Cayenne, habanero, jalapeno, Scotch bonnet and other hot peppers flavor cuisines around the world and add spice and variety to the diet. Hot peppers also have nutritional benefits. While some people can eat hot peppers by themselves, most people prefer to use them in small amounts to season foods. Search the produce section of your supermarket for familiar and new varieties of hot peppers to season your meals.
Vitamins
Hot peppers contain vitamins A and C. Most peppers start out green and gradually turn red or orange as they ripen and mature. You can eat peppers at both the green and red stages, but red peppers contain more vitamins A and C than green ones. Texas A&M University reports that 100 grams of raw, red hot peppers contains 369 mg of Vitamin C, compared to the 128 mg of vitamin C in the same amount of green peppers.
Minerals
Hot peppers are good sources of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure and is important to the development of bone and muscle. A single hot chili pepper contains 153 mg potassium, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Fiber
Peppers contain vegetable fiber. Fiber aids digestion and helps lower blood cholesterol.
Stomach Protection
Hot peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that stimulates tissue to release a compound known as Substance P. According to New York University's Langone Medical Center, eating hot peppers causes the stomach to release Substance P, which protects the stomach tissue from damage. Research suggests that eating hot peppers may protect your stomach from damage caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), which can contribute to the development of ulcers.
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