The pepper is a sub-shrub that will reach a maximum of 1 meter. Its leaves are oval or lanceolate. Its fruits appear quite late. It is native to tropical South America and has been cultivated in Mexico for 7,000 years.
Its power is measured with the Scoville scale, which ranks them from weakest to strongest. This measurement takes into account the degree of dilution necessary to no longer feel the taste. As an example, Espelette pepper is at 1000. Tabasco is around 5000 and pepper ranges from 5000 to 10,000.
The composition of hot pepper is rich. It has a characteristic substance called capsaicin and its close derivatives “capsaicinoids”, which give the sensation of pungency and burning. Then, there is provitamin A, vitamin C, in significant quantities, as well as lipids.
It is known for few uses in medicine but a possible interest locally to constitute a painkiller. Moreover, in the case of joint pain and post-shingles, for example, but it is really not a first-line remedy and it is better to prefer in these cases the use of well-targeted and better tolerated essential oils.
Good nutrition is already good medicine, compose a pepper omelet, an axoa or a piperade combined with sweet Anglet peppers and a little more spicy Espelette pepper, to spice up the dish. Be careful, however, not to be trapped with a pepper that is too strong in taste.