Capsicum
Capsicums—more commonly known as peppers—add brilliant colour, robust flavour, and often tremendous heat to dishes around the world. The most common varieties come from two closely related species: Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens. These include mild types such as bell peppers as well as hotter varieties used to make Tabasco sauce, chili powder, and paprika. A pepper’s heat depends on the concentration of a phytochemical called capsaicin. This compound causes a burning sensation on the tongue, mucous membranes, and skin. In reasonable quantities it gives foods a pleasant, spicy taste. In high concentrations it is so powerful it can be used as a weapon: It’s the active ingredient in pepper spray.
Health Benefits
Capsaicin has a numbing effect: It interferes with a neurotransmitter called “substance P,” which sends pain signals from nerves to the brain. Capsaicin creams can alleviate pain when rubbed on the affected area, though the effect is temporary. Research proves capsaicin creams are effective for a wide range of problems including neuropathy (painful nerve endings common in diabetics), post-surgical pain, psoriasis, shingles, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people see their family doctor, and the evidence is very good that topical capsaicin cream helps. It is approved by Germany’s Commission E (a board of scientific advisors who investigate traditional medicines) as an ointment for the relief of painful muscle spasms.
Capsicum isn’t just helpful for pain: It could also be a key weapon in the battle of the bulge. If you already “like it hot,” you may have an advantage when it comes to keeping off the pounds. Research shows capsicum can help you lose weight in three ways: by increasing your metabolism (you can burn an extra 50 or more calories per day), improving your energy expenditure, and reducing your appetite.
DIFFICULTY
Medium
HARDINESS
Annual
TIME TO PLANT
Late spring
TIME TO HARVEST
Summer
LOCATION
Full sun
SOIL TYPE
Rich, well-drained
Growing
Peppers have been spicing up gardens around the world for centuries. They can be a challenge to grow in cooler climates, however, as they require a lot of heat and a long time to mature. When choosing among the many varieties of capsicums at your garden centre, check the tags for maturity dates (see page 77).
Common Varieties: There are many cultivars of Capsicum annuum and the closely related C. frutescens, in a range of colours, shapes, sizes, and heat intensity. For medicinal use, look for varieties that fall between 30,000 to 50,000 units on the Scoville heat scale. This includes cayenne and Tabasco peppers. (Hotter varieties typically belong to different species.)
PLANT
Growing peppers from seed isn’t for the novice. Even for experienced gardeners I recommend purchasing transplants, and for those in cooler climates I recommend purchasing slightly mature plants.
Peppers can be grown both in the garden and in pots. Plant them in late spring once soil temperatures have warmed to 20°C (68°F). Planting them in cooler soils will stunt plants. Make sure they’re located in full sun and in rich, well-drained soil.
Peppers are heat lovers: The more sun and the more heat you can give them, the better they do. I often plant peppers in black pots, since black absorbs heat and helps them grow!
GROW
Peppers are tender plants that will suffer from cold wind, frosty nights, and thunderstorms. Plant them in a wind-sheltered location and cover them on spring evenings when frost looms.
Water deeply and infrequently, maintaining adequate moisture and never allowing the plants to completely dry out. Water the roots only, not the foliage. Peppers benefit from mulching in the garden: Mulch helps retain moisture and prevents splashing on the foliage during intense rains, reducing the risk of disease. In containers and areas with poor soil, use a general-purpose fertilizer (20-20-20) or organic fish emulsion twice monthly after watering.
Inspect the plants regularly for insects and disease. Peppers will benefit from preventive sprayings of insecticidal soap to reduce aphid and whitefly populations. If plants appear to be wilting and losing bottom leaves, or if they have black marks on lower foliage, remove and discard the entire plant, as they are most likely suffering from disease.
A plant’s maturity date is the number of days it requires to produce fruit. To make sure your growing season is long enough, count the number of days between average last frost date and average first frost date in your area. Some varieties of capsicum need 80 days or more to produce fruit, which is a challenge in some regions of Canada.
Don’t panic if your hot pepper plant starts growing green peppers like these—with enough time and hot sun they’ll turn fiery red.
HARVEST
Harvest peppers in summer, allowing the fruit to reach their full size and colour on the vine. Remove by twisting and plucking or cutting them from the stem.
STORE
Fresh peppers can last for weeks in the refrigerator, and will even keep for 5 to 7 days at room temperature when left out of direct light and kept dry. Peppers can be sun-dried, air-dried, baked, or dehydrated and stored in airtight containers for months. They can also be pickled or packed in oil. Peppers lose flavour when frozen, but roasting them prior to freezing will help.
