Chef Kev tells us how to make our food healthier by making it spicier.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Hey, Chef Kev here with quick tips for healthy cooking.
You know, one way to make your food healthier is to make it spicier.
The key is using chili peppers. Chili peppers have an ingredient called capsaicin, which is what gives them their spice. But it also can have health effects such as relieving pain and revving up your metabolism.
But I endorse the use of chili peppers for a different health reason: it allows you to use less salt and additives. Why? Because when it’s spicy, you don’t even think about the salt. You just notice the heat.
When cooking with chili peppers, first cut down the middle of the pepper. Check out the seeds, which is where the heat comes from.
You can modify the amount of heat by removing the seeds and the pith, the fleshy area right there , or leaving them in.
Then, cook the peppers in a sauté pan with a little canola or light oil over a medium-low flame. This will allow the peppers’ oils to release.
Plus this is going to mellow the spice so it doesn’t blow your face off.
You can find different kinds of chili peppers, including:
The Jalapeño, which is the mildest type.
Serrano, which is good for salsas.
And scotch bonnet, which is sweet but also about three times as hot as jalapeños
In general, the smaller the pepper, the hotter the spice.
Hope this helps you handle the heat in the kitchen, so you don’t have to get out.
I’m Chef Kev, making healthy cooking simple and sweet.