Chili Peppers and Nobel Prizes – An Interesting Combination
Did you know that the Nobel Prize was awarded to Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi in 1937 for his work with chili peppers? It’s true!
Chiles were brought to Europe by Columbus and other New World explorers. They were grown in Italy, Germany, and France, and came to Hungary in 1560. Hungary became famous for its Hungarian Wax [paprika] chilies. Hungarian goulash is a dish famous for its use of paprika.
Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was a 20th century Hungarian chemist. He did research at Cambridge University in England, and at the Mayo Foundation in Minnesota, working to isolate a compound we now know as ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, from the adrenal glands of cows.
One night when he was back at his home in Szeged, Hungary, his wife fixed a large dish of paprika chilies, which he didn't want to eat. He didn't have the courage to tell her he didn't want them, so he told his wife, "I'd better take this to the laboratory and see whether it's any good." He found that paprika was a rich source of vitamin C. He named the compound a “ascorbic acid”, since it prevented scorbutus, or scurvy, a disease characterized by spongy gums and loosening of the teeth. He spent several years traveling around Europe promoting vitamin C as a cure for scurvy, the common cold and other illnesses.
In 1937, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine "for his discoveries in connection with the biological combustion processes, with especial reference to vitamin C and the catalysis of fumaric acid
Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
Homeopathic remedy: Capsicum “PEPPER” مرچ
Also known as: Bell Pepper, Sweet Pepper, Chili pepper
Vegetable that can be green, red, yellow, purple, black or brown depending on its degree of ripeness.
Health Benefits of Capsicum
From scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
They are also good in other antioxidants like vitamin A, and flvonoids like beta-carotene, alpha carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthins. These antioxidant substances in capsicum helps to protect body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress, diseases conditions
Fresh chili peppers, red or green, are rich source of vitamin-C. 100 g fresh chilies provide about 143.7 mcg or about 240% of RDA. Vitamin C is a potent water-soluble antioxidant. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect
Chilies are also good in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.
Chilies contain Carotenoids: Beta-Carotene: Capsanthin Capsorubin: Lutein:Lycopene
Chilies contain good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase
Chilies contain health benefiting an alkaloid compound in them, capsaicin, which gives strong spicy pungent character. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. It also found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
