The Power of Capsicum

 

Capsicum...aka; peppers.  We've been growing them for years.  All kinds, sizes and shapes, sweet, hot and in-between.  They are a rewarding plant to grow as they usually produce lots of fruit.  Especially banana peppers...they always make me feel like a garden genius. 

But what's inside of these savory fruits that make them so powerful?  One thing for sure is taste...they've been imported from all over the world and valued in many cuisines.  They are reported to have been in existence for 9000 years and cultivated for over 7000 years.  That's pretty amazing staying power for one vegetable!

 

"Capsicums are believed to have originated in regions of South and Central America. It was Christopher Columbus who collected capsicums from the West Indian regions in the 1492 and took them to Spain. It was from there that capsicums spread through the regions of Africa, Asia and Australia. Owing to the adaptable nature of these bell peppers, they grew well in tropical and temperate climates. Today, China, Turkey, Italy, Spain, India, Romania and Mexico are among the leading producers of capsicum with almost 20-27 species grown across the world." 1

Taste isn't the only thing that makes peppers powerful; they are also high in nutrition...especially once they turn red.  Remember, the green peppers are the unripened state of a pepper.  They have lots of Vitamin A, E as well as niacin and many other vitamins and minerals.  A really good vegetable to include in your diet.

So what about health benefits?  Peppers  "contain antioxidants like beta carotene (carotenoid), lutein and zeaxanthin (phytochemicals) and vitamin C. After consumption of capsicum, the body converts beta carotene into retinol, which is one of the most usable forms of vitamin A." 2

"Capsicums are known to lower the fat stored in blood corpuscles, called triglycerides, and thus help in burning calories. This can vastly improve the body metabolism." 3

"Apart from these benefits, capsicums promote cardiac health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It has anti-inflammatory properties, stimulates stomach secretions and improves digestion." 4

But that's not all.  The reason I wrote this post is to share about a component in peppers; capsiacin.  This chemical is the one responsible for the "hot" in hot peppers.  It's also been found to help relieve pain when applied topically.  I have used commercial preparations containing capsaicin for a good 15 years. 

   "Topical ointments and creams containing capsaicin are helpful in relieving pain from many different conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve pain and lower back pain, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. While capsaicin is not a cure for pain caused by these conditions, it does lower the amount of substance P, a chemical that helps transmit pain signals to the brain, when applied directly to the skin." 5

I have used capsaicin faithfully for years and I feel like it's been a life saver during bouts with pain.  Capsaicin is not for the faint of heart though.  It packs a whollop of heat and needs to be used sparingly.  If my pain is intense, I am able to use quite a bit, but it's important to follow directions when using.  

However you slice them, capsicums are a powerful, pain-relieving plant that deserve a place in your garden, diet AND medicine cabinet.  Blessings!!

Have you used capsicums or capsaicin?



1. http://nutrition.indobase.com/articles/capsicum-nutrition.php
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid, 
4. Ibid.
5. http://www.livestrong.com/article/342597-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-capsaicin/ 



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My Top Four Garden Vegetable Picks for 2012!

I really don't like to share garden photos this time of year because the garden itself looks REALLY overgrown and wild...however, this is a sign of lots of vegetable activity and this year was a bumper year for produce.  It was the perfect gardening summer; lots of sun, hot weather and decent rain (supplemented by our rain barrels) made for all around great growing conditions.  I always try new vegetable varieties every year, and this year I found four stellar performers that will definitely be making it back to my garden next year...

These plants were chosen because of taste, ease of growing, and how much it produced.  

My first fave is the Hot Hungarian Wax Pepper (the yellow peppers pictured in the middle.)  It's a garden classic, not a new variety, but that doesn't stop this plant from putting out pepper after pepper!  It's tops in productivity and taste!  It's a medium-hot pepper, the heat is anywhere from 1,000 to 15,000 on the Scoville rating list.  We found them to be hot enough for our eating tastes; they were great in chicken fajitas, quesadillas, chilis, tacos...you get the idea.  If the heat isn't enough for you, you can certainly bump it up to jalepenos and such, but this is a great beginner hot pepper for anyone.  We froze all the ones we didn't eat.  I may possibly pickle the last of the lot as they are excellent for canning and drying as well.  Any way you dice it, this pepper is a winner.

Next on my list is the Japanese Eggplant.  Now, I've grown eggplants for over a decade.  However, mostly in the the traditional egg shape.  I like the larger eggplant for parmesan and to grill up for an eggplant panini, but to be honest, my other eggplants didn't fare to well in the garden this year.  It could have been the location, but thankfully, these two Japanese plants gave us LOTS of delicious eggplants and in a compact size we could use up faster.  So, for a quick growing, versatile variety, you may want to give this kind a try.  Try these sliced up in a stir fry for something a bit different.  This plant was a favorite.

When it comes to zucchini, I'm a bit picky.  I don't like the type of zucchini that is really watery, I prefer a dryer, meatier variety and this heirloom round zucchini is perfect.  It grows ideally to about a softball size or smaller for the best eating quality, but of course, we would inevitably miss some or not get to the garden and ended up with bowling balls.  However, if you cut out the seeds in the middle and peel the skin, this zucchini was still tops to eat.  Nice firm flesh and mild flavor made it a great squash to have on hand.  I stuffed half a dozen of these and roasted them in the oven...fabulous!  The extras, I grated, drained and froze.  AND I managed to dehydrate many more as well for mid-winter soups and stews.  These are a great zucchini to have on hand and they keep a long time in storage if they've gotten bigger.  I've stored them in the pantry for a month and was able to use them after peeling.  Try this one out...it's a Spanish heirloom variety  and I found the seeds in a local grocery store, but you can find some here.  Oh, one more bonus, these plants keep a nice bush form which makes them a space saver...perfect!

Yes, I'm on a squash kick and if you know winter squash, you'll know these are the basic butternut type.  The big difference with this one though is the fact it's a bush variety, more specifically called, "Burpee Butternut."  I have a very small garden space and bush varieties are of vital importance if I'm going to grow squash.  So, this one was perfect for us.  Relatively small plants put out many large squash with a sweet full flavor.   We got about a dozen from only a few plants.  A nice amount for us and these will be perfect diced up in our winter beef stews, pureed in soup and diced and roasted in the oven.  I love this variety and if you are looking for a space saver, this one will satisfy.  I found these seeds in our Walmart, but you can find them online here.

Well, there you have it, my top four faves!  Hope this is helpful!  If it is, pin this so you can plan for your garden next year.  I know these lovelies will be growing for us in 2013.

What were some of your top garden favorites this year?  Blessings!

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