New World agriculture was more sophisticated than once thought. Earlier it was beleived that Columbus introduced chilies to this region but they were present here from way before. In an ancient Ecuadorean village evidence of chili-laced stew in pots has been discovered by Deborah Pearsall, an anthropology professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
In fact a new study shows that, domesticated chili peppers (Capsicum ) originated in the New World and even predate pottery. Prehistoric people from southern Peru up to the Bahamas were cultivating varieties of chilies.
It is the capsaicinoids that give chillipepers their heat. Starting from Mexican cuisine a taste for peppers has spread the world over. They are rich in vitamin C and are believed to have many beneficial effects on health so keep savoring them in your dishes!
Source: Discovery
