, in our conditions, the fruits must be harvested as soon as they reach removable ripeness.

Pepper is a thermophilic plant. The minimum temperature for seed germination is 15-18°C, at 13°C the seeds do not germinate and growth stops. The optimum temperature for the growth and development of pepper is 20-25°C, for seed germination - 24-30°C.

Water in the greatest quantity is necessary for pepper during the fruiting period. With a lack of moisture in the soil, some of the buds and ovaries fall off, the yield decreases. Pepper is very picky about air humidity. Lower humidity, accompanied by increased temperature, causes the flowers and ovaries to fall off. This also needs to be monitored in greenhouses and greenhouses. Watering should not be frequent, but always plentiful.

Peppers are used fresh, canned, salted, pickled, stuffed, dried. Sweet pepper is added to salads, meat and vegetable dishes, as well as canned food. Hot peppers are suitable for seasoning tomatoes and cucumbers, which gives them a sharpness and a specific aroma.

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We will tell you what peppers are, why they are hot, what is the difference between red capsicum and black peppercorns, how they are used in cooking and how they affect health, how they are grown and what role they play in human life.

What is the difference between black peppercorns and red capsicum

Peppers, eaten by mankind as a seasoning, from the point of view of biological science, are very heterogeneous. They can be divided into three large groups, each of which should be considered separately:

Plants of the Pepper family, genus Piper, real black peppercorns cultivated in many tropical countries. These are small vines that have clusters of fruits, covered with a red shell when mature. Fully ripened black peppercorns without shells are white in color (the so-called ""). Ground black peas and ground white peas have different flavors. Unripe peppers are called green peas.

Real black peppercorns cannot be confused with anything. His homeland is South India, Thailand, Indonesia. A long time ago, Europeans tasted this spice. He got to Europe along the Great Silk Road or from Arab suppliers. The price of these grains was more expensive than gold. Europe was constantly looking for its own way to access them and other spices.

Of the 5 ships of Magellan, after the circumnavigation of the world, a small sailing ship "Victoria" returned home to Spain, having on board a small amount of peppers and spices, which repeatedly paid off all the costs of the trip. Now black pepper has become familiar in any kitchen, it still smells of the tropics and is in demand by people.

Close relatives of classic black pepper, cubeba and long pepper are almost never found in modern Russian cooking. This is how they look:

long pepper

The plants listed above are a classic spice that has always been valued for flavor rather than spiciness.

The second hotter brother of capsicum is cayenne pepper (Capsicum fastigiatum Bl. and Capsicum frutescens). It has miniature bright red pods. One fruit can turn a 5 liter pot of borscht into volcanic lava. It is this nightshade family that owns the famous Jalapeno and Habanera varieties.

Briefly about the group number 3. This is first of all, which is famous for its aroma, as well as plants of the Xylopia genus, such as varieties of African pepper (Kumba). Javanese and Japanese peppers are also popular in local cooking.

Why are red peppers so hot?

Here it is, the famous chili pepper, however, here it is dried:

Hot peppers and black peppercorns, culinary use

Or in ground form - this is practically the main low-burning flavor in modern Russian cooking. Peas are widely used for salting and pickling vegetables and fish. Ground black pepper is on almost every home table and in catering establishments. Rarely used white pepper. Black pepper has a versatile culinary purpose. It is equally good with fish dishes and meat dishes.

Red peppers - capsicums have a different meaning in the culinary business. It is a complete food product, especially sweet and slightly burning varieties. Thousands of dishes are prepared from them, they are preserved. According to the content of vitamins C and A, red nightshade capsicums have no competitors. Their energy value, and hence the calorie content is quite low. The huge sauce industry from Tabasco to Chili and Ketchup is based on the use of red peppers, including hot peppers.

The hottest varieties are dried and ground. Since literally homeopathic additives of potent peppers are used in cooking, various dishes and sauces are used.

