Chilli conditions ideal for a good night's sleep

[apothecary]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1478204.htm

A pilot study in Tasmania has found people might sleep better if they regularly eat chillies.

Researchers at the University of Tasmania have spent the past 18 months studying the potential health benefits of chillies on a group of 10 volunteers in Launceston.

Some in the group were given 15 grams of chilli each day, while others did not have any.

The results were compared to see what effect it had on the participant's health and well-being.

Associate Professor at the School of Life Sciences Dominic Geraghty says the results were promising.

"Chilli consumption may improve your sleep and, of course, the quality of your sleep very much also influences your cardiovascular health," he said.

"We also found it appears to have very small effects on insulin levels, glucose levels.

"So all of these small things appear to have a bit of benefit for your cardiovascular and everything else that you're supposed to be doing to keep you fit and healthy, it may help."

Associate Professor Geraghty hopes the study will encourage more people to include chilli in their diet.

"Chilli might be a neutroceutical, in other words a naturally occurring agent that we can just take on a daily basis in a small amount and it may actually benefit our cardiovascular health," he said.

[2b]

I was wondering when i heard the peice this morning on AM about the "hotness" of the chilli they used. The researcher they interviewed stated that the "hotness" of the chilli is produced by a chemical which name escapes me now , and it was this which produced the effects. He went on to say that 30g of fresh chilli is all that was needed , but would 30g of jelapino be give the same benifits as say 30g of a firey red hot birds eye ?

[Benzito]

30gm of the smoked Habaneros that Darcy sells would kill you! That wouldn't do you any good at all. :D

[2b]

30gm of the smoked Habaneros that Darcy sells would kill you! That wouldn't do you any good at all.

I know i woofed a smoked jalepino down at work when they first arrived in the mail , WHOOOOOOO AHHHHHHH..........and i saw god.

[Green Osiris]

It sounds like a pretty vague article. Without clarifying the concentration or type of chilli used, it leaves the door wide open to speculation as to types.

The heat sensation is due to the capsaicin alkaloid present in all chilli types, and this varies tremendously between the different fruits. The most common measure of chilli hotness is the “Scoville Scale”, where the Jalapeno is rated at between 2500-5000 units, the Thai Birds-Eye 30,000-50,000 and the mighty queen Habanero rating anywhere between 100,000-350,000 scoville units.

Hardly an exact science, but you get the idea. For the record, ‘pure’ capsaicin measures in at (roughly speaking) a whopping 15,000,000 scovilles ! I doubt they were being fed 15g’s of this.

Capsaicin alkaloids are thought to trigger a release in endorphins (in humans), so this natural pain killer mechanism may well be an attribute towards effective sleeping patterns – although I eat a great amount the fiery little guys each day, and I have a hard time sleeping most nights !

[Trip Dr]

Yeah i dont find that chilli helps me sleep, but i love it anyways! Habaneros are too hot, but the worst part is they dont have a nice flavour. I can handle the heat, but habs(well the ones i grew) dont have a flavour that appeals to me. Birds eyes have a nicer flavour, and those mutant looking ones (scotch bonett?) are really nice, especially the flap bits off the sides. Habaneros arent the hottest any more, seeing as they were rated 10/10 i dont know what these ones would be? Maybe the scale has to be rewritten!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/911433.stm

[apothecary]

The hottest is Red Savina Habanero, which I am attempting to propagate right now.

You guys are all assuming that the "hotness" of the chilli is what helps you sleep. Capsaicin might release endorphins when taken in less amounts than you need to "see god" heh.

[Trip Dr]

Hey check that link i posted Apo, the Indian Naga Jolokia they talk about there rates almost 50% hotter than the Red Savina Habanero !!! I was reading up about these babys a while ago because i wanted some, just so i could say i was growing the worlds hottest chilli! Apparently they are quite rare outside their natural habitat.

[apothecary]

Aw goddamnit.

[Green Osiris]

Yep, the Naga Jolokia, also referred to a the "Tezpur" chilli after the place it was found (Tezpur roughly translating to "Town of Blood") is the hottest.

The Red Savina is, if I recall, a Monsanto trademarked beastie. Did you buy the seeds locally, as I wouldn't mind growing some myself.

If anyone's interested in some death-inducing extract, Blair's 16 Million Reserve is worth considering - a limited release (999) crystal capsaicin with a reported 16,000,000 scoville rating (hence the name). This was also sold in Australia for a while for about $300 a pop at Fireworks Foods but they seem to have exhausted their stock. Great store, nonetheless, for a huge range of sauces.

Personally, I think this product is pushing towards the ridiculous scale. But there'll always be a few heroes out there who think chilli tolerance is a test of manhood.

[apothecary]

Ordered from overseas without too much cost, gave some to T, smogs and a few others, so I'm sure by the end of this season there will be lots to go around ;)

[Andrew]

I did,nt think the naga jolokia has actually been proven to be hotter than

red savina.I think the right growth conditions can make a big difference.

Apo,how are your savina seedlings going?I have had chillie,s that were a

bit easier to grow than these.The one thats giving me the most trouble has been a

variegated plant called purple tiger,its really beautiful, bright green white and purple

coloured leaves but very slow or very fussy about growing.Maybe I need to change

the conditions a little.

[Amulte]

i find if i spend a day eating chilli's and the like i feel mentaly tired. like after a nice trip. i love smoked jalepino's. one time when i had a bit of a cold and whipin my hand to my nose as some of us grots do. well i got into a jar of antipesto with smoked jalepino. the greesy oil got on my hand and then i did the nose wipe. i saw go too, but he was hard to see over my massivly swolen nose. looked like i had it broken 3 or 4 times!

also i get it in my eyes once and went blind for a day. i havnt really touched em like that again.

[Green Osiris]

Oh yea, Amulte, the stuff (Capsaicin) likes to hang around on the skin - you need at least two good hot water washes with strong chemical soap to be rid of it (AT LEAST). I remember one time recently that I cooked up a nice feed for a few mates, and one friend 'stayed overnight'.... needless to say she had some negative reactions to my wandering fingers later that evening due to the dreaded chilli.

The lesson: KEEP AWAY FROM ALL SENSITIVE AREAS.