To sun-dry hot peppers, wash and then dry them with a paper towel. Using a sewing needle and thread, string 20 to 30 of them together by pushing the needle through their stems and then tying the ends together. Hang indoors in direct sunlight until dry. Monitor and remove any peppers that spoil (blacken).
Put It to Work
Fibromyalgia or arthritis? Set fire to the pain!
Topical creams containing 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin are generally used for pain relief. People often apply the cream to the affected area 3 or 4 times per day. A burning sensation may occur the first few times the cream is applied, but this should gradually decrease—that’s “substance P,” the cause of your pain, going to sleep.
You can make your own capsaicin cream with homegrown peppers, but be careful! Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the peppers. If you get capsaicin in your eyes or on mucous membranes it can cause a terribly intense burning.
Measure enough dried cayenne peppers to fill a large resealable glass jar (like a Mason jar). In a blender, pulse the peppers for about 1 minute or until coarsely ground. Do not overgrind—this will make the mixture difficult to strain later. Empty the ground peppers into a clean jar and pour in enough vodka (at least 80 proof) to cover the peppers by 6 mm (¼ inch). Place wax paper over the jar and then screw the lid on tightly to seal it. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 3 days, shaking the jar vigorously for 1 minute every day. Once the peppers have been soaking for 72 hours, you’ll see the vodka has turned a pretty red.
After 3 days, cover the mouth of the jar with a coffee filter and strain the mixture into a bowl. Carefully discard the pepper pieces. You will be left with a mixture of alcohol and capsaicin oil. Pour the liquid back into the jar, but do not cover it. Leave the jar in a dry, warm place (out of the reach of children!) until the alcohol completely evaporates.
After a day or two, the bottom of the jar will be full of bright red capsaicin oil. Do not touch this directly with your hands—it is incredibly potent! Pour the oil into at least twice as much shea butter and mix well using a small spoon (if you have sensitive skin, add three times as much shea butter). Transfer this mixture to an airtight container and store it in a cool, dry place. The cream will keep for up to a year.
Whenever you experience pain from fibromyalgia or arthritis, use a cotton swab or ball to apply a small amount of the cream to the affected area. At first, you will feel a tingling, hot sensation, but this will fade, taking the pain with it. Continue to rub it in until the area feels slightly numb. Avoid using capsaicin cream on particularly sensitive areas or anywhere near your eyes.
Monitor how your skin and the deeper muscles react. If a small rash develops, it may mean you need to add more shea butter to the mix to dilute it further. If the rash persists, stop using the cream.
Grinding cayenne peppers for capsules can also be done with a mortar and pestle—but you may want to cover your mouth and nose. We sneezed for fifteen minutes after taking these photos!
Heartburn? Treat fire with fire!
Research shows that about 1 gram of cayenne powder in capsule form taken 3 times per day before meals is an effective treatment for heartburn. To make your own remedy, pour 1 cup of boiling water over ½ teaspoon of ground dried cayenne pepper and steep for 10 minutes. A teaspoon of this infusion can be mixed with water and taken 3 to 4 times daily. It’s counterintuitive, but it works! Store the infusion in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Excess weight? Melt the pounds away!
By consuming 10 grams of cayenne pepper with food daily, you’re likely to eat less. And research shows that cayenne could also boost your metabolism to help you burn fat faster. However, 10 grams is equivalent to 2 teaspoons, and that’s a lot of heat, especially if you’re not into spices! Have no fear: you can make your own easy-to-swallow capsules. Start by purchasing a bag of 1000-milligram empty gelatin capsules from your local health food store.
Pick 30 fresh cayenne peppers and sun-dry them (see “Drying Herbs at Home” on page 365). Once dry, place the peppers in a blender, cover with the lid, and pulverize to a fine powder. Transfer the powder to a bowl and, using latex gloves, carefully (don’t get the powder into your eyes or lungs!) fill the capsules. Take 5 capsules twice daily with food to enjoy a significantly reduced appetite and an increased metabolism.
Fast Forward
Fast forward to the health food store to purchase Nature’s Way cayenne pepper capsules or equivalent. Follow the instructions on the label.
Cautions
Capsicum essential oil and cayenne pepper are both listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list for use as spices in foods. But you can imagine that something this hot comes with a warning!
When taken orally, capsicum may irritate the gastrointestinal system, mouth, and throat. In some cases, heartburn, diarrhea, ulcer aggravation, and stomach pain can occur. Extremely hot varieties can also cause chemical damage to taste buds. Large amounts (over 20 grams a day) may cause kidney and liver damage. Inhaling it may cause shortness of breath and coughing.
When used topically as a cream, capsicum may cause burning, redness, and irritation, especially if it comes in contact with mucous membranes. Never use capsaicin cream on the same area more than 2 or 3 times a day. Even a weak cream will cause irritation if applied too often.
