Pepper, jalapeno

The name jalapeño is Spanish for "from Xalapa" (also spelled Jalapa), the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated.

Compared to other chillies, the jalapeño heat level varies from mild to hot depending on cultivation and preparation and can have from a few thousand to over 10,000 Scoville heat units. The number of scars on the pepper, which appear as small brown lines, called 'corking', has a positive correlation with heat level, as growing conditions which increase heat level also cause the pepper to form scars. For US consumer markets, 'corking' is considered unattractive; however, in other markets, it is a favored trait, particularly in pickled or oil preserved jalapeños.

Jalapeno pepper Nutrition Facts: Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits

The composition of jalapeno pepper is 91.69% water, 6.5% carbohydrates, 0.91% protein, 2.8% dietary fiber, and 0.37% fat. One jalapeno pepper supplies you with 0.91 grams of carbohydrates, which is 0.7 percent of the minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates you should have daily, according to the Institute of Medicine (US). That same it has an energy value of 119 kJ (29 Calories) in a 100 g (3.5 Oz) amount and has a high content of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), containing 158.13%, 32.23%, and 20.56%, respectively, of the Daily Value (DV) per 100-gram amount (right table of USDA nutrient values). So if your diet contains jalapeno pepper, it helps your body to absorb iron from food and defend itself more naturally since vitamin C is an antioxidant, reduce probability of heart disease by fighting cholesterol, reduce the risk of anemia as this vitamin absorbs iron and it is effective against gout (a type of arthritis) attacks by reducing blood uric acid levels, dementia since vitamin C impacts memory positively and high blood pressure. It contains low amount of minerals.