Calories in Peppers, jalapeno, seeded

What makes peppers so powerful?

Jalapeños derive their name from Xalapa (also spelled Jalapa), the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, where they were traditionally cultivated. A common culinary misconception is that the seeds themselves produce the spicy heat. In reality, the heat comes from capsaicin, a chemical compound produced in the placental tissue—the white, spongy pith inside the pepper that holds the seeds. The seeds are essentially innocent bystanders; they merely absorb capsaicin from the surrounding pith as the pepper grows. When you seed a jalapeño, you are actually scraping away the capsaicin-rich placenta, which dramatically reduces the pepper's Scoville rating. Jalapeños typically range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units, but removing the pith and seeds drops the perceived heat significantly while preserving the pepper's bright, grassy flavor. Additionally, jalapeños are botanically classified as fruits because they develop from the flower of the plant and contain seeds, though they are universally treated as vegetables in the kitchen. Even when seeded, they remain an excellent source of vitamin C, providing a notable immune boost alongside their signature flavor.