Double Nn The genus Capsicum is native to the highland regions of Bolivia and, through animals and humans, spread throughout the rest of the Americas (Chiou & Hastorf, 2014). Cayenne pepper, or chili pepper (Capsicum annuum), has been held in high regard for generations in the New World. Before Columbus’s arrival, it was an integral ingredient in many foods and a major part of the culture. For example, the Aztecs put chili peppers, vanilla, and ground cacao beans to make chocolate. Also, the Nahua, an indigenous people from Mexico and Central America, ate the vegetable dry, whole, and ground. In another instance, the Nasca people of the Andes created ceramic artworks featuring the plant associated with their gods. In Peru, the pepper was highly esteemed by royalty (Sturtevant & Hedrick, 1972).
In modern times, the natives of Cuatrociénegas, Mexico, used cayenne medicinally to treat inflammation, digestive disorders, and respiratory and endocrine diseases by preparing a boiled solution (Estrada et al., 2021). Additionally, in Trinidad, cayenne is given to horses after racing to “heat” them so they drink more water (Lans, 2006). This is believed to cool the horse’s system and draw out heat through sweating. Ultimately, cayenne pepper could be compared to rice in Japanese culture. It is a staple and closely tied to the identity and culture of Native American people (Sturtevant & Hedrick, 1972).
The Nahua would relieve diarrhea by drinking atole sprinkled with chili. The exact composition of the ancient concoction is currently unknown (Aguilar-Meléndez et al., 2021). However, today Mexican atole is made with ½ cup of masa harina, 3 cups of water, 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (Mediavine Food, 2020). In addition, in Trinidad, they mix 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper with enough olive oil to form a rubbing paste to ease muscle soreness and joint pain in horses (Lans, 2006).
References
Aguilar-Meléndez, A., Vásquez-Dávila, M. A., Manzanero-Medina, G. I., & Katz, E. (2021). Chile (Capsicum spp.) as Food-Medicine Continuum in Multiethnic Mexico. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 10(10), 2502. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102502
Chiou, K., & Hastorf, C. (2014). A Systematic Approach to Species-Level Identification of Chile Pepper (Capsicum spp.) Seeds: Establishing the Groundwork for Tracking the Domestication and Movement of Chile Peppers through the Americas and Beyond. Economic Botany, 68(3), 316–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-014-9279-2
Estrada-Castillón, E., Villarreal-Quintanilla, J. Á., Encina-Domínguez, J. A., Jurado-Ybarra, E., Cuéllar-Rodríguez, L. G., Garza-Zambrano, P., … & Gutiérrez-Santillán, T. V. (2021). Ethnobotanical biocultural diversity by rural communities in the Cuatrociénegas Valley, Coahuila; Mexico. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 17(1), 1-22.
Lans, C., Turner, N., Brauer, G., Lourenco, G., & Georges, K. (2006). Ethnoveterinary medicines used for horses in Trinidad and in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2(1), 1-20
Mediavine Food. (2020, October 30). Mexican atole (warm cornmeal drink). Curious Cuisiniere. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/mexican-atole/
Sturtevant E. L. & Hedrick U. P. (1972). Sturtevant’s edible plants of the world. Dover Publications.
