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Hot peppers (chilies) are often used to spice up dishes, and they are especially popular in ethnic cuisine including Mexican, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Arab and Spanish cooking. Chilies are an excellent source of vitamin C if you can withstand their powerful bite.
 Contrary to popular belief, the hottest part of the chili pepper is not the seeds but where the seed attaches to the white membrane inside the pepper. This area has the highest concentration of capsaicinoids. Capsaicinoids are flavorless, odorless substances that act on pain receptors in the mouth and throat. Capsaicin is the primary capsaicinoid. Capsaicinoids can be found throughout the flesh of chili peppers though their concentration varies in different areas so that one part of a pepper may be hot and another part of the same pepper quite mild.
The seeds are often hot because they are in such close contact with the white membrane.
There are several varieties of chili peppers (see box below) and each differs in flavor and heat intensity. Even within each variety, there may differences in how "hot" each particular chili is. Typically, larger chilies are more mild because they contain less seeds and white membrane in proportion to their size. Most varieties can be found dried, canned, or fresh.
Varieties:
- Anaheim (California Green Chile or Long Green Chile)
- Ancho
- Cascabel
- Cayenne (Long Hots)
- Cherry
- Habanero (Scotch Bonnet)
- Hungarian
- Jalapeno
- Poblano
- Serrano
Availability, Selection, and Storage
Chili peppers are available year round and in the United States they are grown in California, New Mexico and Texas. When selecting chilies, look for firm, glossy chilies with taut, unwrinkled skin and fresh green stems. Dried hot peppers should be glossy yet unbroken.
Chilies should be stored unwashed and wrapped in paper towels in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Dried chilies should be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for a maximum of four months. To keep dried chilies for more than four months, store them in the refrigerator.
Related: Preparing Chilies
| Nutritional Information |
| Serving Size: 46g
| | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
| Calories 10 | |
| Calories from Fat 0g | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 50mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 2g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 8% |
| Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 1g | |
| Vitamin A | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 60% |
| Calcium | 2% |
| Iron | 2% |
| * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. |
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