Health Benefits of Chillies

The health benefits of consuming chillies

While chilli peppers are great to eat, it is also widely accepted that there are a number of health benefits to consuming them.  On the most basic level we are all aware of the feeling of pleasure, and even euphoria, we get after eating a hot and spicy meal or snack containing chilli.  This is due to the effects of capsaicin, the active chemical component in the chilli pepper.  It is believed that the consumption of capsaicin evokes the pain-stimulated release of the body’s natural endorphins, which are similar to opiates, which are widely used, in strong painkillers such as morphine and codeine, and the illegal drug heroin.

Capsaicin itself is used as a local painkiller in the form of creams and patches that are particularly useful in the treatment of nerve pain, such as that experienced in shingles and some arthritic joint pain.  

Another benefit that is obvious to us all is that of a decongestant. We have all experienced the effects of eating a hot curry when we have been suffering from a heavy cold.  This can simply be by the opening up of swollen nasal passages through heavy breathing and panting, or through the stimulation of excess mucous production, which allows us to have jolly good blow!

It is the pain-relieving and decongestant properties of capsaicin that have led to its use as a relaxant for people suffering from migraine and sinus congestion headaches.

It is also claimed that capsaicin has a role in weight loss and weight control in that, as a thermogenic (heat producing) compound, it increases the bodies metabolic rate which in turn increases the bodies ability to burn fat.  Research suggests that eating chillies can increase the average metabolic rate by around 25% and that this effect can last for several hours.

Less obvious, more significant and therefore more controversial health benefits include be a role in the regulation of blood sugars, cholesterol lowering and anticoagulation.  In this context capsaicin could have benefits in the treatment of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

It has also been suggests that capsaicin may even have a role in the treatment and prevention of certain cancers.  Observational, epidemiogical studies have demonstrated a potential protective effect against stomach cancer.  Another study has raised the possibility that capsaicin might slow the spread of prostate cancer cells, and thus reduce the growth rate of prostate tumours. 

More research is clearly needed in these areas but the potential medicinal uses for capsicum appear to be far reaching. 

Like everything, "a little of what you fancy does you good" and anything consumed to excess can be harmful.  When consumed to excess capsaicin can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and burning diarrhoea.  If it gets into the eye or on other mucous membranes it can cause extreme pain and irritation.  Capsaicin is, after all, a natural toxin and if consumed in very large doses could theoretically even result in death.

How to dry chillies....

We are frequently asked the best way to dry chillies.  I have considered writing a little blog on how to do this and then a read this article by Scott Roberts,  The Ultimate Guide to Drying Hot Peppers.
Say no more..........

Capsaicinoia Caption Competition!

Capsaicinoia is offering a prize of £20 to spend in our on-line shop to the witty wonder who comes up with the best caption for this photo.  Just what is the customer saying to Mike?  Drop us an email at jackie@capsaicinoia.com

The picture was taken at the Woburn Abbey Garden Show last weekend which was a scorcher in more ways than one.  We were inside the Food and Gift tent and for once we were glad to be indoors as it was very, very hot outside.  Although it was humid indoors we were out of the blazing heat of the sun which was a blessing for our more delicate products such as our Dried Chillies and Chilli Chocolate.

It was an interesting weekend - a very different type of customer than those we generally meet at the chilli festivals.  Most had obviously come for the Garden Show and the Food and Gifts were an unexpected extra.  The average age on the Saturday was slightly higher than usual for a Chilli Event and true chilli fans were rare.  Some people did not even know what a chilli was and many had never even tasted one!  Nevertheless. we met some great people and introduced a few of the more adventurous to the delights of Chilli Chocolate, Beef Jerky and Jerk Sauce and Marinade.

Sunday was even hotter outside and things hotted up a bit inside too.  The Chilli Fans were out and about and we even spotted the odd celebrity, namely the Duke of Bedford himself who stopped for a brief chat, and Ken Hom, who dashed through the tent.  Ken, why didnt you stop?!?  Sales were much better than Saturday and our best sellers were the Chilli Mills, the Chilli Chocolate and again the Trailhead Beef Jerky.

Other highlights for us over the weekend were the Steel Band, the Pimms, the Frozen Yogurt and the privilege of working in the Woburn Abbey Estate which was absolutely fantastic.

