Chili peppers from Nahuatl chīlli (Nahuatl pronunciationare varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency.Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add "heat" to dishes. Capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids are the substances giving chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically. Other varieties of capsicum include bell peppers (UK: sweet peppers), but while chili peppers are (to varying degrees) pungent or "spicy", bell peppers are generally not and provide additional sweetness and flavor to a meal rather than “heat.”
