Crops of hot peppers are ripe for the picking now. Why you should eat one today...

Hot peppers are in abundance right now and we should all be eating them...  

A recent study has found that chile peppers are really good for our cardiovascular health and may even help keep cholesterol levels in check. 

Dave DeWitt, author of “The Complete Chile Pepper Book,” has some pepper-picking tips for us:

• If you want just a little spiciness: Use a jalapeño pepper—and the larger it is, the less hot it will tend to be. 

• If you want medium spiciness: Use cayenne powder or fresh New Mexican chiles, such as the “Big Jim” variety, but be sure to roast them and peel off the tough skins. 

• If you want a very spicy experience: Use a habañero pepper—and the smaller it is, the hotter it will tend to be. 

You might even want to try some spicy vanilla ice cream. Dave says the butterfat in the ice cream tones down the hotness of the pepper a little, so you’re not overwhelmed - and the peppers add flavor that surprises. Just mix the minced pepper or powder into the ice cream—that’s it!