It has long been debunked all the speculation that the use of hot varieties of red peppers causes gastritis or stomach ulcers in humans. It has been scientifically proven that red peppers help the body destroy cancer cells and bacteria, including heliobacteria that cause ulcers.

Classic black peppers, due to their unsurpassed aroma, are designed to arouse appetite and interest in various dishes. Nightshade sweet and slightly hot red peppers are an excellent component of any vegetable salad. They are combined with any vegetables and, at a low calorie content, can benefit due to the huge amount of vitamins.

Paprika contains a lot of fiber. Its consumption dramatically improves the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

The burning components of capsicum bring people out of a depressive state. The second purpose of hot peppers is external skin irritation. As part of pepper plasters, red hot peppers improve blood supply to problem organs and joints.

Peppers perfectly burn fat and normalize blood pressure in the human body.

Peppers in culture and people's lives

In South America, before the arrival of the white conquerors, up to 450-500 different plant species were cultivated. Pepper served as a universal medium of exchange, playing the role of money. They prayed for him, they did not eat him during fasts. But everything was scorched by fire and the sword of the conquistadors. Including nightshade crops. Of the dozens of species of red pepper cultivated by the Indians, only a few have survived.

But how beautifully and powerfully pepper of the genus Capsicum came into human culture. The seeds brought by Columbus and his followers spread throughout the world in a short time. It got to the point that in China, where the first cookbook was published 2000 years ago, red capsicum, not Mao, made the first cultural revolution and supplanted all types of traditional spices. It so happened that by 1700, many biologists began to consider China the birthplace of the cultivated hot pepper.

The victorious procession of red capsicum changed many traditional cuisines. Cooking in Southern Europe and the Balkans is unimaginable without paprika. The culinary traditions of India, China and all the countries of Southeast Asia are literally saturated with the smells and sharpness of nightshade spices.

Classic black peppercorns are cultivated in equatorial and tropical countries. Vietnam is the leader in the production of black peas, in 2014 it supplied 156 thousand tons of this seasoning to the world market, with a total global consumption of 300-340 thousand tons.

Red capsicums are less demanding on heat and moisture. They are grown even in Siberia on the ground covered with a film. World production of capsicum is 25-35 million tons. Half of this volume is grown in China. Red pepper has become popular as a house plant, it is ornamental, blooms constantly and requires regular care.

Anyone who has grown this crop knows the conflict it comes into with other plants. Delicate cucumbers do not withstand the neighborhood in a greenhouse with tomatoes and peppers. Nightshade phytoncides inhibit many plants. Not every crop can grow the next year, in the place where the nightshade grew.

The famous Bird pepper (Capsicum minimum Roxb.) has long been used to feed chickens. They increase egg production and strengthen the feather. In many ways, the processes of influence of peppers on organisms are still not well understood.

Global consumption of classic black pepper and capsicum is constantly on the rise. This is due to the general growth of the world's population and the growing popularity of pepper in cooking and for medicinal purposes.

Such is the coexistence of man and hot pepper. It is multifaceted and continues to develop. In some places, the use of pepper is a tribute to fashion, in others it is a tradition that has been going on since ancient times. In general, black and red pepper have had and are having a huge impact on the development of civilization and food culture. Long live the pepper!

All articles in the "Theory" section

Red hot pepper is quite popular in the modern world. It is called differently: burning, pungent, bitter, chilli, cayenne. But from this, the properties of a spicy vegetable do not change. Despite many disagreements and disputes, scientists have proven that pepper is very beneficial for the body.

Everyone knows mustard plasters based on pepper, tinctures, mixtures for inhalation with angina, bronchitis. However, one should be careful with such a culture. Since red pepper, like many healthy foods, has some contraindications and, if used excessively, can adversely affect health.

Hot pepper is a low-calorie product. A medium-sized pod has only 18-20 kcal. The sharpness of the fruit is manifested due to the alkaloid substance - capsaicin, which is present in all varieties (except sweet ones) in different quantities.

