[CH] Fw: Healthy Pleasures - The Conscious Consumer, issue 13

Porter Banister (porter9@concentric.net)
Thu, 5 Oct 2000 20:54:40 -0700 

Hi All:

The latest issue of the newsletter that a great Health Food Store in New
York, called Healthy Pleasures, puts out just arrived in my inbox. This
issue is devoted entirely to chiles, so I thought I'd pass it along. The
original newsletter is in full color HTML, but that would not be forwardable
to this list, so I have converted it to plain text. I apologize if some of
the text, therefore, runs into each other and is a bit choppy. Standard
disclaimers -  I'm just a satisfied shopper. If anyone wants a copy of the
full color HTML version, email me privately, and I will forward it to you.
You also have the option, should you be interested, of subscribing to their
newsletter yourself.


The Conscious Consumer
Village Location:
93 University Place
New York, NY 10003
Tel: (212) 353-3663
Fax: (212) 353-3224 SoHo Location:
489 Broome Street
New York,  NY 10013
Tel: (212) 431-7434
Fax: (212) 431-7392

Please note: Our Web site is currently under construction, and will return
in its brand new form in less than 2 months!  Until then, you can still
visit healthypleasures.com to enter our raffle (a boom box!), search our
recipe database, and get store information.  To order any products you see
listed in this newsletter or anything else, visit the store, call, fax or
email us.

   If you have any friends who would like to receive our newsletter, or you
want to change your subscription, receive either the text or html version,
be removed, or send feedback, please email us at
editor@healthypleasures.com.




Chile Pepper: Some Like It Hot

Introduction
What is Capsaicin?
Where to Find Capsaicin
Medicinal Values: Facts and Fiction
Medicinal Recipes with Capsaicin
Interactions You Should Know About
Hot Pepper Products at Healthy Pleasures





Introduction
When we think of Mexican, Southeast Asian or Indian food, the first word
that comes to mind is usually "spicy."  Little chile pepper icons in menus
are placed next to hot dishes to signify caution - or maybe to signify
healthier dishes?  Hot foods, usually credited to one of a variety of chile
peppers, have been used in cooking and for natural health remedies for
hundreds, maybe even thousands of years.  Available fresh, ground, powdered,
or preserved in a spread or oil, chile pepper, also known as Cayenne, can be
added to virtually any meal to help prevent or help relieve many health
problems.  In a lotion, cayenne can be applied externally as a natural pain
killer.  The potent chemical that does all this is called Capsaicin
(Cap*sa"i*cin). This week's Conscious Consumer will overview the types of
powerful peppers and their effects.

What is Capsaicin?
Capsaicin is the primary capsaicinoid, a white, flavorless and odorless
substance found in the white upper ribs inside the pepper.  They are the
cause of a pepper's hotness, making the mouth burn, eyes water and nose run
by acting directly on the pain receptors in the mouth.  Capsaicin is so hot,
that one drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blister on
the tongue.  It is measured in parts per million, which are convered into a
scale known as Scoville heat units, the measure of how much the pepper must
be diluted until the heat cannot be tasted.  One part per million is equal
to fifteen Scoville units.  As a reference, Bell Peppers have zero units,
while a Habanero, the hottest pepper, has between 200,000 to 300,000 heat
units.  Thats almost as much as 1 drop capsaicin to just 2 drops water!
Pure capsaicin has a Scoville heat unit score of 16 million.  For a
pictorial guide to peppers, including Scoville units and its native region,
check out this site: Cybersauce Chili Peppers.
Many people consider themselves "chile-heads," those obsessed with feeling
the burn.  Capsaicin can dramatically increase endorphins, as well as open
blood vessels, therefore creating a "high."  Most wouldn't dream of
consuming chile peppers without water nearby, but in fact this only spreads
the capsaicin.  The chemical is in an oil, which just gets spread around the
mouth even more with water.  Drinking milk or eating bread can absorb the
capsaicin, and is a much better solution.

