Others say that that is not true, but is located elsewhere in the pepper. Who is right?
2006-06-26 15:28:32 · 10 answers · asked by Bluebeard 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
The substance in chilies that makes them spicy is called capsaicin. It is concentrated in the veins of the fruit (not the seeds) and stimulates the nerve endings in your mouth, fooling your brain into thinking you're in pain. The brain responds by releasing substances called endorphins, which are similar in structure to morphine. A mild euphoria results, and chilies can be mildly addictive because of this hot pepper "high". The seeds contain a small portion of capsaicin (the stuff that makes a pepper hot). The "hot" comes from capsaicinoids concentrated in the inner wall of the pepper and don't forget those white lines that run from top to bottom, these to contain small amounts of capsaicinoids.
2006-06-26 15:34:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness encyclopedia of food and nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every variety of fresh food. Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6.
"All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even induce perspiration. Capsaicinoids have no flavor or odor, but act directly on the pain receptors in the mouth and throat. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
"Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's placenta--the white "ribs" that run down the middle and along the sides of a pepper. Since the seeds are in such close contact with the ribs, they are also often hot. In the rest of the vegetable, capsaicinoids are unevenly distributed throughout the flesh, so it is likely that one part of the same pepper may be hotter ot milder than another. You can reduce the amount of heat in a chili pepper by removing the ribs and seeds, but you must wear gloves while doing so.
2006-06-26 22:56:20 · answer #2 · answered by slichick 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a misconception that it's the seeds that make the peppers hot. It actually a natural chemical in the peppers called "capsaicin" that determines how hot the peppers are. When they tell you to remove the seeds to make a pepper less hot, its usually because the seeds contain the majority of the chemical.
2006-06-26 22:38:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the heat actually comes from the oil in the pepper....which is throught the flesh of it, but most concentrated in the seeds....so yes, most of the heat is in the seeds, but the oil that causes the heat is throught.....thats why you have to wash your hands after cutting them before touching any sensitive body part (i.e. eyes, and other ummmmm private areas)
2006-06-26 22:33:35 · answer #4 · answered by iceman166c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seeds and ribs contain the most heat
2006-06-27 02:35:45 · answer #5 · answered by mjfluffy420 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the white part in the pepper has the most heat.
2006-06-26 23:02:16 · answer #6 · answered by somali_tamale 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read somewhere that the spicy flavor doesn't come from the seeds, but from the stem holding the seeds.
2006-06-26 22:30:47 · answer #7 · answered by little bee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the seeds.
2006-06-26 22:41:22 · answer #8 · answered by cheeky chic 379 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's actually in the membrane - the ribs. See the website below - second paragraph.
2006-06-26 22:32:37 · answer #9 · answered by swbiblio 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as far as I know that is correct.
2006-07-03 03:06:20 · answer #10 · answered by debbie c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