Albert Szent-Györgyi
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PAPRIKA TO YOUR HEALTH
The average person has a limited knowledge about paprika. One never thinks of the nutritive or medicinal value of paprika when one takes it off the spice rack and sprinkles it on some dish. Though not far from here, in Jamaica, the natives used it for centuries to fight malaria. The Hungarians used it for the same purpose before the rivers were tamed and vast marsh land spread over the Hungarian Plain. It is still a tradition among Hungarian peasants to mix brandy with a scoop of real hot pepper and drink it as a medicine. This drink is so potent that it could bring the user to the edge of the grave and it would bring the dead person back to life if one could make him drink it.
A lot of scientific research has been going on, starting in the second half of the past century. Endre Hőgyes, in his medical research in 1878, came to the conclusion that paprika promotes digestion without any adverse effects. Fifty years later, as a test, noble-sweet paprika was introduced into the bloodstream, causing no change in blood-pressure at all. Professor Berkessy at the University of Szeged, in a special research work, proved that although paprika stimulates the secretion of stomach acid in cases where the natural secretion is poor, in normal or hyperacid condition it is very slight or zero. Therefore practically everybody could use paprika in their diet to enhance the flavor of the dishes.
Once science turns to a problem, it doesn’t leave any stones unturned. Professor Cholnoky analyzed the paprika for its vitamin A content, and found that paprika’s exceeds that of the carrot many times. Deficiency of vitamin A may cause night-blindness, and you may be surprised to know that one ounce of noble-sweet Hungarian paprika meets a working adult’s requirement for ten days.
The most significant discovery was made by Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for this scientific achievement. He was looking for a cure for Addison’s disease. For his research, he had a need for a certain hexuronic acid. After a year’s work processing hundreds of pounds of adrenal glands at a large American slaughter-house, Szent–Györgyi noticed the high quantity of vitamin C in the ripe red paprika. Further measurements comparing the liquids of the fruits showed that paprika has about five times the amount of vitamin C than lemon or orange juice. This explains why the Hungarian peasant who for months eats practically only bacon, bread and fresh paprika, stays healthy and is not hit by scurvy.
Szent-Györgyi discovered another substance in paprika. This is vitamin P and it turned out to be very effective remedy against illnesses of the blood system, curing hemophilia. The presence of vitamin B1 and B2 only add to the nutritional value of Hungarian paprika.
We find provitamins in paprika also, such as beta-carotene. These are put together in our body to make like vitamin A. Today in America, medical science promotes provitamins and Vitamin A to better our health.
In the grinding and cooking process only vitamin C decreases. Professor Szent-Györgyi solved this problem too. He put fresh, ripe red paprika into cans, thus preserving it with all the original vitamin content.
With all this goodness compressed into the paprika pod, we may say that it is worth to have the sun shine over the Hungarian Plain.
This is Claudia Margittay-Balogh, adding a healthful chip to the great Hungarian mosaic. |
