A BRIEF HISTORY

Hot peppers are as Ancient as the Aztecs who used them over 5000 years ago. They used the peppers to spice up a thick chocolate brew; made with cocoa beans, corn meal and spices. A concoction they say was befitting of The Aztec Gods themselves.

Hot peppers originated from the Western Hemisphere about 7,500 BC and made their travels around the world through the exploits of explorers, sailors, and merchants. Currently they are used to spice up and enhance the flavors in the cuisines of most cultures

Fun facts

WHERE DID HABANEROS COME FROM?

The Habanero originated in the Amazonas region of South America and spread north into Mexico and the Caribbean. The oldest known domesticated Habanero was found in a cave in Peru and dated to 6500 B.C. (8500 years ago).
Source: Habanero Pepper Facts | El Topo Cantina Habanero Chipotle Hot Sauce (eltopohab.com)

HOW MANY VARIETIES ARE THERE?

There are at least 18 varieties of Habanero Peppers and new types are being grown. Here is a partial list:
• Red Habanero
• Orange Habanero
• Caribbean Red
• Habanero Condor’s Beak
• Big Sun Habanero
• Golden Habanero
• Mustard Habanero
• Scotch Bonnet Pepperkl
• Hot Paper Lantern
• Red Savina
• Datil Peppers
• Peach Habanero
• Yucatan White Habanero Peppers
• White Bullet Habanero (TM)
• Peruvian White Habanero
• White Giant Habanero Peppers
• Jamaican Chocolate Habanero Peppers

LARGEST PRODUCER

The largest producer of the Habanero Chile is Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Source: https://www.myspicer.com/habanero-chile-pepper-facts/

HOW HOT IS THE HABANERO?

The habanero pepper ranges from 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units, pairing it with its very close relative, the Scotch Bonnet pepper. In terms of heat, that’s around 76 times hotter than an average jalapeño. At the extremes (the mildest jalapeño vs. the hottest habanero) it’s a whopping 140 times hotter.
Source: https://www.pepperscale.com/habanero-pepper/

KEEPING IT COOL!

Eating or drinking dairy products can help ease the heat pain caused by a hot Habanero.
Source: https://www.myspicer.com/habanero-chile-pepper-facts/

SPANISH COLONIST INTRODUCTION

The habanero chili was disseminated by Spanish colonists to other areas of the world, to the point that 18th-century taxonomists mistook China for its place of origin and called it Capsicum chinense ("the Chinese pepper").

HOT STUFF

In 1999, the habanero was listed by Guinness World Records as the world's hottest chili, but it has since been displaced by other peppers.
Source: https://kids.kiddle.co/Habanero_chili

HEALTH BENEFITS

Study shows that there may be health benefits of eating hot peppers.
• Promote Heart Health by lowering LDL
• Promotes Weight Loss
• Kick Starts Metabolism
• Relieves Arthritis Pain
• Promotes Gut Health
Source: Spice Up Your Life: The Health Benefits of Spicy Foods - Penn Medicine

"IT'S LIKE THE CARIBBEAN IN A BOTTLE"