Chili pepper/ja: Difference between revisions

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File:Black pearl cultivar.jpg|Black Pearl cultivar of ''C. annuum''

File:Pimientos choriceros.jpg|[[Choricero peppers|Choricero]],<br/>Spain

File:Chili peppers cultivated in Myanmar.jpg|Purple chilies,<br/>Myanmar

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== Intensity ==

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=== Capsaicin ===

{{main|Capsaicin}}

|caption1  = Chemical structure

|caption2  = Space-filling model

|footer    = [[Capsaicin]], the principal molecule that gives chili its heat

The substances that give chili peppers their [[pungency]] (spicy heat) when ingested or applied topically are [[capsaicin]] (8-methyl-''N''-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) and several related chemicals, collectively called ''capsaicinoids''. Pure capsaicin is a [[hydrophobic]], colorless, odorless, and crystalline-to-waxy solid at room temperature. The quantity of capsaicin varies by variety, and depends on growing conditions. Water-stressed peppers usually produce stronger fruits. When a [[habanero]] plant is stressed, for example by shortage of water, the concentration of capsaicin increases in some parts of the fruit.

When peppers are consumed by mammals such as humans, capsaicin binds with [[nociceptor|pain receptors]] in the mouth and throat, potentially evoking pain via spinal relays to the [[brainstem]] and [[thalamus]] where heat and discomfort are perceived. However, birds are unable to perceive the hotness and so they can eat some of the hottest peppers. The intensity of the "heat" of chili peppers is commonly reported in [[Scoville scale|Scoville heat units]] (SHU), invented by American pharmacist [[Wilbur Scoville]] in 1912. Historically, it was a measure of the dilution of an amount of chili extract added to sugar syrup before its heat becomes undetectable to a panel of tasters; the more it has to be diluted to be undetectable, the more powerful the variety, and therefore the higher the rating. Since the 1980s, spice heat has been assessed quantitatively by [[high-performance liquid chromatography]] (HPLC), which measures the concentration of heat-producing capsaicinoids, typically with capsaicin content as the main measure.

Capsaicin is produced by the plant as a [[Plant defense against herbivory|defense against mammalian predators]]. A study suggests that by protecting against attack by a [[hemiptera]]n bug, the risk of disease caused by a ''[[Fusarium]]'' fungus carried by the insects is reduced. As evidence, the study notes that peppers increased the quantity of capsaicin in proportion to the damage caused by fungi on the plant's seeds.

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=== Intensity range of commonly used cultivars ===

| [[Bell pepper]] || 0 SHU

| [[Fresno chile|Fresno]], [[jalapeño]] || 3,500–10,000 SHU

| [[Cayenne pepper|Cayenne]] || 30,000–50,000 SHU

| [[Piri piri]], [[Bird's eye chili|bird's eye]] || 50,000–100,000 SHU

| [[Habanero]], [[Scotch bonnet]] || 100,000–350,000 SHU

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=== Hottest by country ===

{{further|Hottest chili pepper}}

! Country

! Type

! Heat (SHU)

| United States || [[Pepper X]] || 2.69M

| Wales || [[Dragon's Breath (chili pepper)|Dragon's Breath]] || 2.48M

| United States || [[Carolina Reaper]] || 2.2M

| Trinidad and Tobago || [[Trinidad moruga scorpion]] || 2.0M

| India || [[Ghost pepper]] (Bhut jolokia) || 1.58M

| Trinidad and Tobago || [[Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper|Trinidad Scorpion Butch T]] || 1.46M

| England || [[Naga Viper pepper|Naga Viper]] || 1.38M

| England || [[Infinity chili]] || 1.07M

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== As food ==

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=== Nutritional value ===

{{nutritionalvalue | name=Peppers, hot chili, red, raw | source_usda=1| water=88 g | kJ=166 | protein=1.9 g | fat=0.4 g | carbs=8.8 g | fiber=1.5 g | sugars=5.3 g | vitC_mg=144 | vitA_ug=48 | betacarotene_ug=534 | vitB6_mg=0.51 | potassium_mg=322 | magnesium_mg=23 | iron_mg=1|opt1n=[[Capsaicin]]|opt1v=0.01g – 6 g

| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170106/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]}}

Red hot chili peppers are 88% water, 9% [[carbohydrate]]s, 2% [[protein (nutrition)|protein]], and 0.4% [[fat]] (table). In a 100 gram reference amount, chili peppers supply 40 [[calorie]]s, and are a rich source of [[vitamin C]] and [[vitamin B6|vitamin B₆]].