Finally, a huge thank you to the Frosts Team who were wonderful!  Friendly, helpful and supportive even to the point of supplying us with rehydration in the form of squash served from a watering can!  A clean one we hope..........as Simon said, no sudden withering or excess hair growth observed after consumption!  Looking forward to working with you guys again over the next couple of weekends at Woburn Sands Chilli Festival and again at Millets Farm.

UK Chilli Festivals

Over the past couple of years the UK has seen a rapid expansion in the number of Chilli Festivals taking place throughout the summer months.  The West Dean Festival is by far the largest with a footfall of around 20,000 people and over 100 stalls.  It has been going since 1995 and now attracts visitors from all over the world, not least to see the 300 different varieties of chillies that are grown in their gardens.  Other large and well-established festivals include Great Dorset and Fiery Foods in Brighton.  Recent newcomers on the scene are the highly successful North East Festival at Seaton Delaval and Eastnor Castle in Ledbury, and several cities are getting in on the act, including Birmingham and Manchester.  This year there have been as many as 25 individual festivals taking place across the country.

Typically a Chilli Festival will involve a multitude of cookery and gardening demonstrations and tastings with the UKs growing number of chilli producers and retailers promoting their wares.  It is truly inspiring in the current economic climate to see the imaginative and creative entrepreneurial spirit that exists in the chili retail community, with young people just starting out and semi-retirees all coming together in their passion for the humble chilli pepper. You can buy hot sauces, chilli jams jellies and chutneys, relishes and marinades, nuts and crisps, chilli chocolate, chilli ice cream, chilli cheese, chilli beers and almost any chilli product you could possibly imagine!

If it gets too hot for you, or you need to cool your mouth down after the tastings, there will always be a beer tent and often local ciders and fruit drinks will be on sale.  Hungry?  Every type of spicy food you fancy will be available from Mexican to Indian and you will sometimes find a Caribbean food stall offering Curry Goat or Jerk Chicken.

All of this is usually taking place to a background of music and entertainment from Rock Bands to Gospel Choirs.  You might even spot the odd foodie celebrity, and ex Masterchef contestants are often found running the food stalls or giving cookery demonstrations.  The climax of the event is usually the Chilli Eating competition, which has to be seen to be believed, as a group of kamikaze volunteers consume a variety of fresh chillies, gradually working their way up the Schoville Scale, with the winner being the last man or woman standing.  Often it takes some seriously  hot potions to separate out the last few macho contestants.

So, if this has whetted your appetite you can find the next Chilli Festival near you by checking out the upcoming events on the Chile Foundry or Chile Festival listings.  Go on, give it a go!  You won’t regret it. 

Great Dorset Chilli Festival

So, the Olympics are over and its time to get back down to earth and regain some sense of order again.  It's been a busy couple of weeks for us as well, as the glorious Great Dorset Chilli Festival fell right in the middle of the 2 weeks and we spent "super Saturday" in a charming little B&B in Upton.  Well worth a visit - Laurel Cottage.  That was after a lovely supper in the local pub - St Peters Finger.

The Chilli Festival was great, probably our best yet.  Fantastic weather, beautiful setting and as ever positive feedback on our products.  Once again we went home with a nearly empty car on the Sunday night.  Best sellers were without doubt the Chilli Mills and we sold out of the Portable Mills on the first day.  The Scarves and Jewellery went really well, especially the Jalapeño Bunches.

We took down a new product for us, in the form of some exceptionally good beef jerky made by Trail Head Foods.  Wow!  That went down really well.  We sold two flavours over the weekend, Naga and Chipotle.  We will be selling these again at the remainder of the events we are doing this year but have no plans to sell it on-line at the moment.  If you can't get down to the festivals you can get these flavours and other directly from their web-site.

Talking of web-sites, we have a few more products that have just arrived or are expected any day now. Watch out for a wonderful new Mexican cookbook, Chilli and Chocolate by Isabel Hood which should be on-line by the end of this week along with some really special and unique new silver chilli jewellery.

Hand Cast Chilli Resin Glassware

It's fair to say that we are really excited about our latest product line.  We first saw this range of resin glassware embedded with real chillies back in February at a Trade Show and it has taken until a couple of weeks ago to get our hands on them and until today to get them into the on-line shop.

The products are handmade in Thailand.  Using designs by a New York based artist to create the moulds, the resin is poured in in layers and the chillies embedded by hand.  Each layer has to partially set before the next is added to ensure the chillies remain in position.  For the larger items this process is painstakingly slow.  When the acrylic resin is completely set the product is smoothed and polished.

