Capsaicin

Capsaicin is a molecule which makes chili peppers spicy and hot. It looks like a crystalline white powder when separated and has a sharp & pungent odor. Its chemical formula is C18H27NO3 and its IUPAC name is 8-Methyl-N-vanillyl-trans-6-nonenamide. Along with that, it has a molecular mass of 305.41 g/mol, a melting point at 62 °C, and a boiling point at 210 °C. On the Scoville Scale (which measures the heat of peppers), Capsaicin is 16,000,000 SHU. Capsaicin can reduce big health issues such as risk of cancer, and little pain disorders like joint problems. And of course, the zing it brings to food - it contains several vitamins and acts like an antioxidant. Not to forget that recently, scientists have found that when solar cells are treated with capsaicin, it actually made the solar cells more efficient, generating a power conversion of 21.88 %, versus 19.1 % without capsaicin.

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