Paprika can be made from several different varietals of the chile pepper family Capsicum annuum, though the different peppers all tend to be of the relatively long, tapered kind with thinner flesh. Fat, thick-fleshed sweet peppers, like a standard Bell pepper that you’ll find in your average grocery store, often don’t dry well enough to make a ground product and are prone to mold. They are valued for their bright red color as much as--or even more than--their flavor. The American Spice Trade Association, or ASTA, came up with a scale to measure paprika's color. The ASTA score goes from 50-180; 85 is a standard-grade color value. As the numbers go up, the color of the paprika is more saturated and vibrant.
Curcumin has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a soothing compound. The recommended extreme daily doses range is from 3 mg/kg to 4-10 g/day. Since most studies using the extract have a time limit of 1-3 months, to date, there is no evidence of any long-term consequences from long-term use of curcumin. Although there have been no reports of serious adverse reactions to curcumin use, some side effects may include diarrhea, head pain, skin rashes, and yellow stools.
As a purveyor of fine hot sauces, the Sauce Experts at Hongrispice often get questions from overwhelmed chili-heads who are looking for the best hot sauce. Understandably so. With so many delicious flavor profiles, unique spice combinations, and heat levels ranging from totally mild to melt-your-face-off spicy, navigating the world of hot sauces can be intimidating, to say the least. That’s why we’ve put together this list of our very best hot sauces of 2023. Whether you like ‘em mild-mannered or too-hot-to-handle, these crowd-pleasers are sure to win your heart and your tastebuds.

With two specific varieties of chili powders included in my list, I can't miss including one that you surely have in your pantry: regular chili powder. But I want to emphasize that you must only use it as a substitute for Hungarian paprika when you have no other options.