No matter how you slice them, jalapeos add a zip of flavor to any dish. Though low in calories, they contain vitamins A and C and potassium. Many of their health benefits can be attributed to capsaicin, the compound that gives these peppers their heat. It also happens to be a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, which may be why eating chili peppers has been linked to lower rates of death from all causes.
Although they are on the lower end of the Scoville scale, the heat index of peppers, jalapeos can still have a bite, and not only if you eat them. Contact with capsaicin can sometimes cause burning of the skin too, so you want to avoid touching your eyes and nose if youve been handling jalapenos, especially the seeds, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward or even wear disposable gloves if youre very sensitive to capsaicin. The seeds and white membrane inside the pepper have the most concentrated capsaicin, so removing them, as shown in the second method below, can temper the heat. If you like it spicy, though, by all means, keep them in your recipe (as in the first method below, for example)!
Here are two ways to cut these spicy peppers.
Excerpt from:
How to Cut It: Jalapeo - Everyday Health
