What are Capsaicinoids and Scoville
heat units
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness encyclopedia of food
and nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every variety of fresh food.
Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6.
"All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that
produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and
the nose to run, and even induce perspiration. Capsaicinoids have no
flavor or odor, but act directly on the pain receptors in the mouth and
throat. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop
diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
"Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's placenta--the
white "ribs" that run down the middle and along the sides of a
pepper. Since the seeds are in such close contact with the ribs, they are
also often hot. In the rest of the vegetable, capsaicinoids are unevenly
distributed throughout the flesh, so it is likely that one part of the
same pepper may be hotter ot milder than another. You can reduce the
amount of heat in a chili pepper by removing the ribs and seeds, but you
must wear gloves while doing so.
"Capsaicinoid content is measured in parts per million. These
parts per million are converted into Scoville heat units,
the industry standard for measuring a pepper's punch. One part per million
is equivalent to 15 Scoville units. Bell peppers have a value of zero
Scoville units, whereas habaneros -- the hottest peppers--register a
blistering 200,000 to 300,000." Pure capsaicin has a
Scoville heat unit score of 16 million." (p.140)
From Berkley, R. (1992). Peppers: A Cookbook. New York:
Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-74598-0
"There are several remedies for the effects of eating a pepper
that is too hot for you, something that is usually discovered when it is
too late. (Eventually, you can build up tolerance to the heat of peppers,
and will be able to eat hotter and hotter chilis without having to resort
to these cures.) Many people recommend drinking tomato juice or eating a
fresh lemon or lime, the theory being that the acid counteracts the
alkalinity of the capsaicin. Some people won't begin eating hot peppers
without a pitcher of cold water handy, though this is not the best idea.
The capsaicin, which is an oil, does not mix with the water but is instead
distributed to more parts of the mouth. More useful solutions include
drinking milk (rinsing the mouth with it as you sip) or eating rice or
bread, which absorb the capsaicin. My own favorite retaliation against
attack by hot chili pepper is to simply eat another. And if that
doesn't work, eat another one.......(p.9)."
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness encyclopedia of food
and nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every variety of fresh food.
Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6.
"Are hot peppers bad for you? Proably not, according to recent
studies. A common concern is that hot peppers or other spicy foods cause
ulcers, but there's no evidence that they do. Studies of areas where hot
peppers are used extensively in cooking, such as Brazil and Thailand, have
found no higher incidence of stomach ulcers among their populations. And
in a study conducted at a Veterans Administration hospital, researchers
ground up about an ounce of jalapeno pepper and injected it directly into
the stomachs of volunteers. Follow-up observation showed no damage to
their stomach linings. Nor do hot peppers aggravate or cause hemorrhoids,
as has often been claimed, since capsaicinoids...are broken down before
they reach the lower intenstine.
"Actually, evidence has shown that peppers may have some
beneficial properties. Capsaicin--the predominant capsaicinoid--has been
found to work as an anticoagulant, thus possibly helping prevent heart
attacks or strokes caused by blood clot. Small amounts of capsaicin can
produce numbing of the skin and have a slight anti-inflammatory effect. In
some countries, peppers are used in salves.
"Moreover, peppers are high in vitamin C, which, in turn, may be
effective in protecting against cancer. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, a
chemical substance capable of removing the threat from free radicals,
which can cause cells to mutate.... (p.141)."
"By weight, green bell peppers have twice as much vitamin C as
citrus fruit; red peppers have three times as much. Hot peppers contain
even more vitamin C, 357 percent more than an orange. And red peppers are
quite a good source of beta carotene... (p.136)."
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