Cayenne pepper appears in the list of ingredients in many a recipe. Pharmacies also offer heat patches with cayenne pepper extract. What makes it so versatile?
Do not confuse: cayenne pepper and chilli powder
Cayenne pepper and chili powder look almost the same visually. But what many do not know: It is not the same product.
Cayenne pepper consists only of ground chili peppers of the Cayenne variety. The Cayenne chili peppers grow on a subshrub (Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum) that is about 50 centimeters high. The spice was used as early as the 15th century and originally comes from South America. From the 18th century, powdered cayenne was also popular in England. The English could use it to flavor the dishes they had come to know in the Indian colonies. You can dry cayenne and then grind it into cayenne pepper.
What the vernacular understands as chili powder today, on the other hand, is a spice mixture. That means it is not pure chili. The basic ingredients include cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin and oregano. Depending on the spice mixture, nutmeg, cinnamon or cloves are also included. With chili powder you can, for example, cook the typical Mexican dish Chili con carne or the meat-free version Chili sin carne.
Cayenne pepper is much hotter than chili powder. The Scoville unit indicates how pungent a spice really is on our taste and circulatory systems. The degree of sharpness of pure cayenne pepper is between 30,000 and 60,000 Scoville. For comparison: The pepperoni is at the lower end of the scale with 100-500 Scoville, while a jalapeño chilli has much more heat with 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville.
The name cayenne pepper is also misleading because there is no relationship to the classic pepper. Red, green, and black pepper are all based on the fruits of the pepper plant.
How does cayenne pepper work?
According to BR, cayenne pepper can support the body as follows:
What makes cayenne pepper hot is the active ingredient capsaicin.
When you eat cayenne pepper, your body produces endorphins. Under certain circumstances, these can still put you in a euphoric state, the “pepper high”.
The capsaicin contained in cayenne pepper promotes blood circulation in the skin and muscles and even relieves pain by releasing your body’s endorphins.
According to the Apothekenumschau, cayenne pepper also has the following effects:
Due to its sharpness, the cayenne pepper has an antibacterial effect: it stimulates gastric acid production. Stomach acid kills pathogens that enter the body through food in the digestive tract.
The active ingredient capsaicin in cayenne pepper also boosts the body’s digestion.
According to the NDR, some dietary supplements with capsaicin promise to promote fat burning. Eating chili can also make you sweat.
But in addition to capsaicin, cayenne pepper contains something else that is important: It contains a high proportion of carotenoids and vitamin C. Both ingredients make cayenne pepper a valuable antioxidant. Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical substances that protect and strengthen our body from harmful influences.
Caution: If you have a sensitive stomach, you should not eat too spicy. This also applies if your stomach lining is weakened by stress, painkillers or other medication. Because the capsaicin it contains boosts gastric acid production
Many different dishes can be prepared with cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper traditionally comes from the national cuisine of South America. In addition, it is also used in the kitchens of India, China and Indonesia.
The cayenne pepper gives many dishes a spicy note. You can use it to refine various dishes – for example your pumpkin soup, your arrabiata sauce or your marinade. Or mix some cayenne pepper into vegan dips to flavor them.
As a special insider tip in the cold season, you can sprinkle some cayenne pepper on your hot chocolate. Have fun enjoying!