We have a range of items in stock at the moment consisting of the large decorative bowl, the rectangular vase, the coaster, the storage jar, the glow light and the soap dish, with a view to extending the range to include items such as large decorative plates, tissue box covers, clocks, photo frames, paperweights, and a variety of candle holders and bathroom accessories.

The products have the appearance of glass (or ice as one customer commented at the Birmingham Chilli Festival) but the resilience of the acrylic resin.  They are easy to care for and can be washed in warm soapy water or even put in the dishwasher on a delicate setting.  If in time they lose their shine they can be polished with a light oil which will quickly restore them to their original state.

We are very proud of this range which is truly striking and elegant and any of the items would make a very special gift for a special chilli lover.

Birmingham Chilli Festival Report.

Well, the Birmingham Chilli Festival has come and gone.  Thanks to all of you who turned up to say hello and thanks again to everyone who bought some of our products.
The Friday was quiet due in part to the weather which was, now typically for the summer of 2012, wet and windy, but Saturday was dry and much busier.
It was a very different experience to the other three festivals we have been to, as it was situated in a public place and the customers were a mix of chilli fan's who had made a special trip and people who had just stumbled upon it on their Saturday out in Birmingham.
For us it was a great networking opportunity.  We met Sharon who makes her own delicious West Indian Sauces and Jerk Marinades from totally fresh ingredients and we plan to to stock these soon so keep a look out for them on the web-site.  We also met a young man who is in the process of establishing the Midlands first Chilli Farm.  More on that in a future blog.......
We also met a great semi-retired couple who are going to help us optimise our on-line business for a very reasonable fee.
I have recently been approached by a local pub to help them organise a Chilli Eating Competition so paid special attention to this event at the Birmingham Chilli Festival and took away a few ideas and safety tips.  What great entertainment it is watching insane macho people consuming raw chillies one after the other gradually moving up the Scoville Scale.  If you ever get the chance to see one don't miss it!
Best Sellers from this weekend were our range of Chilli Chocolate and interestingly some of our specialised Dried Chillies.  On the Thursday before the event we picked up some delicious Mr Singh's Hot Sauce at our local East End Cash and Carry and sold out by lunch-time on the Friday!  We'll definitely be stocking that in the future.
We also took the opportunity to promote our range of Hampers and Gift Boxes which are in still development and the full range will be available in time for Christmas, as will our new Chilli Glassware range which again is not yet on the web-site.

Birmingham Chilli Festival.

It's almost here!  It's fair to say we are really excited about doing our very first Chilli Festival on home soil.

The Birmingham Chilli Festival

We have re-stocked with all of our best sellers; Chilli Cufflinks, Naga Chillies, Hot Chilli Hob Covers, Chilli Peanut Butter and Chilli Chocolate.

It should be a great couple of days so do try and get along!  We hope to see you there.

NE Chilli Festival

What a great weekend had by one and all at the NE Chilli Festival in the fantastic surroundings of Seaton Delaval Hall.

The journey up was tough with the horrendous weather, roadworks and Friday traffic.  7 hours to get from Solihull to Tyneside.  It is fair to say we were a little nonplussed by a wet Friday night in Whitley Bay and our accommodation was a little disappointing.

All of that was soon forgotten by a wonderful weekend.  The weather held out miraculously, the attendance was phenomenal and the people were great - enthusiastic and interested.  The setting was beautiful and the National Trust played a huge role throughout the event.  The entertainment was varied with some real highlights in the form of a wonderful ladies Gospel Choir and a Brass Band on the Sunday.  Chilli eating sounded hilarious...then it all went quiet....... as the victims (oops sorry contestants) made it to the the Trinidad Scorpion..... I think paramedics were required....

The visitors were lovely, good fun, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, brave and really positive about Capsaicinoia which was great!

We were next door to a delightful little business called A Bit Chilli and have made some great new friends in Sallie and Phil!  Their chilli chutneys are to die for and they made the weekend even more fun for us!

We rested up, ate and drank on Saturday and Sunday and watched the end of the Andy Murray match in a great little pub in Seaton Sluice Melton Constable - we would highly recommend it for the ambience, beer selection and homemade food!

