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We've never really thought about it until now... Spice Powder Products

Paprika is probably lurking in your spice cupboard right now, but have you ever considered what it's made of, and what gives it its signature red hue? Us neither, really.

Well, paprika has recently blown up on Twitter as people have been discovering what the spice is really made of.

Twitter user @simsimmaaz's Tweet went viral earlier this week for its revelation that paprika is in fact made from crushed red bell peppers.

Learning that Paprika is just dried and crushed red bell peppers was really shocking. Like I dunno why I thought there was a Paprika tree somewhere

The idea of a "paprika tree" had never crossed our minds either, but it turns out most people hadn't connected the bright red peppers they see in the fruit and veg section of the supermarket with their store cupboard staple.

Other Tweeters were also shocked, and the tweet quickly racked up over 170K likes and 15.5K retweets. Hard relate, clearly.

Paprika is a spice that's central in particular to Hungarian cuisine, and is made by drying peppers before grinding them into a bright red powder.

Some people might be surprised to know that it's not really that spicy, despite it's rep and colour. So if you're after some heat in your dish, you're better off buying a paprika labelled 'hot' that's made with hot peppers, or switching out for chilli powder or cayenne pepper instead.

Dried Green Schezwan Pepper You might also have a bottle of smoked paprika knocking around, which is made using peppers that have been wood-smoked before being crushed into the powder. This kind is popular in Spanish cooking (think Paella etc) and if you're buying it in a fancy Spanish deli you need to look for 'picante pimenton' on the label. You're welcome.