When cooking we usually use different spices in order to add flavour and create different tasty dishes. Sometimes we love turning up the heat when we eat, and we end up with our mouth on fire. Spicy food is more than adding an extra flavour, it has an effect on your body. We are not only talking about getting sweaty and having a runny nose. We are talking about spicy food effects on your health. Is spicy food good for you?We are here to help you answer that question.
Benefits of spicy food
- Longevity
A study realised by Harvard University suggested that people who eat spicy food on a daily basis had 14% higher possibilities to live longer compared to people who ate food less regularly. This being said, maybe consider adding some spiciness to your vegetables or soups to add a bit of flavour and potentially lengthen your life.
- Weight loss
There are a lot of studies that try to explain the relation between spicy food and weight loss. To sum up these studies conclusions, we can say that eating spicy food for weight loss is considered effective. Usually, after eating spicy foods, people feel more satisfied and the “fire” in the mouth slows down food consumption.
Also, capsaicin, an active element of chilli peppers gives this feeling in the mouth, can speed up the metabolism, helping to increase the burn of calories.
Obviously, this weight loss advantages disappear if the spicy meals are high in fat or you pair it with a cold beer.
- Pain relief
If you suffer from arthritis or some kinds of headaches, doctors often recommend using creams that contain capsaicin as the active ingredient. It is because capsaicin sparks the release of the body’s endorphins and helps dulling any sensation of pain in the body, so it is a good anti-inflammatory. It also has a protective effect against ulcers by killing the bacteria known as Pylori.
- Helps immune system fight cold
Peppers are full of vitamins A and C that help to boost the immune system and shorten the cold’s duration. However, capsaicin only has a short-term decongestant effect and it may be beneficial for a stuffy nose and head congestion. It also helps to loosen the phlegm in the lungs and makes is easier to breathe.
Negative effects of spicy food
- Loss of taste buds
Too strong peppers can not only leave your mouth on fire, but they can also scorch taste buds. The effect is temporary as taste budsrecover quite quickly and you can drink milk in order to put out the fire. However, in the long-term effect, eating spicy foods regularly can dull your taste buds’ sensitivity and eventually end up in a loss of taste of buds. So, keep those spicy meals under control!
- Skin irritation
Hot pepper can cause a major burn if it gets in contact with eyes or lips. In order to avoid skin irritation, it recommendable to wash your hands immediately after handling the hot pepper and also apply lip balm before eating as it will protect the delicate lips’ skin.
- Haemorrhoid pain
Capsaicin doesn’t break down as it passes through the digestive system. Therefore, you can get scorched as it makes its way out of your body. This is very unfortunate for those who have haemorrhoids as you are going to suffer of a strong haemorrhoid pain.
Oops, you ate something too spicy? Apart from drinking cow’s milk (if you do), you can also drink a glass of water with some squeezed lemon or lime or tomato juice. In addition, eating a carbohydrate food, such as rice or potatoes can ease the burn. Next time take it easy!
As you can see, eating spicy foods has a lot of effects on your body! It can also be used as a hyperpigmentation home remedy. So, is spicy food for you?We would say it is as long as you keep it under control. Do not hesitate on sprinkling some chilli flakes on your meals to spice up your life!
