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Pepper
(Capsicum annuum) it is a plant coming from America of
Potato family -
Solanaceae - the same as the potato
or the tomato. Its cultivation
is practically extended all over the world. It is specially
important in the East and South of Asia, where its fruit
is part of the traditional kitchen, appearing in multitude
of dishes. Inside this same species we can find varieties
that extent from the sweet pepper to the spicy peppers.
(Among the very known ones we can find the sweet peppers,
the chilies, the green peppers, the jalapeño peppers,
etc.)
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Red
peppers constitute an impressive source of vitamin
C, A and lycopene, being one of the most important
detoxifying edible products.
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Red
peppers constitute an impressive source of vitamin C
and A , being one of the more detoxicant foods in the
world . The mature red peppers overcome the citric fruits (oranges,
lemons, grapefruits,
etc.) in vitamin C being one of the plants of the world that
possesses more quantity, after the acerola (Malpighia glabra
L) or the wild rose (Rosa canina) , therefore they
are essential for those that look for a depurative diet.
It is equally important this vitamin for the appropriate absorption
of the iron, the calcium or other amino acids. In the same way,
they help in the cure of the wounds. Their deficiency causes
a general weakness in the organism, manifested in symptoms like
fragility in the hair, gums that bleed, wounds that never heal,
lost of the appetite etc. it is specially interesting to eat
this fruit during convalescence , after having passed some illness
because they help to increase body defenses.
Also
, and especially when very mature and red, they contain, as
well as tomatoes, a component named lycopene that constitutes,
beside the vitamin C, one of the best antioxidant, able to decontaminate
the body and liberate it from the negative influence of the
free radicals.
Its
content in beta carotene is very high, inferior to the
carrot, but superior to most of fruits. This element , as well
as lycopene, exercises a great antioxidant power. It is also
very rich in triptophan, which ingestion helps to combat the
symptoms of the depression.
They
stimulate the appetite, especially the hot red peppers or
chilies, although the last ones are not very appropriate for
those with a delicate stomach and, in any case, we should abuse
of their consumption since , in the long run , they might produce
us a gastritis or another affection of the digestive tract.
The same sweet peppers have quite a bad fame of being very indigestible,
which is not really certain. It is true that we should chew
them well and that many times the bad digestion of this fruit
is not due to it , but to its bad combination with other foods.
Surprisingly and, in front of this widespread opinion, the raw
peppers are more digestible that those cooked. In fact, they
certainly favor it by stimulating the gastric and biliary juices.
Even the hot red peppers, used moderately, have been proved
to have a positive effect in the prevention of stomach ulcers.
Among the appropriate properties of peppers for the digestive
tract also mention their anti-diarrhoeic and anti-vomitive properties
should also be praised. Therefore their bad legend is completely
unjustified.
For
their high content in water, they are very appropriate in weigh
loss diets, provided we eat them raw, in salad, mixed with
tomato, lettuce, onion, etc. They are also excellent and extraordinarily
light when we eat them roasted directly on embers. Besides their
wealth in water, its great abundance in fibers creates in our
stomaches a great satiety sensation, which allows our body to
be a long time without ingesting another foods, since they are
assimilated little by little. Their fiber drags the feces of
the intestine, avoiding rotting and acting as a laxative, so
that , besides being recommended for people who want to lose
weight, they will also be very convenient in all those that
suffer from constipation. Equally it has been demonstrated
as the ingestion of hot peppers increases the metabolism and
helps to eliminate fat.
To
give to our meals an exotic touch, we can make use of cayenne
which is obtainede from the very mature pungent red peppers,
once they habe been dried off and ground. The Arab cuisine,
for instance, makes a very habitual use of these varieties that,
besides giving a very colorful touch to our meals, intensify
their flavor and increase one's appetite, maintaining all their
alimentary properties at the same time. Although it is necessary
to remember the use of these preparations with sensitive stomaches.
Paprika
and red hot peppers, for their content in salicilates and capsicine,
possess analgesic properties, being very appropriate
to calm the pains of the rheumatic illnesses, neuralgias or
postoperative pains. An external popular remedy consists in
mixing paprika with some salt and dissolving it in water. Placing
it with a gauze above the aching articulations during one hour,
more or less, it will alleviate the pain. There are many creams
that contain capsaicine to apply them in external use, in the
treatment of the pain or affections of the skin, as psoriasis,
herpes, etc. Sometimes they produce adverse reactions and they
should be used with caution, especially avoiding the contact
with the eyes, which will produce an intense pain. A better
way to get its effects is ingesting these foods in our meals.
Pungent peppers have been used and they are continued using
thoroughly as natural remedies. They are used in cases of bronchial
congestion, as expectorants to liberate the lungs from mucosities,
arthritis, etc.
| A detail
of the leaves and the fruits |