Pepper also contains the following macro- and microelements:

proteins fats carbohydrates;
vitamins: A, groups B, E, K, PP (hot pepper surpasses lemon in the content of ascorbic acid);
carotenes;
micro and macro elements: magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese.

The uniqueness of the composition of red pepper determines its taste characteristics and special medicinal properties.

What is useful burning vegetable

There is an opinion that hot pepper does not benefit the body, as it is believed that it irritates the stomach lining. It is clear that in unreasonable application and use this is exactly what can be. However, at the same time, using chili pepper, the work of the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems is restored, appetite improves, stool normalizes.

Red pepper is able to produce the “happiness” hormone in the human body. For example, endorphins relieve stress and increase human immunity.

Speaking about the amazing properties of a spicy red vegetable, it should be noted antibacterial, antidiabetic and analgesic action. What else can red pepper do? Consider some facts:

Normalizes the work of the heart. Capsaicin significantly reduces cholesterol levels, and therefore reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other diseases.
Reduces weight. Few people know about it. Pepper normalizes metabolism, stimulates the breakdown of body fat.
Relieves headaches.
It is an excellent prophylactic of gastrointestinal diseases. The product is able to relieve inflammation and destroy the bacteria that cause gastritis.
Normalizes blood pressure.
Fights infectious diseases and colds.
Chili pepper is effective in psoriasis, diabetes.
Hot pepper is especially useful for men. It has a beneficial effect on male power. An interesting experiment was carried out in France. After eating, saliva was taken from each participant for analysis. Those who regularly consumed chili sauce had fairly high levels of the main male hormone, testosterone.

Not only the pulp of a burning vegetable benefits the body. Its seeds should also be noted, which are also saturated with vitamins, micro- and macroelements.

The use of red hot pepper in cosmetology

Red pepper in ground form has found its application not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology. This product promotes hair and nail growth. That is why pepper is the main ingredient in various shampoos, hair masks. There are also toothpastes with the addition of red pepper. Such products are designed to improve the condition of the gums. Chili must be included in anti-cellulite creams to effectively combat "orange peel" in problem areas.

Traditional medicine recipes

Tinctures or ointments based on red pepper extract are useful for polyarthritis, gout, rheumatism. Such a healing remedy is easy to prepare at home.

Here, for example, is a recipe for an ointment: we take a tincture of red pepper (you can buy it at a pharmacy or make it yourself) and vegetable oil in proportions of 1: 3, mix. Such an ointment is applicable as a means for rubbing the skin with mild frostbite.

Hot pepper tincture is prepared as follows:

take 5 fresh or dried peppers, cut into small pieces, you can grind with a blender;
pour 0.75 liters of vodka;
put the finished tincture in a dark place for 10-14 days;
do not forget to shake the mixture daily so that its ingredients are well mixed;
apply after straining.

This tincture can be added to various masks for damaged and brittle hair, 1 tablespoon each.

Is it possible for pregnant and breastfeeding women?

During the hormonal restructuring of the body after conception, a woman is drawn to either salty or spicy. Hot pepper is allowed for pregnant women, as it can reduce the symptoms of toxicosis. But it must be consumed in small quantities. Too much spicy food can cause heartburn, thirst, put more stress on the kidneys, and stimulate uterine contractions.

Spicy food in the diet of a nursing mother does not pose any threat to the child. Of course, there is a possibility of acute ingestion into breast milk, but it is very small. However, mothers are not immune from surprises. After you have tasted a piece of pepper, monitor your child's behavior: he may be experiencing bloating from your culinary preferences.

Should I give hot pepper to children?

Pediatricians allow children from 12-13 years old to use chili peppers, but only slightly burning varieties. Before this age, the mucous membrane of the stomach of the child is very sensitive to the main ingredient of pepper - capsaicin, so it will be difficult to avoid burns.

Contraindications and harm of hot pepper

Along with positive qualities, red pepper has negative ones. As with any product, an allergic reaction can occur from pepper. A burning vegetable is contraindicated:

people with severe forms of cardiovascular disease: angina pectoris, arrhythmia;
do not use pepper as an ointment or cream if there are wounds, cuts, scratches on the skin;
do not allow the vegetable to get on the mucous membranes of the body. It can cause irritation and, in rare cases, severe burns.