Where to Find Capsaicin
There are many varieties of fresh peppers available in the world today.
While it commonly thought of as a vegetable, peppers are in fact fruits,
more specifically, large berries of a smallish shrub typically grown in warm
climates like Mexico and the rest of Central America, and Tropical Asia.
Peppers grow in two different families: Grossum, which is made up of sweet
peppers like the Bell and Banana variety.  The other group, Longum, is the
hot pepper family and includes Jalapenos and Cayenne.  The color of the
fruit depends on its ripeness - the redder, the riper.  Peppers are
extremely high in vitamin C, as much as 357 percent more than an orange.
Red pepper can be bought in the spice aisle as flakes or powders.  Each vary
in color ranging from orange to orange-red to deep red.  Both can be
sprinkled on most meals (hence the red pepper flakes on every pizza-joint's
table), or cooked into ethnic foods such as Chinese, Mexican, Creole, Thai,
and Indian.  Use powdered cayenne in medicinal preparations for ease (no
messy grinding or chopping).

Medicinal Values: Facts and Fiction
Many researchers like to study whether hot peppers cause ulcers, because of
their seemingly acidic nature.  But studies in areas where hot peppers are a
major part of the cuisine such as Brazil or Thailand has proven that there
is no higher incidence of stomach ulcers among their populations.  Also, in
a study done at the Veterans Administration Hospital, researchers ground up
about an ounce of pure jalapeno peppers (2500-5000 Scoville heat units) and
injected it into the stomachs of volunteers.  Follow-up observation showed
no damage to the stomach linings.  In fact, it has been suggested that
drinking a mix of a teaspoon of cayenne powder with a cup of hot water can
create a quick ulcer pain reliever.  It has also been concluded that it does
not aggravate or cause hemorrhoids, as capsaicinoids are broken down before
they reach the lower intestine.
Besides not being bad for you, capsaicin is quite beneficial.  As I said
earlier, red peppers are high in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can
help protect against cancer, as well as beta carotene (vitamin A), which
helps keep your eyes working correctly.  Capsaicin has been found to combat
cancer itself, helping keep toxic substances from attaching themselves to
DNA within the body's cells.  It has been found to work as an anticoagulant,
thus helping to prevent heart attacks or strokes caused by a blood clot.
Capsaicin is also known as a slight anti-inflammatory, and can numb the
skin, thus reducing the pain from ailments such as arthritis or shingles,
possibly by blocking pain signals or stimulates the nerve fibers to release
endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.  In some countries, peppers are
used in salves.  It triggers the body to release fluids that dilate mucus,
so when you have a cold, eating hot foods will relieve congestion.  Best of
all, capsaicin has been found to boost the metabolic rate, burning extra
calories.  By including hot peppers in your diet, you can actually lose
weight naturally, thus reducing your risk of adult onset diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Medicinal Recipes with Capsaicin

Here is a delicious recipe for a soup that can help you resist the flu,
thanks to the garlic, and can also lower blood pressure and reduce the risk
of stomach cancer.  It is also a mild decongestant, says Dr. Ziment, chief
of medicine at Olive View UCLA Medical Center.
Garlic Soup with Potatoes, Cayenne
Makes 2 servings
One head garlic, about 16 cloves, separated, unpeeled
1/4 tsp. dried sage, or 1/2 tsp. minced fresh
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, or 1/2 tsp. minced fresh
1/2 bay leaf
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium potato, pared, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 sprigs parsley, chopped fine
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
In a 2- or 3-quart saucepot over high heat, bring a quart of water to boil;
drop in unpeeled garlic cloves. Boil 30 minutes. Retrieve garlic by pouring
through sieve or colander, discard water. Rinse garlic under cold water.
Squeeze each clove out of its skin back into the pot. Add one quart cold
water, the fresh and dried herbs and olive oil. Bring to boil, reduce heat,
and simmer for to minutes. Add potatoes, return to boil, reduce heat, simmer
another 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Turn off heat. Add ground pepper and
salt to taste, and as much cayenne you can stand.



Hot Help for Arthritic Pain (from Suzie Hot Sauce):
  - 8 to 10 ounces habanero chiles, chopped with the seeds
- 1 quart olive oil
Combine the ingredients and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer
very genty for 4 hours. Let cool for 4 hours. Repeat this procedure two more
times. Place the mixture in blender and blend on high for 20 seconds. Strain
the mixture through a sieve that has been lined with muslin (pantyhose will
do just as well) and place in small bottles.
Yield: 8 4-ounce containers of lotion
Variations: You can also enhance the formula by adding 40 drops of lavender
oil to the strained lotion.You can make a cream by adding 6 ounces of melted
beeswax to the warm, strained oil. Stir thoroughly, and shake the bottle
until cool.
Caution: Do not rub your eyes after rubbing your skin with this cream!



