Chili peppers: A heart-healthy addition to your diet
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be in a five-alarm fire, try biting into a Habanero chili pepper, the Mexican gastronomic delight that is arguably the hottest available. It's a delight only if you know what to expect, which is another way of saying, don't try it unless you can deal with the resulting reddened eyes, sweating and choking sensation that inevitably results from a first encounter with one of the world's hottest peppers.
Chili peppers can be a healthy addition to your diet and can add a zest into sometimes bland low-fat foods without adding calories or cholesterol. They're also loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin. They have been shown to improve metabolism, help digestion and break up congestion. And those are merely the nutritional benefits.
Chili peppers have shown some blood-thinning capabilities for treating high blood pressure and heart disease. The chemical that makes chili peppers hot, capsaicin, is even used as an ingredient in topical remedies to reduce pain and swelling and serve as an antiseptic.
But the downside is hot chili peppers can burn you if you're not prepared. Whether you'll experience a five-alarm fire, or a mild tingle depends on the chili pepper, since not all of them are hot. Chili peppers, a member of the night-shade family which includes tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco, can range in heat from the innocuous bell pepper to the flaming habanero. Color is no indication of heat; the habanero, for example, can be red, orange, green or white. A better gauge is shape; the small, narrow peppers like cayenne or serrano are usually hot while larger peppers like poblano and Anaheim peppers are milder. Heat is based on how much capsaicin is concentrated in the ribs and inner membrane of the pepper. Capsaicin is a tasteless but potent chemical that makes peppers hot; it causes an intense burning sensation in sensitive nerve fibers in the mouth and -- if the person handling the pepper isn't careful -- on fingers and in the eyes. That's why you should wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers, don't touch your children or pets, and wash your hands thoroughly when finished.
If you're not sure just how hot the pepper is, try the tongue test -- touch your tongue to a small piece of the cut flesh. You'll know instantly whether to pile it on or use a light touch. If you misjudge and end up with a mouth full of fire, don't try water or alcohol to relieve the pain; use dairy products such as milk or yogurt. Bread, bananas, and rice may also help.
To aid you in your search for the right hot pepper for you, here's a list of common chili peppers from the very mild to the very hot:
- Anaheim, Cherry Pepper, Cubanelle, and Poblano - mild.
- Fresno and Jalapeno - warm.
- Ornamental and Serrano - hot.
- Chiltepin - very hot.
- Habanero, Scotch bonnet - super hot.
Here's a recipe featuring a variety of peppers.
Hot Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, skinned, boned
8 whole wheat tortillas
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of water
3 scallions, chopped
2 to 3 teaspoons of jalapeno peppers, chopped fine (use gloves!)
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
Fresh cilantro, chopped to taste
1 medium red, yellow and green bell pepper sliced into strips
1 medium tomato, diced
Salsa to taste
Preparation:
1. Slice the chicken into chunks about 1/2-inch square. Place them in a large bowl. Squeeze lime juice over chicken. Add the garlic, scallions, black pepper, and cumin, and toss to mix.
2. Slice the bell peppers into strips and set aside.
3. Wrap the tortillas in a thin, clean, dishcloth, place them on an ovenproof plate, and put the plate in the oven. Warm the tortillas at the lowest setting on your oven while preparing the fajita mixture.
4. Heat the oil and water in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chicken, bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers. Add the greater amount of jalapeno if you like your food very spicy. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add salt to taste.
5. Spread a spoonful of the fajita mixture in a thick line in the middle of each tortilla. Top with cilantro, tomato, and salsa to taste. Roll up the tortillas and serve.
Makes 4 servings of 2 fajitas each.
