Chili @museum.de

Did you know that the spiciness of chilies is measured in what is called Scoville Units? The American pharmacist Wilbur L. Scoville invented a very simple system more than a hundred years ago which is still used to determine the spiciness of different kinds of chili.

Chilies are packed with alkaloids, capaicin (stimulates metabolism) and healthy Vitamin C. When exposed to very spicy flavours, the body at first reacts with pain but then produces endorphins, i. e. endogenous happy hormones. It is fair to say, then, that eating chilies makes happy – but be careful: Chili spiciness is not everybody’s cup of tea. Introduce the spiciness slowly and continuously to your body. Chili is considered a stimulant as the consumption of chilies gets the blood flowing and might help in the morning to warm up for the day.

Those who don’t like it very spicy in the morning might use a stimulating shower gel with ginger to start the day.

Aphrodisiac Petitesses:

Chilies are said to have an aphrodisiac impact, especially the red ones, which enflame the mouth and work up one’s appetite for more.

An English saying: “Chilli is good for your Willie…!”

In Calabria, the spicy pods are half-jokingly dubbed “Viagra dei poveri” – the blue pill for poor people. It is there you can also find a red wine with Peperoncino, called “Vinagra”!