We sold lots of everything so hard to identify a best seller.  Sold out completely of Chilli Peanut Butterr and the Hot Chilli Hob Cover and stocks are very very low of everything else.  All good stuff but we need to get some serious stock re-ordering done in case we get any on-line orders and so that we have something to sell at the Birmingham Chilli Festival next weekend!

Off to get ready for that now.......

Zhug

Zhug is a long-time favourite chill recipe of mine.  I first came across it when I shared a flat in London in the 1970's with a Palestinian girl, although Zhug is actually a Yemeni recipe.  It is essentially a hot and spicy relish traditionally served as a dip for warm, fresh bread.  It is also used as a sauce for falafel, kebabs and grilled meats and added to soups, pasta sauces and stews.  You can even mix it with yoghurt for a dip for crudités. Traditionally it is made with fresh chillies but you could just as easily use re-constituted dried chillies.

There are many different versions of the recipe and you can easily alter the balance of ingredients to suit you own palette.  The heat will depend on the variety of chilli you use.  I have always used this one...

Serves 4

3 or 4 Fresh Green Chillies
1 Head of Garlic (peeled)
1 Large bunch of fresh Coriander
3 or 4 Cardamom Pods (you can remove the the outer green shell and just use the black seeds within)
1 Tablespoon of Caraway Seeds
Salt and Pepper

Either grind all ingredients in a mortar and pestle or blitz in a food processor then store in a covered jar.
Use sparingly as this is hot!

Other ingredients that you could throw in for a different flavour include; cumin seeds, cloves, parsley, and a little lemon juice.

Another milder relish called Hilbeh is often made by grinding or blitzing  a teaspoon or so of Zhug with a large fresh tomato and a couple of tablespoons of Fenugreek seeds.

Yummy!

If you wish to use any of our dried chillies in this recipe you could re-constitute them by simply covering them with boiling water, soaking for 15 minutes and draining.  Then simply use as you would fresh chillies.  Alternatively grind them to a powder using a Chilli Mill.

Aleppo Pepper

One of the products in our dried chilli range is Aleppo Pepper.  We love this but have realised that not everyone is familiar with this delicious spicy seasoning from the Middle East and Mediterranean.
The name Aleppo comes from the ancient Syrian city, one of the oldest cities in the history of the world and a gourmet capital of the Middle East.  Aleppo Pepper is a table condiment in Turkey, Armenia and Syria, which is as common as salt and pepper is in the UK.  If you have ever had a trip to Turkey you will probably recall seeing the shakers of bright red chilli flakes on the dining table.
Aleppo is also known as the Halaby and grows as round, fat red pods which when they ripen to a deep burgundy colour are partly dried, de-seeded and coarsely ground or rubbed, often with the inclusion of salt and oil.
The flavour of Aleppo is moderately hot, sweet and fruity with tart undertones of sun-dried tomato and aromatic cumin.  As well as being liberally sprinkled over food at the table, when it will add a kick and a taste of the Eastern Mediterranean to any meal, it can be used to flavour sauces, dressings and marinades.  It is great on pizzas, salads, raw meats and makes an ideal condiment for the BBQ season.
Once you start adding Aleppo Pepper to your food, like us, you'll soon become hooked on the spicy, smoky flavour..........try it on your Cheese on Toast.....

Ad Hoc Chilli Mill

Two of our best selling products and our personal favourites are the Ad Hoc Chilli Mill

and it's little sister the Voyage Mini Chilli Mill.

We came across the large mill earlier this year and instantly fell in love with it's eye-catching design and innovative technology.

The cutting mechanism has been specifically designed for dried chillies and consists of a series of discs that cuts the chillies, including their seeds, essentially shaving them into rough powder.  Those of you that have ever tried to grind chillies in a traditional pepper or salt mill will know that this is a frustrating task as the oil in the chillies is released when they are crushed, clogging up the mill and creating a soggy mess.  The Ad Hoc Chilli Mill quickly and easily creates a dry powder from any type of dried chilli that can then be used in cooking or sprinkled directly onto food.

The German stainless steel design is beautiful and features an elegant clear chilli-shaped acrylic chamber which provides an aesthetically pleasing view of the chillies inside making the large mill a sophisticated object that will add a touch of class to any kitchen or dining table.  The mill also features a small detachable catching tray beneath the cutting mechanism that captures the shavings should you not want to sprinkle them directly onto food.

