Which pepper is the hottest?

What makes a pepper hot?

Hot peppers have something inside called capsaicin. When it touches your tongue, your mouth feels warm, even though nothing is really hot. More capsaicin means a hotter pepper.

People measure the heat on the Scoville scale. A sweet bell pepper has zero. The bigger the number, the hotter the pepper. Every pepper is a bit different, so the numbers below are ranges.

Jalapeño, the hot one

Jalapeño is the hottest pepper on this list, at about 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units. It is green, smooth and about as long as your finger. Pickled jalapeño slices are popular on nachos, burgers, pizza and tacos. If you are new to spicy food, start with one slice.

Pepperoncini, the mild one

Pepperoncini are small, wrinkly, yellow-green peppers. They are only a little warm, at about 100 to 500 units, and taste tangy with a tiny bit of bitterness. People in Greece and Italy love them in salads and next to pizza.

Banana peppers

Banana peppers are long, curved and yellow, which is how they got their name. They are smoother and a little sweeter than pepperoncini, with almost no heat. Cut into rings, they are a favourite in sandwiches and on pizza.

Macedonian peppers

Macedonian peppers are long and light green. They are mild and tangy and stay nicely crunchy. In the Balkans and the Middle East people eat them with grilled meat, in salads and on plates of snacks.

Cherry peppers

Cherry peppers are small, round and red, just like a cherry. Most are mild to a little hot. Their round shape makes them perfect for filling with cheese or olives.

Why pickle peppers?

Fresh peppers only grow at one time of year and go soft after a few days. Pickling them in salty water or vinegar keeps them crunchy and tasty for months, so you can eat them all year. Once a jar is open, keep it in the fridge with the peppers under their liquid.