Hot peppers, including jalapenos, habaneros and ghost peppers, are a tasty addition to many recipes, and many people enjoy eating them plain. While this vegetable is a nutritious option for your meal plan, hot peppers may also have advantages and disadvantages for your stomach.

Fresh peppers have a clean flavor with a crisp texture that often seems to disappear quickly after you cut them. However, if you take steps to preserve their freshness, peppers will retain their crunch for up to one week after cutting.

The heat and burn of chili peppers can make salsa, curry, and many other dishes delicious. Unfortunately, the burning heat of chilies is much less appealing on your hands or face. Wearing gloves can keep you from getting the volatile chili oil on your hands, but if you've forgotten your gloves, clean up is essential.

Hot peppers, or chilis, get their heat from an oily chemical compound called capsaicin, found primarily in the membrane surrounding the seeds. Capsaicin boosts thermogenesis -- the process by which the body turns calories into heat to use for fuel -- in studies on humans and animals.

These days, more and more health professionals are encouraging you to "eat the rainbow." In fact, including foods in your diet of every color -- orange, green, yellow, purple, blue and red -- can help your body function at optimal levels and fight off certain chronic conditions.

Scientific literature does not clearly define the term “food craving,” but generally means an intense desire for a particular food. Craving a substance like salt or black pepper may indicate a physiological need or nutritional deficiency.

Boiling is a good way to cook tilapia fillets quickly and season the fish without overwhelming its natural flavor. The term “boiling,” however, is something of a misstatement.

Bell peppers provide a crunchy, nutritious snack full of vitamin C when served raw, but this vegetable also works well when when grilled, stir-fried, roasted or steamed. You can eat the cooked bell peppers plain, mix them with other ingredients, stuff them or add them to a salsa.

Capsaicin is a chemical compound found in varying amounts in chili peppers. When it comes in contact with your skin or mucous membranes it produces a burning sensation.

Bell peppers are a staple in most grocery store produce sections. You may have had bell peppers roasted, steamed or added to a stir-fry. But you don't have to cook bell peppers to reap their health benefits and bright, slightly tangy flavor.

Bell peppers make a flavorful side dish or snack, and roasting them in the oven helps draw out the rich flavors of these colorful vegetables. Peppers are low in calories, and provide a good source of vitamins A and C, according to the University of Illinois Extension.

Fire-roasted jalapeños have a complex, smoky taste that enhances salsa and other dishes with a richer flavor than raw jalapeños. Grilling jalapeño peppers instead of frying them is also a healthier, more piquant way to prepare a classic appetizer. A little preparation goes a long way when cooking with jalapeños.