Robust, easy to use, easy to clean and easy to fill and refill, the mills come with a 5 year warranty.

If you or someone you know loves your chilli and needs a ready supply of freshly ground chilli powder then this is the ideal product for you.  Any variety of dried chilli can be used in the mill.  You will find a range of dried chillies for sale on our web-site as well as a range of gift sets featuring both the large and small mills and various selections of dried chillies.  Any of these products would make the ideal gift  for the true chilli-lover.

The Voyage Mini Chilli Mill is a smaller version of the Chilli Mill that features the same design technology as the large mill without the chill-shaped acrylic chamber.  This mill is the perfect gift for the chilli-lover that likes to carry their chillies with them for adding to their food wherever they are.  Do you or someone you know always carry their own bottle of hot sauce or pot of crushed chilli with them?  If so, this is the ideal solution.

Do you grow your own chillies and have more than you can use?  Try drying them and using a Chilli Mill to create a steady supply of ground chilli from your own produce

Mansion House Chilli Fiesta

So, yesterday was the Mansion House Chilli Fiesta.  What a great day!  At last the sun was shining.  The setting was perfect and the way the stalls were laid out had the feel of a country fair or village market.  We were right next to the central speaker and spent the whole day working to the sounds of our favourite tunes from the 80's.  We shared our little spot with Tim from the The Cambridge Chilli Farm selling his range of wonderful home-made sauces and preserves including his Trinidad Scorpion Hot Sauce which had a few people gasping, sweating and even crying by the time they reached us!

On stage. as well as the live rock band, were chilli eating contests and what sounded like air guitar sessions!  Attendance was great.  We were busy all day and the whole atmosphere and feel of the day was fun!  We'd definitely do this one again and will be there next year for sure!

A key lesson learned from our last festival (and first) was to take our own food and drink as there was no time to leave the stall through the day.  We took a little picnic which kept us sustained and when things quietened down a bit later in the afternoon Mike managed to sneak off to do a bit of networking and also to get us a well-deserved pint of cider.

Sales-wise we had a really good day.  We sold more than we did at Eastnor and sold a little of most things.  Our best sellers this time were our Hot Chilli Collection of "Prep and Protect" Kitchen Ware including the Hob Cover , Work Top Protector , Chef's Gauntlet , Oven Gloves and Apron.

Again we got great feedback on our products and our concept and we can't wait till the next one in Northumberland on the 7th and 8th of July, North East Chilli Festival

Mole Poblano

One of our products that sold surprisingly well at the Eastnor Castle Festival was our Chilli Chocolate Sauce.  Many people bought it without really knowing what to do with it but could see immediately on tasting it that it would add a richness and intensity to any stew or casserole.  It is actually a Mole Poblano sauce and is a classic version of the Mexican sauce that forms the basis of the famous dark mole stews from Oxaco in southern Mexico.

Mole is is a generic term that describes both the numerous versions of this sauce and the dishes it is used to create.  Moles come in a variety of flavours and are made with many different ingredients but all contain at least one variety of chilli pepper.  Mole Poblano is a dark brown sauce served over meat, usually chicken or turkey.

There are many legends as to the origins of the Mole the most popular of which tells the story of a group of poor nuns combining all the ingredients they had in their kitchen to prepare a meal for a visiting archbishop and accidentally coming up with a winner.  Another theory is that it was originally developed by the Aztecs.  Mole actually represents the mixed heritage of Mexico combining ingredients from North America, Europe and Africa and has probably simply evolved over time.

Whatever the ingredients the process is similar.  They are generally all roasted and ground to a fine paste or powder using a method that is very labour intensive and can take at least a day to complete.
This paste or powder is then mixed with water and simmered in a heavy cauldron, stirring constantly until it is thick and pungent.  In Mexico it is traditionally served as a sauce for turkey but is also eaten over chicken or even eggs at breakfast.

Mole Poblano is the best known of all the Moles outside Mexico and has even been seen as the National Dish of Mexico.  A Mole Poblano will typically contain up to 20 ingredients including the  "Holy Trinity" of Chillies, the Ancho, Mulato and Pasilla.  The Mulato is a dark chocolate brown pepper with a mild smoky flavour with hints of liquorice and cherries, the Ancho is a very dark red, mild and sweet fruity flavoured chilli and the Passilla similar to the Ancho but brown with a more herby flavour.

