Why hot chillies might be good for us

Considering the many studies that show the benefits of capsaicin, such as it's use for treating arthritis and muscular pain, I thought the BBC article was rather superficial.

I was pleased, however, to see that somebody finally debunked the conventional wisdom that heat is in the seeds. About 90% of a chili's heat actually is in the placenta (commonly called the "ribs").

I just wish somebody would let the celebrity chefs know that!

Sure, if you eat the seeds you'll experience heat. But that's because they are coated with the capsaicin, not because they are inherently hot.

Capsaicin is found in the form of an oil, in tiny sacks that line the placenta. When any of them are ruptured, the oil spreads onto the seeds.

To reduce the amount of heat in any particular chili, just remove all the placenta as well as the seeds.