Many national cuisines cannot be imagined without a hot seasoning - a red pepper pod, which gives the dishes a sharpness, piquancy, and a special taste. Despite the fact that the homeland of the culture is distant overseas lands, many Russian summer residents successfully grow it in their garden plots.

Red chilli pepper - description

The famous capsicum has many names - chili, spicy, hot, bitter and others. It grows wild in Asia, as well as in Central America, and pepper has been used for food and for various rituals since ancient times. It was the Aztecs who gave the plant the name "chili", that is, "red", because most varieties of culture have red fruits in full maturity. In the view of many people, hot peppers are bushes with scarlet, dark red pods, although there are varieties with fruits and other colors. But in our article an overview of the varieties of only hot red pepper is given.

Characteristic

The culture belongs to the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, and everyone's favorite sweet pepper. But the genus, which includes chili, is special, since it contains a variety of types of peppers with fruits of varying degrees of spiciness.

W. Scoville, an American chemist, even developed a special system for measuring the hotness of peppers, where indicators are determined by the amount of capsaicin alkaloid. This substance gives the fruits of the plant a sharpness, and, in many varieties, only the seeds and internal partitions are sharp, and the walls of the peppers have a neutral or slightly sweetish taste.

Red pepper is a plant that can reach different heights in height, there are undersized (up to 30 cm) and compact varieties, there are also bushes - “giants” (up to 100-120 cm).

The foliage of the bushes is also different, as well as the color of the petals - white or greenish. In most varieties of this variety of pepper, the fruits are in the form of pods, although there are also balls, peppers in the form of a prism, and turbans.

In a state of technical maturity, that is, when the fruits have reached a certain size, weight, but have not acquired the color characteristic of this variety, their skin is usually green. As they ripen, the fruits can change color, be yellow, orange, and finally, only turn red towards the end. By the way, the skin can be of different shades - scarlet, dark red, crimson, purple.

The mass of fruits also varies depending on the variety, as well as their length and diameter. The surface of the fruit ranges from smooth and shiny to wrinkled and slightly “rumpled”. The taste of fruits varies in the degree of spiciness, so you can always choose a "fusion" variety, spicy pepper or a vegetable with a sweet-spicy taste.

Properties

The presence of a large number of various elements in the fruits of hot pepper has also led to the use of its fruits in various fields. Well, and, first of all, pepper is grown for the sake of using it in cooking: as a seasoning, a component of various dishes, an independent meal.

Thin pods are suitable for drying, after which they are ground into powder. Also, peppers of varying degrees of spiciness are added to marinades, pickles to tomatoes, cucumbers or squash, various preservation is prepared from them.

Thanks to the same capsaicin, the fruits are used for the preparation of various drugs (both in official and traditional medicine), patches, tinctures.

ON A NOTE! The composition of many ointments that are used to relieve pain in sciatica, lumbago includes red capsicum.

Berries (and the fruits of the plant, indeed, are berries) of pepper help improve eyesight, normalize heart function, and prevent the development of dangerous cancers. But this does not mean at all that you can use pepper without any norms, however, due to the hotness of the product, this is impossible.

But we must remember about contraindications, as well as the fact that everywhere (even in spices and seasonings) a measure is needed.

Hot chili is often used in various recipes for the preparation of hair care products. Capsaicin and a number of other elements in fruits have an irritating effect, thus, they can inhibit hair loss.

Benefits of red pepper

Hot pepper is indispensable for the preparation of many dishes, while it gives them not only sharpness, but also a special taste. Sauces, various seasonings, marinades, pickles, where pods or spicy powder are added, make the menu more diverse. Curry, the famous Tabasco, many national seasonings include hot red chili in their composition. It is noted that the fruits are in perfect harmony in taste with other spices:

garlic;
basil;
coriander.