Our Mole Poblano combines the Holy Trinity with other spices, onions, tomatoes and dark Belgian chocolate to create a delicious Chilli Chocolate Sauce.  Try it in the traditional way melted and served over turkey or chicken or add a tablespoon to your next Chilli Con Carne.  For a special occasion we recommend adding it to a venison casserole.

Please let us know if you have used it in other ways or have other ideas about how to and feel free to share your recipes with us.

Eastnor Chilli Festival

So, we've done our first ever Chilli Festival at Eastnor Castle on the 6th and 7th of May!
Thanks to all of you who visited our stall and an even bigger thanks to those of you who bought some of our products.  We really enjoyed ourselves and it looked as though the visitors all did too!
It was a really successful weekend and the weather was just about OK.  Although the whole place was waterlogged from the appalling excess of April showers, it just about held out with a dry Sunday and a damp Monday but the bad rain only really kicked in when we were packing up to leave.
For us it was a big learning experience, especially around setting up the stall and displaying our products. We met some of our fellow chilli retailers and some of our own suppliers for the very first time.  We also met the source of the inspiration for the event, David Floyd from the Chile Foundry who wrote a great review of the event.
We were busier than we expected and will make sure we take a picnic with us next time as taking a break for refreshments was almost impossible.
Our best sellers were the Montezuma's Chilli Chocolate and our Holly and the Ivy range of preserves (especially the Scotch Bonnet Jam ) and we are now out of stock of most of these but have another delivery expected this week.
We also sold one or two of most of our other products so overall we were really pleased.
Post-match analysis generated a list of actions which we have been busy implementing in time for our next one on the first weekend in June.

The Somerset Chilli Festival at Bath Racecourse on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of June.  We are really looking forward to it!  I won't be there as a I am having a brand new shoulder joint the week before but our son Matt will be helping Mike out.

http://www.somersetchillifest.co.uk/?page=home

The Scoville Scale

In 1912 Wilbur Lincoln Scoville developed a method of measuring the heat of a chilli.   This was officially called the Scoville Organoleptic Test and involved a panel of five volunteers tasting different chillies added as extract in precise amounts into a sugar and water solution.  The point at which the heat of the chilli was no longer detected by the taster determined the rating.  So, if a chilli was no longer detected after dilution 100 times its rating would be 100 Scoville Heat Units or SHU.  If it was diluted 1,000,000 times before it was no longer detected it would be rated 1,000,000 and so on.  However, as you can imagine different people have different tastebuds and the ratings were very subjective.
Nowadays the technique is considerably more refined and scientific but again remains a little imprecise as an individual variety of chilli can have different levels of heat depending on many factors such as weather, soil, genetic composition and many other growing conditions.  For this reason the heat of a chilli is usually presented as a range rather than a single number.
High Performance Liquid Chromatography, HPLC for short, separates capsaicin form the other liquid components in the chilli and calculates this concentration in parts per million.  This unit of measurement is the American Spice Trade Association pungency rating or ASTA.
However, most people still prefer to refer to the Scoville Heat Unit in the UK at least.  To roughly convert the ASTA rating to the SHU we simply multiply by 15.
Pure capsaicin has a generally accepted SHU of around 16,000,000.
So, if capsaicin is our benchmark, how do other well-known chilli peppers rank alongside this?
Well, as you might imagine, the simple sweet pepper has an SHU of 0 and jalapeño an SHU of between 2000-5000.  The Cayenne pepper comes in at 30,000-50,000 and the Scotch Bonnet at 100,000-300,000.
The quest to grow the hottest chilli in the world is a fast moving story.  In 1994 the Californian Red Savina Habanero hit 577,000 SHU and the well-known Naga Jolokia from India topped that with an SHU of 855,000.  However, in 2012 the Trinidad Moruga Scorpio hit an all-time high of 1,200,000!
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/17/worlds-hottest-chili-pepper-identified/
The hottest alkaloid in the natural world is believed to be the sap of some Euphorbias in Morocco which are around 1000 times hotter than pure capsaicin with a Scoville rating of around 16,000,000,000!

Capsaicin - what is it?

Capsaicin itself is the active chemical compound in a chilli pepper which are plants belonging to the genus capsicum.

Capsaicin is an irritant to all mammals including humans causing a stinging and burning sensation on contact with the skin or mucous membrane.  It is a colourless and odourless waxy compound that is water repellant and probably exists simply to protect the chilli plant from harm.

