India - the heaven of chillies

A study by scientists from the University of Vermont some time ago proved that addiction to hot peppers leads to longevity. It is difficult to say whether these figures correspond to the truth, but if we assume that they are so, then a large part of the people in India must live to a very old age, for there hotness is held in special esteem. Globally, 25% of the planet's population is passionate about it, and 5% are literally addicted. To such an extent that they cannot live without it, its use bringing them supreme pleasure. For these people, a visa to India would be invaluable, as the country is among the top consumers of peppery dishes in the world, along with Mexico, China, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

In India, it is believed that hot peppers protect against evil and bad luck. They repel the goddess of poverty Alakshmi and the goddess of misfortune and bad luck - Jyestha. The red color of peppers is associated with successful endeavors, strength, courage, dignity, purity of soul, health, love and good luck, while the green color of green chillies symbolizes birth, growth, fertility and life. Therefore, if you travel to India, you will see that in front of the doors of shops, offices, homes, in front of stalls and administrative buildings, there is often a pendant composed of seven hot peppers and a lemon, which aims to drive away evil forces, misfortunes and protect from lessons.

In fact, chillies arrived quite late in India. They are believed to have been brought by Vasco da Gama at the end of the 15th century, which is more than 8,000 years after their origin in the present-day lands of Mexico. However, chili spread extremely quickly among the Indians, who very soon began to cultivate it widely. Moreover, they discovered the healing properties of hot peppers and used them in medicine to treat indigestion. By stimulating endorphins in the blood, thanks to the heat, people coped with pain more easily.

Either way, Indians are so keen on hotness that some of the local varieties of peppers are at the top of the world rankings for pepperiness. Bhut Jolokia, also known as Ghost Pepper, even peaked a decade ago with an average heat of 900,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). The variety is cultivated in the eastern Indian states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur, and these days there is hardly a chili fan in the world who has not heard of it. Currently, Bhut Jolokia is in 4th place in the world ranking for the hottest pepper after Infinity, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and the absolute leader Carolina Reaper. It may even drop to 5th place soon, as a year ago a farmer in Wales created a pepper with a hotness of 2,480,000 SHU. He named it Dragon's Breath chili, and now it will most likely enter the Guinness Book of Records, ahead of the Carolina Reaper. However, this is the most likely to further motivate the Indians, who are among the greatest masters of hotness on earth. The Indian variety is now ubiquitous, but there is no other place in the world where you can enjoy it as well as in its homeland, as long as you take a trip to India.

Farmers in the Asian country, by the way, grow hot peppers even for the needs of the ....army. Yes, this is neither a joke nor a mistake. Peppers are much easier to grow than tea, for example, and in recent years have also brought excellent income to Indian farmers as they have been bought by the Ministry of Defence. The military uses them to make grenades to quell riots or riots. Still, a hot pepper with 1 million heat units on the Scoville scale would easily disarm troublemakers, and on the other hand, they wouldn't really get hurt like if an explosive were used. The same variety of chili peppers is also used as a food supplement for soldiers who are sent to very cold places to raise their body temperature. Anyone who has tasted a chili pepper knows how hot it is, now imagine that chili multiplied by 100, 1000 or even 10,000. Yes, Indians have shown some serious resourcefulness in the use of chili peppers, we can't help but admit it.

These days it is almost impossible to think of an Indian restaurant and not associate it with hot cuisine. By the way, the greatest wealth of Indian cuisine is spices, but spicy is also worth it. The Faal dish, for example, is a challenge even for the most daring supporters of the fiery taste. It's hard to describe in words, you just have to try it. And you will be happy! Now you are probably wondering how we are so sure. Here's the answer – spicy has been proven to improve mood, among other things. Peppers increase the levels of endorphins and serotonin - the hormones that make us feel good. Some scientists are even of the opinion that if we eat more spicy foods, we can fight even mild forms of depression. For this, just arrange a trip to India, eat hot and be happy!