The sweet-smelling pepper is delicious and full of health benefits. Here you will learn the most important things about this mouth-watering spice.
Check out the benefits, how to use it in food, what care is needed, and even how to plant this pepper free of pesticides and chemicals at home.
Well-known in Northeast Brazil, sweet pepper is a variety of delicious and aromatic. Its scientific name is Capsicum spp, and it is a plant that brings many of the benefits of the pepper class. It has a bell shape and yellow colour when ripe. Before that, they are green.
In short, sweet pepper is only used for culinary purposes, but science has discovered several health benefits of this spice in recent years. So, check out the main proven benefits of this food.
Table of Contents
Benefits of smelling pepper
Sweet pepper is a source of capsaicin, a healthy substance found in peppers. This property, together with the other substances in the composition of this pepper, compose a collection of benefits capable of improving health and preventing diseases.
Check out the science-proven benefits of smelling peppers below!
It improves metabolism and helps with weight loss.
First, discussing the thermogenic effect capsaicin promotes in the human body is essential. This means that when sweet pepper is consumed, the body temperature increases, and the metabolism accelerates.
In addition to preventing obesity and improving several essential body functions, a good metabolism is also one of the keys to healthy weight loss. Regular consumption of pepper can bring benefits for weight loss, for example. But not only that!
In addition to the thermogenic effect and metabolic improvement, sweet pepper also contains pectin, a substance considered slimming by science. The study points out that the consumption of this substance is directly linked with the feeling of satiety.
In short, this means that by eating sweet pepper (or recipes that use this pepper), our stomach will be full faster and longer. Therefore, it can be an allied pepper in weight loss diets.
In addition, another study indicates that the composition of sweet pepper (as well as other types of pepper that have capsaicin and pectin) is hypoglycemic. This means they lower the body’s glucose, reducing hunger.
It’s good for digestion.
It is spread to hear that those suffering from stomach problems should not eat pepper, but that depends on each person’s situation. For example, those with ulcers (or tend to develop this problem) should avoid the consumption of pepper, but it can significantly help with poor digestion, heartburn and bloating.
In addition to being tasty, the sweet pepper has nutritional properties that stimulate the stomach to digest food better. Furthermore, it stimulates the production of gastric juice, which acts as a facilitator in digestion.
Prevents Cancer
Another great benefit of sweet pepper is that it has high antioxidant potential. This means that it has as one of its main healthy functions to inhibit the action of free radicals, malignant substances that hinder the healthy life cycle of cells and bring the risk of serious diseases such as Cancer.
This benefit results from the overall medicinal composition of sweet pepper, composed of phenols, capsaicin, carotenoids, flavonoids, dihydrocapsaicin and other properties.
The primary diseases that can be prevented by consuming food antioxidants are Cancer, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, premature aging and various degenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases.
Treat body pain
The composition of the scented pepper also gives it an analgesic effect, ideal for mild to moderate pain. A study found this benefit when studying the effects of capsaicin on the human body.
Thus, moderate consumption of sweet pepper can relieve muscle pain and headaches. However, seek medical attention if discomfort persists and bothers you.
Fight inflammation
Sweet pepper also has anti-inflammatory properties in its composition, capable of fighting mild inflammation. This benefit also has a bonus: relieving pain in the lower back, shoulders and joints. Minor rashes in the body can cause these pains.
Lowers cholesterol
This natural product is also indicated for those people who find it difficult to control high cholesterol, as it fights LDL, known as bad cholesterol. This is all thanks to the pectin in its composition, an excellent property for regulating excess cholesterol levels.
Good for the eyes
The sweet pepper is rich in vitamin A, a substance essential for the health of the eyes and vision. Furthermore, vitamin A is very important for the development of bones and muscles, being very important for the growth of young people.
Likewise, it is recommended for bodybuilders as it helps develop muscles.
Smell pepper preserves: Here’s how to make
The scented pepper pickle recipe is very famous and can be used as a seasoning for various recipes, both peppers and pickled stock, which can be used as a hot sauce for soups and broths. See how to prepare:
- First, sterilize a glass jar (with a lid) to keep the peppercorns preserved. Blanch in boiling water for 15 minutes and let it dry upside down. Wash the cover thoroughly with soap and running water. It must be a glass jar, and it is spotless. Otherwise, the preserve can spoil.
- Cut the pepper stalks and wash them in water and one teaspoon of baking soda. Rinse under running water. Use enough pepper to fill about 80% of the pot.
- Then place the washed peppers in the pot with the juice of 1/4 lemon and 1 level teaspoon of salt and complete the glass with white vinegar.
- Finally, cover tightly, shake to mix the ingredients and store in a dark place for 15 days.
- That’s it; the pickled pepper can now be consumed!
Hot Smell Hot Sauce Recipe
Another famous recipe where the sweet pepper is the protagonist is the hot sauce. It is straightforward, easy to prepare and goes well with toast, biscuits, grilled meats and salads. See how to do it:
- Add one drizzle of oil in a hot pan and saute one chopped onion. When the onion sweats (it turns yellow), add four crushed garlic cloves and 180 g of minced pepper. Saute
- Then season the stew with one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of oregano and 80 ml of white vinegar (this amount corresponds to a little more than 1/ 2 cup). Keep stirring until the vinegar reduces
- After that, please take it to a blender and blend the mixture, adding three tablespoons of oil little by little.
- Ready! If you want a more uniform sauce, go through a sieve.
Is pepper smell bad? Care and contraindications
It depends. First, it is essential to point out that sweet pepper can be very harmful if consumed in excess or by those with stomach problems related to lesions and stomach acidity. On the other hand, it can bring several benefits if consumed regularly and in small amounts.
Also, some people are allergic to peppers. In this case, it is essential to avoid sweet pepper, as its consumption can cause severe allergic reactions.
Therefore, it is essential to ask a health specialist (doctor or nutritionist) whether or not you are authorized to consume sweet pepper. Through the results of clinical examinations, it is possible to identify if the regular consumption of sweet pepper is released to your body.
Learn how to grow sweet peppers at home.
Sweet pepper is expected in the Northeast because it is a hot and mild climate pepper. Therefore, you must see the best time of year to plant at home. Avoid cold and rainy periods. Other than that, follow the instructions below to grow sweet peppers at home:
- Place the precious pepper seed in a medium-sized pot (approximately 60 cm in diameter) with natural or fertilized soil and cover it with a light layer of loose dirt. keep in the shade
- Moisten the earth (with a sprinkler, preferably) and cover it with plastic wrap, as it will help control water evaporation
- Every day, sprinkle some water and keep the plastic wrap until the seed germinates
- When germination occurs, which usually takes 10 to 15 days, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle water sparingly once a day. In this step, you should move the pot to a place where the plant receives some sunlight, but avoid areas that are too exposed, as too much sun can kill the seedling.
- Maintain daily care and wait for the plant to grow and generate peppers. You can pick green ones and wait for them to ripen off the foot.
My name is Ellie Lauderdale, MD and I am USA based professional Nutritionist .
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and board certified specialist in sports dietetics who is trained in integrative medicine. I have worked with hundreds of clients, from those suffering with chronic disease to professional and olympian athletes. My goal is to help optimize you from the inside so that you can feel, perform, and look your best on the outside.