Spicy lovers use this vegetable everywhere, of course, if health permits. It is believed that the regular use of burning pods contributes to the production of "happy" hormones - endorphins, thanks to which a person looks positively at the world, benevolently towards others.

It is also useful for men, as it has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the prostate gland, and for women, as one of the components of weight loss products.

ON A NOTE! Do not use hot pepper fruits for children (up to about 12 years old), as well as for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The complex of substances contained in the fruits gives an analgesic effect, therefore, ointments, gels, and hot pepper creams used for joint diseases are widespread. Their peculiarity is the absence of any side effects associated with paralysis, as well as efficiency.

There are dozens of recipes for folk remedies with chili that help with colds, various skin diseases, and intestinal problems. By regularly applying special ointments with burning pods, you can prevent baldness, make your hair beautiful and healthy.

The best varieties of red chilli pepper

There are many varieties of this amazing plant, differing in a variety of criteria:

according to the maturity of the pods;
shape, weight of fruits;
degree of burning;
bush height.

When making a choice, it is necessary to take into account all these features so that the culture does not disappoint when grown. For those who live in regions with a harsh climate and a short summer season, low-growing early-ripening varieties that grow well in greenhouses and under shelters are better suited. For greenhouses (polycarbonate, film), high varieties of peppers are ideal, which are also distinguished by good yields. However, with good care, a hot pepper has many fruits on miniature bushes.

hungarian yellow

Quite early, the Hungarian yellow variety will please you with its sharp peppers. It is so named because its pods, while not quite ripe, have bright yellow skins, but when fully biologically ripe, they turn red.

The bushes of this variety are very small, so it is suitable for growing in tunnels or low film shelters. Pods in the form of cones, long, with a beautiful glossy skin. During the ripening period, peppers reach a mass of 50-60 grams.

The fruits are sharp, with a pleasant spicy note. Variety Hungarian yellow is good for all kinds of marinades (it looks very nice in jars), as well as seasoning for dishes.

For mother in law

The variety with an interesting name belongs to the group of early hot peppers, it is distinguished by its yield and excellent marketable types of fruits.

The first pods (still green, but already reached the desired size and weight) can be removed after 100-110 days. This pepper grows well in the beds right under the open sky, but in the first weeks after planting, you will need to cover the plants. It has long thin cone-shaped fruits-pods, up to 12-14 cm in length. The taste is burning, there is a pleasant peppery aroma.

Coral

Another representative of the red guard of hot peppers is the Coral variety, the fruits of which can hardly even be called pods. In shape, they resemble small berries, in an unripe form they are green, in a state of biological ripeness they are dark red.

The bush at Coral grows only to a height of 30-40 cm, so the culture is quite suitable for cultivation in a pot at home.

The variety is decorative, looks great as a houseplant in the interior, and the fruits can be used to prepare various seasonings. Berries-peppers by weight - about 20 grams, the pulp of the walls is sharp, slightly burning. In terms of time, this is a medium-early pepper, according to the results - high-yielding.

fiery bouquet

The fruits of the following variety, bred by domestic breeders and called the Fiery Bouquet, have a very sharp taste and a strong peppery aroma.

It is desirable to grow this pepper in a greenhouse using a support, since its height can exceed 100 cm.

Pods in the form of long cones, which is quite traditional for hot peppers, are dark green at first, and become bright red as they ripen. The mass of fruits is small, only 18-19 grams, but inside there is a powerful charge of pungency and aroma.

This variety is suitable for preservation, marinades, and the fruits of the Fiery Bouquet are also convenient to dry and then grind into powder.

spark

One of the "classic" varieties of hot pepper, thanks to which any red pods of burning plants began to be called the Light. The bush has the shape of a pyramid, grows no more than half a meter in height.

Grow Light and in greenhouses, and in greenhouses, and just in the beds in the open air.

ATTENTION! Hot pepper varieties should grow at a distance from sweet peppers, otherwise seeds from such plants cannot be taken due to their cross-pollination.