Capsaicin was first discovered in 1816 by Christian Friedrich Bucholz and since then has been studied by many scientists and its many effects and characteristics identified.

Capsaicin is mostly present in the white pithy parts of the chilli which holds the seeds and not the seeds themselves as is communal thought.  It is also present in the internal lining of the chilli and, to a lesser extent, the other fleshy parts of the fruit.

When people eat chillies they often experience a feeling of pleasure and even euphoria and this is caused by capsaicin.  This seems to be due to the pain-stimulated release of natural endorphins which are similar to opiates which are widely used in strong painkillers such as morphine and codeine.

Capsaicin itself is used as a painkiller in the form of creams and patches that are particularly useful in the treatment of nerve pain such as that experienced in shingles.  It is possible that it may play a part in the regulation of blood sugars and could have benefits in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.  Some have even suggested it may have a role in the prevention of certain cancers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2121443/Chillis-Good-news-curry-fans--spicy-dish-key-healthy-heart.html

The effects of capsaicin are often used as a deterrent in products such as pepper spray and pest repellants.  It has recently been proposed that its incorporation into certain drugs might reduce the likelihood of the misuse of these drugs.

Seriously, it is a potent and dangerous compound and in very large doses could theoretically cause death.  We recently watched a video of a Naga Chilli curry eating contest where the winner collapsed and had to receive medical treatment before he was able to receive his award!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJL7tXXd9xw

Like everything, "a little of what you fancy does you good" and anything consumed to excess can be harmful.  When consumed to excess capsaicin can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and burning diarrhoea.  If it gets into the eye or on other mucous membranes it can cause extreme pain and irritation.

At Capsaicinoia we are not promoting or encouraging the excessive consumption of extra hot chillies.  We simply want to celebrate and enjoy the chilli, its many varieties and its positive effects.  We want to have fun with chillies and hope you do too!

Capsaicinoia - What's in a name.

The name Capsaicinoia is made up of two parts, Capsaicin and oia.  Crazy for Chilli!


Let's start with oia which is a suffix of the word paranoia.  Paranoia come from the Greek word for  madness ("para" = outside "nous" = mind).  It is also linked with the suffix oid which means like but not the same as.  Paranoia is often used as a lay term for madness or craziness and at Capsaicinoia we are Crazy for Chilli hence the play on words around the oia suffix.


Interestingly the word capsaicinoid does exist to describe chemical compounds which are like capsaicin but not exactly the same as capsaicin.


Capsaicin itself is the active chemical compound in a chilli pepper which are plants belonging to the genus capsicum.  


Capsaicin is pronounced kap-sei-sin but we use a hard "c" as it has a better ring to it thus pronouncing it kap-sei-kin-oya.


Capsaicinoia is all about celebrating and enjoying the chilli, in terms of how it looks and tastes, and the positive and beneficial effects of capsaicin.

Welcome to Capsaicinoia

We are Mike and Jackie and we are passionate about chillies!  How they taste (of course!), but also how they look and feel and smell.  We are fascinated by their many uses and effects in all aspects of daily life and know there are lots of people like us out there. 

We used to work in the corporate world of pharmaceutical sales but always fantasized about getting out and doing something for ourselves.  This year the decision was made for us when we were simultaneously both made redundant.

As a result we decided to set up Capsaicinoia and our vision is to create a gift shop or emporium that sells only chilli related products for people like you and us that love chillies. Most chilli shops sell food related chilli products in the main and we will sell a selection of these.  What makes us different is that we will also sell a wide selection of non-food related products ranging from jewellery and kitchen ware to books and cards and even novelty items like our pepper soaps. Our aim is to source and stock our shop with a diverse range of the best quality chilli related products that will meet all your chilli needs and fulfil your desires.

We don't want to make a fortune. We want to create a business that provides us with a modest income, sells good quality products, and enables us and you to have fun with chillies!

We need your help to do this.  We have started small with a few categories of products and a small product range but we'd love to grow and expand this until we have truly created an exotic and rich emporium in the true sense of the word.  

You can help by giving us feedback on the site and shop itself (please bear in mind that we are new to the joys of web-design and are currently on a very steep learning curve), and on our products and the customer service that we offer you.

If you think or know of anything that you believe we should source or stock to help us build our vision please contact us with the details.