Guajillo Chili Powder presents medium fire that sits between jalapeño and ancho, delivers berry-pine nuance, and supplies carotenoid pigments like capsanthin alongside capsaicinoids and fibre. It grows mainly in Zacatecas and neighbouring states where thin-skinned mirasol fruits dry in the open breeze before gentle milling. 

Analytical work records 2 500 to 5 000 Scoville Heat Units, fibre near sixteen percent by weight, and vitamin C in meaningful traces. 

These attributes, coupled with a history rooted in mole, pozole, and adobo, make Guajillo Chili Powder an ingredient of both cultural and functional value that La Botanique Sacrée uses to bring measured warmth and ruby colour to Fjord Fire. 

Chemical Composition

Guajillo Chili Powder contains three to five percent essential oil rich in capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin that together yield its calibrated pungency at 2 500 to 5 000 SHU.

Carotenoid profiling identifies capsanthin, capsoroubin, β-carotene, and lutein, pigments that underpin the deep brick hue and provide provitamin A activity. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Total polyphenol values average twenty six micromoles Trolox equivalents per gram by ABTS assay, confirming modest antioxidant potential relative to other Mexican chiles.

Solids analysis of dried pods shows roughly fifty six percent carbohydrate, fifteen percent protein, and sixteen percent fat on a dry basis, with water below thirteen percent for shelf stability.

Origin & Nutritional Composition

Primary cultivation centres stretch across Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, and Chihuahua where mirasol plants stand upright toward full sun, hence the Spanish name for looking at the sun.

Pods mature to rich crimson, air-dry on the vine, and reach a moisture of roughly eight percent, permitting raw milling without heat.

A ten gram serving of Guajillo Chili Powder supplies about forty calories, two grams protein, four grams fibre, and fifty seven milligrams potassium while remaining virtually fat free and low in sodium.

Reported Health Benefits

Capsaicin prompts thermogenic metabolism and supports healthy vasodilation in controlled studies, while carotenoid intake contributes to normal vision and immune function. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Soluble and insoluble fibres aid digestive regularity, and polyphenols act as reducing agents that scavenge reactive oxygen species. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experimental work with carotenoid extracts from Guajillo Chili Powder demonstrates anti inflammatory response modulation in murine models.

Cultural Significance & Historical Significance

The Nahuatl-derived name guajillo, meaning little gourd, describes the sound of loose seeds rattling inside dried fruit.

Guajillo Chili Powder joined ancho and pasilla to form the famed chile trinity of mole poblano and appears in festive pozole rojo shared during Mexican Independence celebrations.

Archaeological and colonial records trace mirasol lineage to pre-Columbian trade routes that linked present day Michoacán to central highlands, embedding Guajillo Chili Powder in regional identity.

Flavor Profile

Freshly milled Guajillo Chili Powder opens with notes of dried cranberry, black tea, and gentle pine resin before a smooth warmth arises then fades with faint smoke. The heat curve is gradual, making it suitable for delicate proteins and fruit forward desserts where sharper chiles might dominate.

Fun Tidbits

• One teaspoon of Guajillo Chili Powder equals the flavour of a whole dried guajillo pod. 
  
  

• The seeds inside Guajillo pods act as natural rattles that farmers use to gauge dryness without instruments.
  
  

• Antioxidant testing lists dried guajillo at 2.25 micromoles Trolox per gram, similar to curry leaves.

La Botanique Sacrée values Guajillo Chili Powder for velvet heat, berry brightness, and its ability to balance sea buckthorn acidity or smoked paprika depth without overwhelming delicate aromatics.

Sourcing Information
Berries are harvested by hand in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, sun dried on adobe patios, winnowed, and milled in low speed stone grinders to preserve essential oil integrity. Only lots that test below five parts per billion aflatoxin and meet colour score above ASTA ninety are accepted.

Products Featuring Guajillo Chili Powder

TACO No1 - Taco blend built on chipotle smoke and guajillo fruit depth with sweet Hungarian paprika and a classic cumin coriander body.

FJORD FIRE - Smoky, tangy grill blend pairing single-origin guajillo with smoked paprika and sea buckthorn over clean Icelandic sea salt.