Showing Food Pepper (Capsicum)
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| Name | Pepper (Capsicum) | ||||||||||
| Scientific Name | Capsicum | ||||||||||
| Description | The food is Pepper, Capsicum. Peppers are native to the Americas, but are now widely cultivated and consumed globally, particularly in Mexico, Africa, Thailand, India, and the Mediterranean region (PMID: 3297498). They are used in various culinary preparations, including raw, cooked, roasted, grilled, pickled, or dried, and are valued for their flavor, spice, and color (PMID: 3527565). The color of peppers ranges from green to red, yellow, orange, and purple, with a sweet, slightly bitter taste and a pungent odor. Peppers are rich in capsaicin, which has been linked to potential health benefits, including pain relief, improved metabolism, and cardiovascular health. Capsaicin is also used medicinally for pain relief and industrially as a natural pesticide. Interestingly, the heat level of peppers is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with some varieties requiring gloves to handle during preparation to avoid skin irritation. | ||||||||||
| Primary ID | FOOD00233 | ||||||||||
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| Group | Vegetables | ||||||||||
| Sub-Group | Fruit vegetables | ||||||||||
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| ITIS ID | 30491 | ||||||||||
| Wikipedia ID | Capsicum | ||||||||||
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| References | |||||||||||
| Content Reference | — U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2008. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page. | ||||||||||