| Feel The Heat The Capsicum Frutescens family of plants spans many varieties including
African chillis, Tabasco chillis, Mexican chili chillis, Jalapenos, Bell chillis, Pimentoes, Paprikas, and Bird
chillis. All plants in the Capsicum
family contain the active chemical (capsaicin), the ingredient that puts the
"Hot" in hot chillis. While some Capsicum fruits, such as paprika produce
mild heat, others such as Habaneros are extremely hot.
The greater the number of Scoville units, the hotter the chillis Product
What Makes Chillis Hot?
Capsaicinoids are the name given to the class of
compounds found present in members of the capsicum family of plants. The
most common of these compounds is Capsaicin, which is
found in the white ‘ribs’ inside hot chillis. Capsaicin probably evolved in
plants as a protective mechanism, to discourage certain pests. Different species
of chilli contain different amounts of capsaicin, conferring different degrees
of "hotness". In 1912 Wilbur Scoville proposed a scale of measurement
based on the apparent hotness of extracts placed on the tongue after dilution.
Thus, bell chillis have a rating of less than 1 Scoville unit, jalapeno chillis 103 units,
Habanero chillis 105 units, and pure capsaicin
107 units.
A scale developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, to measure
the heat level in chillis. It was first a subjective taste test, but since, it
has been refined by the use of HPLC, the unit is named in honour of its
inventor.
The test officially measures the pungency level of a given
chilli. There are other methods, but the Scoville Scale remains the most widely
used and respected. The greater the number of Scoville units,
the hotter the chilli. Of course, being a natural product, the heat can vary
from chilli to chilli, so this scale is just a guide.
If during experimentation with hot
sauces or recipes using Chilli Oil you
find you have misjudged the heat, water and beer will be of little help.
Tequila has a high enough ethanol content to help a little more, but by
far the greatest relief comes from fatty foods and dairy products. It is
no co-incidence so many curries include cream or butter, and that Mexican
food is often served with soured cream or guacamole.
Use Chilli Oil With
Care, it is not a condiment it is not to be used on its own!
Capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop
diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
*The hottest chilli recorded was a Habanero, Red
Savina.
Pure Capsaicin measures 15,000,000 Scoville units.
 The original Scoville test asked a panel of tasters
to state when an increasingly dilute solution of the chilli no longer burned the
mouth. Roughly one part per million of chilli 'heat' rates as 1.5 Scoville
units.
Almost everyone is aware of two of the effects of chillis, one being the burning sensation in the mouth.
The capsaicinoids in chilli bind to a receptor in the
lining of the mouth. This is the same receptor that registers pain from heat,
thus the effect is a burning feeling. This is a result of the flow of calcium
ions from one cell to the next. The pungent molecule has an electron poor area,
which is attracted to the electron rich area on the receptor protein. Repeated
exposure to capsaicinoids depletes these receptors, enabling you to eat hotter chillis
and feel the same effect. The pain caused by this leads to the release
of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. These give a feeling
of happiness and well being.
chillis have given much to medical science. Capsaicin cream is used to lower
the sensation of pain in such conditions as arthritis, and other painful chronic
conditions.
chillis are high in vitamin C (about twice that of citrus fruits), dried chillis are very high in vitamin A, and red
chillis are a great source of b-carotene.
chillis have antibacterial qualities, and contain bioflavinoids, anti-oxidants
most common in apple juice.
Endorphins are a class of neurotransmitters produced by
the body and used internally as a pain killer.
This class of compounds are similar in their action to
opiates, attaching to some of the same receptors in the brain. They are a strong
analgesic, and give a pervasive sense of happiness. They are proteins, and due
to their many different types and their complexity, the release of endorphins
lowers the blood pressure. Endorphins are best known to those who exercise
a lot, and give rise to what is known as the 'runner's high'. Their release is
caused by all pain, including that caused by chillis. Thus a dose of hot chillis will cause the release of these compounds, without any permanent harm.
Use our Chilli Oil With
Care, it is not a condiment it is not to be used on its own!
Go To Buy Hot Oils And
Sauces
|
