With the recent explosion of the Naga variety peppers Such as the naga jolokia and the naga Scorpion
I thought since the trend is moving into the extreme regions of Hot Pepper pods. That I would take a look at an old familiar friend
Straight up CAYENNE crazy!!!!
Since here in New England we dont enjoy the creature comforts to grow such mind rattling peppers such as the naga family.
And getting them has proven more than difficcult.We decided with long thought to reverse the train so to speak.Not an easy decision when in this enormously fast growing industry,keepin up with the Joneses is of the up-most importance.Or so I thought,but then realized that you must venture forth on your own path.So I decided to reverse my steps and visit an old friend mr.cayenne...not the baddest cat on the block anymore but definately the foundation for any hot sauce recipe or spicy culinary creation.So this is the Conception of my new Idea.I spent time living with some of the greatest people I have ever met on this planet anyway.Southern Louisiana-Terrebone parish 1995 oh what good times we had.Crawfish boils barbeques Mardi Gras and loads of food I shall never forget.Salt and Cayenne flowed like a mountan river torrent in the spring,and the good times rolled on as if this day would be the last.And the smell of Cayenne still haunts my dreams.The aroma and anticipation of the food stay`s with me till this day.
So here`s the facts;
Cayenne pepper is a perennial small shrub reaching about 90-100 cm in height. The plant prefers well drained sandy soil and warm climate. Its woody stem with numerous branches is covered with rich green leaves. Small creamy- white flowers appear all over the bush which subsequently grown to long, slender, glossy bright green color fruits (pods). The fruits finally mature when they turn to bright deep red color. The hotness of cayenne is measured in “Scoville heat units” (SHU). On the Scoville scale, cayenne pepper has 30,000 to 50,000 SHU.
Interiorly, each cayenne fruit features numerous tiny, flat, disk like, off-white or cream colored seeds. The centrally placed seeds are actually clinging to centrally placed white placenta.
In general, the cayenne chili peppers are allowed to ripen completely in the plant and picked up by hand when they are matured and turned red. They are then left to dry which causes them to shrivel.
Cayanne chilies have strong spicy taste that comes to them from the active alkaloid compounds capsaicin, capsanthin and capsorubin.
Health benefits of cayenne peppers
¦Although hot and intolerable, even in small amounts, cayenne are one of the rare spice items packed with highest concentrations of minerals, vitamins and certain phyto-nutrients. It is no wonder this wonderful spice has been found place in modern as well as in traditional medicines for its disease preventing and health promoting properties.
¦Cayenne contains health benefiting an alkaloid compound capsaicin, which gives strong spicy pungent character. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. When used judiciously it also found to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals.
¦Fresh cayenne peppers, red or green, are rich source of vitamin-C. 100 g fresh chilies provide about 76.4 mcg or about 127% of RDA. Vitamin-C is a potent water soluble antioxidant. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
¦Cayanne chili peppers are probably the richest spicy source of vitamin A. Just 100 g of cayenne has 41,610 IU or astonishingly 1387% of vitamin A. In addition this prized spice is also home for anti-oxidant flavonoids such as carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these antioxidant substances in capsicum helps to protect body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress, diseases conditions.
¦The spice contains very high levels of essential minerals. The spice if even consumed in small quantities regularly would provide sufficient levels of iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium and selenium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Selenium is anti-oxidant mineral
¦100 g of cayenne peppers provides 2014 mg or 47% of daily required amount of potassium. Potassium is an important electrolyte inside the cells and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure and counter the effects of sodium.
¦Cayenne are also good in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. B-complex vitamins facilitate cellular metabolism through various enzymatic functions.
Cayenne peppers have amazingly very high levels of vitamins and minerals. Just 100 g provides (in % of Recommended daily allowance)
127% of vitamin-C (Ascorbic acid),
39% of vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine),
54% of niacin,
71% of riboflavin,
1387% of vitamin A,
97.5% of iron,
41% of copper,
43% of potassium,
but no cholesterol.
Stay tuned for further developments on this project I think we could have a winner here.
