Humans have been eating chili peppers since at least 7500 BCE.
They've been around for a LONG time. Since 7500 BCE, they've been a part of the human diet.
It's time for me to stop being such a wuss. I need to build up my tolerance to spice. I want to use some chili peppers in food. Teach me about them OK, chili peppers are originally from Mexico. Ah.. makes sense. Mexican food is spicy too. What else can you tell me? The substance that gives these peppers their spiciness when eaten is called capsaicin. I think I've heard that word dropped around here and there on food shows. Interesting. Can you tell me any popular chili pepper recipes, or what foods they're put in? I can! In Korean cuisine, they use gouchujang, which is a fermented chili paste. Yeah, my girlfriend was born in South Korea.. I swear she just has a natural tolerance for it. That's partly why I want to grow into it and get good with it. What other information can you feed me? This is great. It turns out half the world's green chili supply comes from China. China.. it's always China. Alright, what's one final thing you think I need to know about chili peppers to get my head on straight?
Chili peppers have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BCE.