Cayenne is a good expectorant and can be used to relieve coughs and to break
up congestion, according to Charles Dickson from Mother Earth News.
Combine:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
Sweeten to taste with a little honey. Take a tablespoon and you'll soon be
breathing easier.

Cayenne powder can also be sprinkled into your socks to stimulate blood
circulation.  This will help relieve achy feet, as well as keep them warm.

Interactions You Should Know About (from
http://www.natmedpro.com/nmp/Capsicum.htm)
1. ACE inhibitors may cause coughing when capsaicin cream is used topically
2. Aspirin damage to the gastric mucosa is decreased if chili powder is
ingested 30 minutes before taking aspirin
3. Hexobarbital sleeping time and plasma concentration are increased with
acute use of cayenne but decreased with chronic use in animal studies
4. Theophylline absorption is increased if taken before or concurrently with
capsicum fruit in animal studies (this can lead to absorption of toxic
levels)
Hot Pepper Products at Healthy Pleasures
Here at Healthy Pleasures, we sell a vast variety of products that contain
capsaicin for both your health and dietary needs.  In the Vitamins and
Supplements aisle, you can find Cayenne capsules as well as liquid herbal
extracts.  You can choose between adding drops of the liquid or taking a few
capsules every day.  We also sell NatureWorks' Swedish Bitters Capsaicin
Cream, a natural pain relieving cream.  It offers effective relief from
aches and pains in muscles and joints.  This natural pain reliever may be
used to revitalize and invigorate following strenuous activities.
Many of our foods and food products contain hot peppers, from powdered
Jalapeno and Ancho Chile, made by Chile Today, Hot Tamale, to easy to
prepare meals such as Thai Kitchen's various noodle packages.  Chile Today,
Hot Tamale sells packages of various dried chiles, including Piquants, a
tiny, yet powerful pepper, that can be reconstituted or crushed and added
into soups or chilis.  We have chili kits, marinades, and a large variety of
organic hot sauces ranging from sweet and tropical Ancho (2000 Scoville heat
units) to Habanero (up to 300,000 Scoville heat units), the hottest.  There
are also chile pepper infused oils, including sesame and olive.  Last but
not least, check out our different organic salsas each with its own
combination of heat and sweet.
Healthy Pleasures also sells fresh peppers in the produce aisle, including
red, green, orange and yellow Bell peppers, Jalapenos, and hot Cayenne
peppers.

Links and Works Cited:
Discovery Health -
http://www.discoveryhealth.com/DH/ihtIH?d=dmtDSCTNP&c=265390&p=~br,DSC|~st,2
4479|~r,WSDSC000|~b,*|
Cayenne - http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cayenn40.html
Capsicum Capsicum Capsicum -
http://www.alternative-medicines.com/herbdesc/1capsicu.htm
Mother Earth News: Cayenne -
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1279/1999_August/55226119/p1/article.jhtml
Pain Relieving Properties of Pepper Rediscovered -
http://www.psu.edu/ur/archives/HealthMed/pepper.html
Red Pepper - http://www.culinarycafe.com/Spices_Herbs/Red_Pepper.html
Hot Help For Arthritic Pain -
http://suziehotsauce.com/articles/arthritis.html
Chile Peppers, Hot Help For Lungs -
http://suziehotsauce.com/articles/lung.html
All Round Benefits of Eating Hot Foods -
http://suziehotsauce.com/articles/all.html
Scov - http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/scov.htm
What Makes Peppers Hot? - http://chileheads.netimages.com/chem_intro.html
Chili Peppers - http://www.cybersauce.com/knowldge.htm
OnHealth: Are hot peppers good for you? -
http://onhealth.webmd.com/conditions/in-depth/item/item%2C52157_1_1.asp
Capsaicum frutescens - http://www.natmedpro.com/nmp/Capsicum.htm



Disclaimer: Throughout this newsletter, statments are made pertaining to the
properties and/or functions of nutritional products.  These statements have
not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these materials
and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
The information in this newsletter is presented for educational purposes
only.  It is not inteded as a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a
qualified professional.
http://www.healthypleasures.com