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=== Pungency ===

Due to their unique [[pungency]] (spicy heat), chili peppers constitute a crucial part of many cuisines around the world, particularly in Chinese (especially in [[Sichuanese food]]), Mexican, Thai, Indian, Yoruba, [[New Mexican cuisine]] and many other South American, Caribbean and East Asian cuisines. In 21st-century [[Asian cuisine]], chili peppers are commonly used across many regions. Chili is a key ingredient in many [[curry|curries]], providing the desired amount of heat; mild curries may be flavoured with many other spices, and may omit chili altogether.

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=== Cooking ===

Chilies with a low capsaicin content can be cooked like bell peppers, for example stuffing and roasting them. Hotter varieties need to be handled with care to avoid contact with skin or eyes; washing does not efficiently remove capsaicin from skin. Chilies can be roasted over very hot coals or grilled for a short time, as they break up if overcooked.

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The leaves of every species of Capsicum are edible, being mildly bitter and nowhere near as hot as the fruits. They are cooked as [[Leaf vegetable|greens]] in Filipino cuisine, where they are called ''dahon ng sili'' (literally "chili leaves"). They are used in the chicken soup ''[[tinola]]''. In Korean cuisine, the leaves may be used in [[kimchi]].

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=== Regional cuisines ===

Chilies are present in many cuisines. In Peru, ''Papa a la huancaina'' is a dish of potatoes in a sauce of fresh cheese and [[aji amarillo]] chilies. In Thailand, ''kaeng tai pla'' fish curry is flavoured with a ''tai pla'' sauce made with garlic, shallots, galangal, kaffir lime, turmeric, fish paste, and bird's eye chilies. In Jamaica, [[jerk chicken]] is spiced with powerful habanero chilies and [[allspice]]. Goan vindaloo curry uses the extremely hot [[ghost pepper]] or bhut jolokia to create "perhaps [India's] hottest dish". In [[Bhutan]], ''[[ema datshi]]'', entirely made of chili mixed with local cheese, is the national dish. Many [[Mexican cuisine|Mexican dishes]] use chilies of different types, including the [[jalapeño]], [[poblano]], [[habanero]], [[Serrano pepper|serrano]], [[chipotle]], [[ancho]], [[pasilla]], [[Guajillo chili|guajillo]], [[Chile de árbol|de árbol]], [[Cascabel chili|cascabel]] and [[Mulato pepper|mulato]]. These offer a wide range of flavours including citrus, earthy, fruity, and grassy. They are used in many dishes and the spicy ''[[Mole (sauce)|mole]]'' sauce and Mexican [[Salsa (food)|salsa]] sauces. and [[Obe ata]].

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File:Lamb Chops With Guajillo Chili Sauce and Charro Beans (cropped).jpg|Mexican lamb chops with [[guajillo]] chili sauce and charro beans

File:Taj Mahal - Lamb Curry Madras.jpg|Lamb [[Madras curry]]

File:Chilli pickle in a plate 2.jpg|Pickled chili in India

File:Chili pepper dip Amman.JPG|Chili pepper dip in a traditional restaurant in Amman, Jordan

File:Tinolang Manok.jpg|[[Filipino cuisine|Filipino]] ''[[tinola]]'' chicken soup with ''[[labuyo]]'' chili leaves

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== Other uses ==

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=== Ornamental plants ===

[[File:Black Pearl - Ornamental Pepper.JPG|thumb|alt=Black Pearl Pepper.|Black pearl pepper, an ornamental variety]]

* [[Black pearl pepper]]: small cherry-shaped fruits and dark brown to black leaves

* Black Hungarian pepper: green foliage, highlighted by purple veins and purple flowers, jalapeño-shaped fruits

* [[Bishop's crown|Bishop's crown pepper]], Christmas bell pepper: named for its distinct three-sided shape resembling a red bishop's crown or a red Christmas bell

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=== Constrained risk-taking ===

Psychologist [[Paul Rozin]] suggests that eating ordinary chilies is an example of a "constrained risk" like riding a [[roller coaster]], in which extreme sensations like pain and fear can be enjoyed because individuals know that these sensations are not actually harmful. This method lets people experience extreme feelings without any significant risk of bodily harm.

