Datil peppers don’t just taste good… they’re good for you! We love the taste of datil peppers. The heat combined with the tangy, fruity flavor… oh my! But did you know that datil peppers are more than just the most awesome tasting pepper around? They’re actually good for you and provide some pretty amazing health benefits.
No – we’re not saying that datil peppers are medicine. Or that you can stop working out and eat only datil peppers breakfast, lunch and dinner (although we’re tempted!). What we are saying is that the health benefits these little peppers provide are a huge added bonus.
The benefits come from the datil pepper’s “active” ingredient: capsaicin. This is essentially the heat of the pepper and gives the datil pepper its scientific name, chinense capsicum.
Here are some of the properties of capsaicin that yield natural remedies:
Anti-bacterial: Antiseptic in capsaicin helps prevent food poisoning, decreases inflammation and fights bacterial infections. Contrary to what you might think, this heat can mitigate gastrointestinal issues and even relieve indigestion.
Anti-fungal: Capsaicin fights yeast and fungal infections like ring worm and athletes foot. It is also a widely used ingredient in over-the-counter topical creams.
Anti-cancer: One of the most revered properties of capsaicin is its effect in fighting cancer. Studies show that not only can capsaicin stop the spread of certain types of cancer – but can cause cancer cell death as well.
Improves Cardiovascular Health: Researchers have found that capsaicin lowers blood cholesterol levels and blocks a gene that makes arteries contract (which can lead to blood clots and blood flow blockages). These blockages can cause heart attacks or strokes.
Increases Metabolism: By lowering triglycerides, capsicum helps your body burn calories more effectively and could help maintain a healthy weight. Another side effect is that a capsaicin-rich diet when coupled with exercise has been shown to improve athletic performance and overall endurance.
Improves Respiratory Health: Capsaicin’s Vitamin C coupled with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can help prevent asthma and lung infections.
Pain Management: Capsaicin helps block the transmission of pain to your brain and can therefore be helpful in treating headaches and even migraines. Especially in cream form, capsaicin has also been used for years to treat pain related to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia – as well as certain kinds of joint pain. Native Americans would use peppers from the capsicum family to relieve tooth aches and mouth pain. Next time you suffer from a sore throat, put down the salt water and gargle with capsaicin juice instead.
Now you can feel even better about eating sweet with a little heat in fact you should! Sounds like we might need to tweak the old adage, “A datil pepper a day, keeps the doctor away.” So discover the many ways to enjoy Minorcan Mike’s – and reap the many health benefits – with our datil pepper sauce, salsa and jelly.
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