Beautiful red pods of the Light grow up to 12-16 cm, have the shape of a slightly curved cone, and weigh about 40 grams. The taste of the pods is very sharp, so they are often used as an additive in marinades and pickles.

This pepper is resistant to a number of diseases, while giving a good harvest in a variety of climatic zones.

Jellyfish

The little Medusa variety surprises everyone not only with its high yield, but also with very unusual fruits. In shape, Medusa peppers are ordinary small (up to 5 cm) pods, but the thing is that they do not grow down, but up.

A bush strewn with pods sticking up in red, green, orange looks very picturesque. In appearance, the pods really resemble the tentacles of a jellyfish, especially since they are not straight, but slightly curved. This variety requires special care:

a lot of light;
regular watering;
frequent spraying.

The fruits of the Medusa can be removed after 100 days, the taste is spicy, pleasantly burning.

Indian summer

Indoors, such a variety of a burning vegetable as Indian Summer is very often grown. It attracts with its decorative effect, in addition, the variety is fruitful and unpretentious.

The height of the bush reaches about 20 cm, there are many leaves, and the flowers are arranged in pairs in the axils. Fruits of a rounded or conical shape are also formed in pairs. This pepper is surprising in that until the moment of biological maturity and the skin reaches red, the fruits can be green, yellow, lilac and even dark purple.

ON A NOTE! In indoor conditions, Indian summer pepper is cultivated as a perennial plant, grown in the garden for one summer season.

A miniature bush can decorate various interiors, it looks great in compositions with other plants. Spicy-spicy fruits are used for seasonings, as well as for medicinal purposes.

Adjika

The mid-early variety is suitable for growing in beds, but in regions with a harsh climate, it is better to allocate a place for it in a greenhouse. The variety is tall, with a powerful, well-leafy bush.

The same large (in comparison with the fruits of other varieties of hot peppers) are the pods of Adjika, reaching a mass of up to 90-100 grams. The fleshy, dark red pods have a sharp, peppery flavor and aroma. You can use them in a marinade, fresh for adding to salads, as well as for all types of preservation.

Superchile

When they talk about chili peppers, they mean very spicy fruits. Imagine now what can be said about the Superchili hybrid, the pods of which have simply thermonuclear pungency.

This hybrid of the first generation is included in the group of early ripe peppers, and therefore it can be grown even in the conditions of the harsh Siberian regions, in the regions of the European North. In technical maturity, its fruits are green, then they can be yellowish, and only when fully ripe they become dark red.

Pods with a shiny skin have a mass of about 20 grams, they are elongated cones in shape. Superchili fruits are hot, fragrant, used as spices (in ground form), as well as in marinades.

jalapeno

The fruits of the Jalapeno pepper variety have a medium spicy taste, varieties of which are now grown not only in its homeland - in Mexico, but in other countries. He also fell in love with Russian gardeners, especially since you can not wait until the fruits turn red, because the most valuable are green pods.

Peppers are small, up to 4-5 cm long, plump, cone-shaped. In a state of technical ripeness, the green Jalapeno fruit is very pungent, and as it ripens, it turns red and loses its sharpness, becoming spicy-sweet.

IMPORTANT! The pods of this variety are very burning, so you need to take care of the plant, as well as collect the fruits, only with gloves.

There are various varieties of the variety, which have different sizes of fruits, the degree of bitterness. The use is universal, so many lovers of spicy and spicy food choose Jalapeno for growing.

dragon tongue

Everyone remembers from fairy tales and legends that dragons are fire-breathing monsters, and therefore the name of this hot pepper is quite justified. A plant up to a meter high forms a large number of bright red pods weighing up to 50 grams.

This variety grows well in open ground, but in the conditions of Siberia, in the regions of the Urals, the North-West, it is still worth planting it under cover. The pods are long, elongated, slightly flattened, indeed, resembling the tongue of some animal.

To taste, pepper is very bitter, burning, so you need to follow the norm when using it and adding it to dishes.