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=== Topical use and health research ===

[[Capsaicin]], the [[pungency|pungent]] chemical in chili peppers, is used as an [[analgesic]] in [[topical medication|topical ointments]], [[nasal spray]]s, and [[dermal patch]]es to relieve pain. A 2022 review of preliminary research indicated that regular consumption of chili peppers was associated with weak evidence for a lower risk of death from [[cardiovascular disease]]s and [[cancer]].

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=== Chemical irritants ===

{{further|Pepper spray|Chili grenade}}

Capsaicin extracted from chilies is used in [[pepper spray]]s and some [[tear gas]] formulations as a chemical irritant, for use as [[less-lethal weapon]]s for control of unruly individuals or crowds. Such products have considerable potential for misuse, and may cause injury or death.

[[Human–wildlife conflict|Conflicts]] between farmers and elephants have long been widespread in [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa|African]] and [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia|Asian]] countries, where elephants nightly destroy crops, raid grain houses, and sometimes kill people. Farmers have found the use of chilies effective in crop defense against elephants. Elephants do not like capsaicin due to their large and sensitive [[Olfaction|olfactory]] and nasal system. The smell of chili causes them discomfort and deters them from feeding on the crops. By planting a few rows of the fruit around valuable crops, farmers create a buffer zone through which the elephants are reluctant to pass. Chili dung bombs are also used for this purpose. They are bricks made of mixing dung and chili, and are burned, creating a noxious smoke that keeps hungry elephants out of farmers' fields. This can lessen dangerous physical confrontation between people and elephants.

Birds do not have the same sensitivity to capsaicin as mammals, as they lack a specific [[Nociceptors|pain receptor]]. Chili peppers are eaten by birds living in the chili peppers' natural range, possibly contributing to seed dispersal and evolution of the protective capsaicin in chili peppers, as a bird in flight can spread the seeds further away from the parent plant after they pass through its digestive system than any land or tree dwelling mammal could do so under the same circumstances, thus reducing competition for resources.

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== Etymology and spelling ==

The English word is {{etymology|nci|{{wikt-lang|nci|chīlli}}|}} with the same meaning. The name of the plant is unrelated to that of the country [[Chile]]. While ''pepper'' originally meant the genus ''[[Piper (genus)|Piper]]'', not ''Capsicum'', the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' and  [[Merriam-Webster]] record both usages.

The three primary spellings are ''chili'', ''chile'' and ''chilli'', all recognized by dictionaries.

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* ''Chili'' is widely used in English of the United States

* ''Chile'' is the most common Spanish spelling in Mexico and several other Latin American countries, and some parts of the United States.

* ''Chilli'' was the original [[Romanization]] of the [[Nahuatl|Náhuatl language]] word for the fruit (chīlli), and is the preferred British spelling according to the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]''. ''Chilli'' (and its plural ''chillies'') is the most common spelling in former British colonies such as India and Sri Lanka.

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== Safety ==

The [[volatile oil]] in chili peppers may cause skin irritation, requiring hand washing and care when touching the eyes or any sensitive body parts. Consuming hot peppers may cause stomach pain, [[hyperventilation]], [[sweat]]ing, [[vomit]]ing, and symptoms possibly requiring hospitalization.

Unscrupulous traders have illegally added at least eight different synthetic dyes, including [[Auramine O]], [[Chrysoidine]], [[Sudan stain|Sudan stains I to IV]], [[Para red]], and [[Rhodamine B]] to chili products. All these chemicals are harmful. They can be detected by [[liquid chromatography]] used together with [[mass spectrometry]].

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== In popular culture ==

[[File:Capsicum -Chili - Peperoncino - Il Viagra Calabrese - Calabria - Italy - July 17th 2013 - 02.jpg|thumb|[[Peperoncino]] chilies in Italy, advertised as an [[aphrodisiac]] ]]

The 16th century Spanish missionary and naturalist [[José de Acosta]] noted the supposed [[aphrodisiac]] power of chilies, but wrote that they were harmful to people's [[spiritual health]]. In the 1970s, the government of Peru forbade prison inmates to consume chilies, their explanation being that these were "not appropriate for men forced to live a limited lifestyle."