Summer is prime season for all kinds of peppers. Hot, mild or sweet, you can find all the colors of the rainbow! Peppers are usually separated into those that have capsaicin - the heat component - and those that do not.Hot, Hot, HotFresh hot peppers are often called chiles. Red chile peppers are full of vitamin C and carotene, more so than green or yellow chiles. They contain Vitamin B6 and other B vitamins. Peppers high in capsaicin may help keep cholesterol levels healthy.
Hot peppers add flavor, depth, heat and complexity to a dish, and their heat levels vary greatly. For example, Anaheim and poblano peppers are fairly mild, whereas jalapeños, serranos and Thai peppers have quite a bit more heat. Then there are the Scotch bonnets and habaneros, both of which are killer-hot! Here are a few things to remember when buying hot peppers:
The smaller the pepper, the greater the heat. In this case, don't start small!
To add some heat to your food, but not too much, remove the seeds and the inner membranes of the chile pepper before cooking. Be sure to wear gloves for this, and proceed carefully!
A little bit goes a long way. Start with a little bit of a hot pepper and add more as desired.
If you get too much chile pepper and your mouth is burning, don't drink water! The capsaicin is fat soluble, not water soluble, so drinking water can make the heat spread. Better to soothe a burning mouth with rice, bread, cheese, yogurt, milk or sour cream.
Chile peppers are great for cooling you down and, for this reason, are popular in hot climates. When you eat hot peppers, you sweat; when your sweat evaporates, your skin cools off.
For more information, tune in to our podcast opens in a new tab about the different types of chile peppers and how to pickle your own peppers.Sweet & Mild
Bell peppers have a recessive gene that eliminates capsaicin, the naturally occurring compound that makes chile peppers so spicy-hot. You'll mostly find bells in their familiar deep colors of green, yellow, orange and red. Red peppers are actually green peppers that have ripened longer, giving them a sweeter flavor. Red, orange and yellow bell peppers are all sweeter than green bell peppers, which are a bit more pungent and bitter.Nutritionally, you can't go wrong with any color of bell peppers: Add them to your list of powerful antioxidants. They're full of vitamin C and vitamin A from carotenoids, so that's good news for your cells! Among a number of other winners in the bell pepper family, you'll find fiber and vitamin B6.Enjoying PeppersNeed some ideas for adding peppers to your meals? Here are some of our favorite ways:
Add colorful bell peppers to stir-fries.
Add hot or bell peppers to potato, chicken, egg or tuna salads.
Top green salads with strips of bell peppers. Try Cool Pasta Salad opens in a new tab.
Add hot or bell peppers to soups and stews.
Add hot or bell peppers to bean and whole grain salads.
Add a kick to your salad dressing with a bit of puréed fresh hot pepper.
Throw bell peppers on the grill. Try Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Peppers opens in a new tab.
Add any hot pepper you desire to a pot of chili - try this Cowboy Chili opens in a new tab, which calls for poblano and jalapeño peppers.
Stuff bell peppers with grains, meats or veggies. Try Roasted Bell Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa opens in a new tab.
Poblanos are well suited for stuffing, too. Try Roasted Poblanos with Creamy Shrimp Stuffing opens in a new tab.
Get an assortment in this recipe for Sautéed Shrimp and Peppers opens in a new tab - with Anaheim, banana, serrano and yellow peppers.
Like roasted red peppers opens in a new tab? Make your own or try out this recipe for Roasted Peppers with Marinated Feta and Greek Olives opens in a new tab.
This Classic Gazpacho opens in a new tab calls for both bell and hot peppers.
"Try these delicious Sicilian Sweet and Sour Peppers opens in a new tab.
"Make a flavorful dipping sauce of fiery peppers and creamy avocados. Try Blackened Jalapeño and Avocado Sauce opens in a new tab.
Are you a pepper person? Got a favorite recipe or tip? I would love to hear.
