A similar effect can be found in other spicy products too. For example, sichuan peppers – popularly used in food from the Sichuan region of China – contain hydroxy-alpha-sanshool.

Cowpeas are legumes that grow in pods off climbing or trailing vines. Planting cowpeas with your peppers is highly beneficial. "Cowpeas capture nitrogen that the pepper crops can use," says Duford.

The peppers are an important crop in Mexico, but environmental conditions in the region aren’t optimal, with low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and high levels of salt in the soil. In a prior study ...