Varieties
Immature jalapeños are hot when they are green but gain pungency and a red color as they ripen. They also increase in sweetness as they mature. These bullet-shaped peppers reach between 2 and 3 inches (5–7.5cm) in length and up to 1 inch (2.5cm) in width. When smoked, dried jalapeños are called chipotle. They are preserved by smoking rather than air-drying because of their thick flesh.
Jalapaños are medium-hot peppers that range in heat between 2,500 and 5,000 Scoville heat units. How high a chile pepper scores on the hotness scale is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of how many parts per million of capsaicin it contains. (Capsaicin is the compound that gives chile peppers their fiery bite.) This figure is then converted into the historic Scoville heat units that signify how much dilution is necessary to drown out the chile’s heat. The heat level of a chile is given as a range because it varies with how and where the pepper was cultivated.
Preparation, uses, and tips
The seeds and membranes in chile peppers contain most of the capsaicin, the compound that lends them their mouth-searing qualities. Many recipes call for jalapeños with their seeds removed, and they are hot enough so you may want to wear protective gloves if you are preparing them in quantity. Jalapeños are often used for adding spice to basic dishes such as salsas, salads, and omelets but are widely enjoyed as a snack food in the guise of poppers, a popular pub snack, or sliced on top of nachos.
Nutritional Highlights
Jalapeño pepper (raw), 1/2 cup (45g)
Calories: 13.5
Protein: 0.6g
Carbohydrate: 2.6g
Total Fat: 0.3g
Fiber: 1.3g
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.
Copyright 2007, Healthnotes, Inc., 1505 S.E. Gideon St., Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97202, www.Healthnotes.com.
2006-09-07
