What is Cayenne Pepper?
Cayenne pepper, or red pepper, has a history spanning back over 9,000 years to the hot regions of South and Central America. It is called “cayenne” because these peppers were first found on a shrub in a town of that name in French Guiana on the coast of South America. Cayenne pepper wasn’t introduced to other areas of the globe until Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan encountered the peppers during their voyages. Christopher Columbus brought the red pepper back to Europe, where people were quick to adopt the spicy vegetable as an alternative to black pepper, a very expensive spice during that time, because it had to be imported from Asia. Ferdinand Magellan introduced cayenne pepper to Asian and African citizens, who immediately saw the vegetable’s value as both a foodstuff and as a natural medicine. Today cayenne peppers are grown in many regions of the world, with Mexico, Spain, China, and Nigeria being the largest commercial producers. A member of the Capsicum family of veg
Cayenne pepper comes from red, hot chili peppers. It is also known as the African red pepper, American red pepper, Spanish pepper, bird pepper, or Guinea pepper as it is sometimes called in the United Kingdom. It is also sometimes called by its Latin derivative capsicum. Cayenne pepper comes from the dried pods of chili peppers and is used as a spice for culinary uses as well as alternative health purposes. The herb is named for the capital city of Cayenne in French Guiana, a country on the northern border of Brazil in South America. The word cayenne comes from the Tupi word “kyinha,” which literally means “hot pepper.” Continuing, cayenne is a cultivar of Capsicum annum and is botanically related to jalapeños, habeñeros, bell peppers and many other peppers. The Capsicum genus is in the nightshade or Solanaceae family, which family includes white potatoes, eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes. The plant from which cayenne pepper powder is derived is from two related plants. Specificall
You probably recognize its name as a potent condiment often used in cooking, but its value lies well beyond its culinary uses. Cayenne pepper is an herb that is nothing short of amazing. Cayenne is a stimulant herb that is also known, although obliquely so, as African red pepper, American red pepper, Spanish pepper, capsicum, and bird pepper. The plant from which cayenne pepper is derived is from two related plants actually. Specifically, the American variety (Capsicum minimum) is distinguished from its African countepart the African birdseye cayenne (Capsicum fastigiatum) although both are highly beneficial to man (another good version is (Capsicum annuum). The African birdseye cayenne pepper is the most pungent with small, yellowish red pods while the American variety is distinguished with its herb-sized plants and larger fruit or pods. The food value of cayenne pepper is known, of course, but its real value is as a medicinal and nutritional herb. Its medical uses include using it fo
