90
WBM october 2017
Today, that’s still true. The most
popular regional chilies include the
ancho (a dried version of the pob-lano),
jalapeño, habanero, serrano
and del arbol. Of the commonly used
hot peppers, habaneros rank as the
spiciest.
In pre-Columbian America, sha-mans
and medicine men mixed chil-ies
with tobacco and other plants to
aid in “journeys” to the upper and
lower worlds. The Aztecs burned
chilies at funerals to ward off evil and
rubbed them on the feet of babies to
ensure good health.
Peppers are known for their medic-inal
qualities. In powdered form, cay-enne
pepper equalizes blood pressure
and can help stop bleeding. Jalapeños
clear up congestion by thinning
mucus. The capsaicin in peppers —
the chemical compound that gives
them their heat — is touted as a
treatment for everything from cer-tain
types of cancer, to psoriasis, to
muscle aches.
While Italians like their peppers
sweet and Latin Americans prefer
hot, it seems Americans cling to the
approachable bell pepper.
CVW10.2017wbm.indd 1 8/12/17 6:49 AM
how hotis hot?