Why is pepper hot

Contrary to popular belief, this irritating compound is contained in the veins of a pepper and not in its seeds. The veins of a pepper are the soft, lighter color connections inside the pepper.

These white membranes are known as the pith. Peppers come in many shapes, sizes and colors just like many other things. But the additional difference that sets peppers, specifically Chile Peppers also called Chili peppers , apart from many other foods is their hotness level.

This invisible variable is what can quickly turn a dish from tasty to unbearable. When consumed, capsaicinoids bind with pain receptors in the mouth and throat that are responsible for sensing heat.

Some chemical called resiniferatoxin found in Moroccan cacti has a rating of 16 billion 1, times higher! Carolina reaper peppers, one of the hottest according to the Scoville Scale. Just look at the wrinkles! You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. A pepper is the fruit of the pepper plant, but is generally considered a vegetable from a culinary point of view as are cucumbers, gourds, squash, eggplant, beans, peas, and green beans as well as many other botanical fruits.

In terms of botany you can say they are fruit, but in terms of food they are not. In terms of US law they are taxed as vegetables as is any foodstuff from an herbaceous plant which make strawberries vegetables for tax purposes. Better to be judged by 12 for causing someone eye damage than carried by 6.

Point is, weaker spray is plenty enough. The ordinary stuff is plenty. One reason is that police have had more training with it, and in most states are required to be sprayed with it prior to being licensed to use it.

I have had the training twice and have been sprayed twice and am much less likely to spray someone with it unless it is absolutely needed. It hurts. It is the intestinal tract, not track. Both are real words and pronounced almost the same, but have totally different meanings. With my comment as stated, I did want to say that I understood what was meant in the original. As a fallible person, I also know that typos can happen and even get missed in the editing process.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you touch your eyes after handling hot peppers, you could experience swelling and pain in and around the eye.

Even the steam of cooking chili peppers can cause a reaction in some people, warns Janet Hackert, regional nutrition specialist at the University of Missouri. Use a wet towel over your eye to help wash out the oil and see your doctor if you develop blurred vision.

Horseradish can also cause eye irritation. Several laboratory and animal studies have reported on possible health benefits from eating chili peppers.

A University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine reported in the March issue of "Cancer Research" that capsaicin might inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.