Cayenne Pepper - About The Cayenne Chili Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

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The Cayenne pepper that most of us use on a daily basis comes in a ground up form of either coarse or fine ground dried pods of the Cayenne chili pepper. The Cayenne pepper is quite pungent and quite fiery and hot. The Pepper itself adds fire and flair to the dishes it is used on. Cayenne pepper is used in culinary endeavors all over the world today! The Cayenne Pepper is also known as the bird pepper or bird chili(Thailand)The Guinea spice and cow horn pepper. In common everyday language when they are crushed up we just call it red pepper. Naturally, as with most herbs and spices the Cayenne pepper has been used for culinary as well as medicinal purposes. It originally comes from India where the hottest chili pepper in the world the Nala Jolokia or Ghost Pepper comes from. In Latin it is referred to as Capsicum Annum and it is a member of the nightshade family. Interestingly enough the Cayenne is a distant relative of bell peppers and jalapeno peppers.

The Cayenne pepper is called a fruit and it is these fruits that dried and ground or pulped and baked into cakes that thenget sifted in order to make the powdered spice so common in today's kitchens. The Cayenne is famous in the cuisine of many cultures such as Sichuan cuisine of China and the fiery foods of Thailand and Vietnam. According the the official Nicholas Culpepper guide of Scoville heat units the Cayenne is generally rated at between 30,000 to 90,000. The Cayenne pepper has been used as a nutritional supplement for years in the United States and other countries.

The Cayenne pepper grows relatively quickly and is grown in many place on Earth today. The average cultivation time is 100 days for the fruit to mature. The Cayenne pepper grows best in warm, moist climates with soil that is nutrient rich. For the most part Chili peppers are perennials in sub tropic environments but can be grown as annuals in more temperate climates. Historically Cayenne pepper has been grown for many thousands of years in the West Indies and of course both Central and South America. Supposedly the Cayenne fruit was a eaten daily by the Mayans and Aztecs for culinary and health benefits.

Cayenne pepper is LOADED with vitamins like vitamin A, B6, some E but it is packed with vitamin C. It is said that nutritionally Cayenne pepper is great for blood circulation and in lowering cholesterol. It is has been reported that Cayenne is good for "thermogenics" creating heat in the body to aid in wait loss. It is also said to boost metabolism. Supposedly Cayenne pepper can stop heart attacks and remove plaque from the arteries. It also has supposedly been reported that Cayenne pepper can heal ulcers and prostate issues and in general boost one's overall health. Cayenne has also supposedly been reported to equalize blood pressure and even heal the gall bladder and supposedly has anti-fungal properties. (Check with your health care professional to verify these claims as I am not a doctor and offer no medical advice!)

As with other dried herbs and spices Cayenne should be kept in a cool and dark place that should not get any hotter than75 degrees. Do not refrigerate the dried herb. If you have fresh Cayenne peppers they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven to ten days.




Photo Courtesy Of JKD Atlanta