[ps2id id='anchor1' target=''/]About the Vera peppers.
The Vera pepper from Caballo de Oros is a gourmet product of
unmatched quality hand-selected by the best farmers in the Vera region in northern Extremadura. These Vera peppers are the
raw material for Vera paprika, however, the drying process is different. At Caballo de Oros, we are committed to the quality of our products so that with each new season you can bring
the best ingredients to your kitchen to prepare your delicious recipes with an aroma and flavor that will delight all diners.
Two varieties of Vera pepper flavor:
At Caballo de Oros, we offer two varieties of Vera pepper flavor for sale:
- Sweet-flavored Vera peppers: These Vera peppers are of the Jaranda and Jariza varieties (two of the three Vera pepper varieties), so they do not have a spicy taste. It is important not to take "sweet" literally, this variety of Vera pepper is called sweet simply because it is not spicy, it does not contain capsaicin, which is the component that produces the sensation of spiciness in peppers.
- Spicy-flavored Vera peppers: These peppers belong to the Jeromín variety, their taste is spicy. Their level of spiciness varies considerably depending on the harvest but the average can range between 13,000 - 17,000 Scoville units.
Healthy properties of spicy peppers (Capsaicin):
Capsaicin, the healthiest spice. This substance present in chili peppers and other peppers, paprika, and spicy flavor flakes not only adds a little (or a lot) of joy to food, but it can have very beneficial effects on our body. Capsaicin promotes a response in our body called gustatory facial sweating that causes sweating on the face, which when evaporated 'steals' heat from our body, cooling it. So, even though we feel like we're burning, chili peppers cool us down.
The best-known attraction of capsaicin is its analgesic properties (it is sold in pharmacies in the form of topical patches). Another apparent contradiction. This effect is due to the interaction this chemical has with the TRPV1 pain receptors, which prevents them from sending signals to the brain. Interestingly, this characteristic was known to Native Americans, who rubbed the fruit on their gums to relieve toothache. Today, its analgesic properties are being studied to help cancer patients whose treatments (radiation or chemotherapy) have produced mucositis, a condition characterized by sores and wounds in the mouth. And its analgesic effects are not exclusive to humans: at the 2008 London Olympics, four horses (and their riders) in the equestrian jumping category were disqualified for testing positive for doping with capsaicin, which they used so the animals wouldn't feel discomfort when jumping.
Capsaicin: a promising compound.
In Spain, research is also being conducted on the effects of capsaicin. Researcher and professor
Inés Díaz-Laviada from the University of Alcalá has conducted several studies with this molecule. In statements to the Alimenté magazine from which we obtained this information at Caballo de Oros, she comments that
capsaicin "has a pharmaceutical future beyond analgesic patches." In addition to its potential
anti-tumor effects, being studied, the researcher and her team have observed that "the molecule can
activate one of the key enzymes in the regulation of metabolism and energy control." This spicy effect can be
beneficial in the fight against cancer because "tumor cells have altered their metabolism to obtain the energy necessary for their
continuous proliferation" and because certain cancers "have obesity as a risk factor, something especially noted in prostate cancer."
Vera pepper, a powerful antioxidant:
Including between two and three units of Vera pepper weekly