Variety Dragon tongue is a very fragrant pepper, characterized by unpretentiousness and productivity.

Tips for Growing Red Chili Peppers

Unlike its close relative - sweet pepper, hot pepper is not so capricious and whimsical, although it also needs good care. If only simply because this culture is thermophilic, and if you want to get more than two or three pods on a bush, then you must follow all the agricultural practices.

Harvest varieties (and almost all hot red peppers are like this) give, with proper care, a very large number of fruits, so a few bushes on the site will be enough.

What should you pay attention to?

For regions with a short summer season, a small number of warm days, it is best to select early-ripening varieties.
When planning plantings, plant hot peppers away from sweet ones (if you plan to take seeds from them). If you use only purchased seed material, then you can not be afraid of cross-pollination of plants and grow them nearby.
To obtain a crop, you will first need to grow seedlings, and only then plant plants on ridges, in greenhouses or a greenhouse.
When buying seeds, pay attention to expiration dates, since pepper has the best germination for 1-2 years, and after three years, the indicators drop sharply.
Pepper seedlings should be at least 60 days old at planting. Based on this, as well as the timing of the ripening of the variety, the characteristics of the climate and weather of the area, it is necessary to choose the timing of sowing. February-March is considered the best time, so it is by the middle of the last month of winter that you need to prepare the soil and containers for seedlings.
Decide which varieties of pepper you will grow - for pickling and pickling, for drying, for fresh use. Many hot peppers are universal, but there are also specific varieties that are suitable only for a certain type of workpiece.
Purchased soil (for tomatoes, peppers) is suitable for growing seedlings, which should be loose, nutritious. It is better not to use peat mixtures or add humus and high-quality turf soil to them.
It is recommended to grow hot peppers without diving. Plants get sick less, grow better and adapt faster then on the ridges. For planting, a variety of containers are used, not forgetting about drainage.
For top dressing at home, it is desirable to use complex fertilizers, ready-made formulations with various trace elements.
Seedlings must be hardened before planting, for which peppers are taken out into fresh air. This should be done approximately 10-12 days before the "moving" of peppers, the time of procedures in the air starts from 15-20 minutes and increases (in good weather) to several hours.
When buds appear on the bushes, the first flower is usually removed so that it does not draw the attention of the plant, nutrients.
It is imperative to follow the recommendations for planting peppers. This crop can grow in dense plantings (like a greenhouse with tomatoes), but it is important that all plants have enough sunlight. Low-growing peppers can be planted more often (up to 5-6 bushes per square meter), higher varieties are planted less often.
Hot peppers are little affected by diseases; insect pests do not bother him either. This is due to the presence of capsaicin in the fruits, which gives peppers a burning sensation. Some varieties of pepper are also very fragrant, so there is no particular threat to plantings.
It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the varieties, since there are peppers that need regular watering, for other varieties this is not so important. Top dressing is also needed, and they are usually combined with watering.
Nitrogen is applied as fertilizer (during the initial growing season), later peppers need potassium and phosphorus. Hot pepper reacts well to the introduction of ash, superphosphate.
In order to better form ovaries on peppers, you can shake the bushes very carefully in the morning during the flowering period of plants.
It is not necessary to wait for the pods to fully ripen. A number of varieties, such as Jalapeno, are recommended to be harvested only at the stage of technical maturity in order to get sharp fruits. Later, the pods will be already sweetish. Such harvesting will allow the plant to form more fruits, the yield will be higher.
Low-growing varieties of peppers can be dug out of the garden at the end of summer and planted in pots to grow at home. To do this, you need to pick up a roomy container, fill it with good earth. If everything is done correctly, that the peppers will continue to bear fruit indoors (with sufficient lighting). The main thing is not to forget to water and provide the plants with warmth.

Red hot pepper is becoming more and more popular with gardeners, because it's nice to grow your own spicy seasoning in your garden. Our review will allow you to decide on some varieties and choose the most suitable bitter pepper for you with bright colorful fruits.