Labuyo. Almost all Pinoys love it as a hot condiment for cooking or a vinegar, soy, or fish sauce supplement to make food tastier and perk up the appetite. I often use one piece, crush it, and placed in a small saucer of vinegar or fish sauce. I dip my fish or meat into it and one bite gives me the right tongue perk to satisfy my flavor buds.
It's number one use for health is appetite. If you don't feel like eating or have lost your appetite to eat healthy food, like veggies and fish, then add a piece of crushed Labuyo or Philippine hot pepper to your dish or dip sauce. It always does the trick. You'll start to eat more than your usual capacity. Just enough of it shapes up your taste buds and appetite.
It can also be used as a weight loss ingredient. Use it to make your food super hot so that you'd eat just enough. It works if you're not used to spicy hot food, but if you are, this will work as an appetite enhancer instead. But I've seen lots of folks lose weight because they can't enjoy their food too much when applied with to much labuyo.
The Philippine hot pepper has lots of calcium and Vitamins A and C. It's got iron and protein, too, aside from other nutrients. A processed solution of it can be a cool topical relaxant for the muscles, pain reliever, gargle (with vinegar), scalp ring worm remedy, and others. The leaves are good for bruise or wound topical treatment, and they're also mixed in various soup dishes like tinola or chicken stew with sauteed ginger.
Sometimes, I put in some pieces of crushed labuyo in whatever I'm cooking, especially sauteed veggies or sardines. I suspect that the Philippine hot pepper also has some anthocyanins because of its rich red color. The pigment that gives fruits and veggies their natural red, blue, purple, or violet color is this super antioxidant called anthocyanin. Well, for sure the red color of labuyo also has lots of Vitamin A.
As noted by my uncle who is fond of planting herbs in his backyard, folks who regularly use just enough Philippine hot pepper in their food has notably stronger resistance against sickness.
