There are many myths that spicy food is harmful. Like, it burns not only the tongue but the entire intestine. However, is it so?
Of course, spicy foods can be harmful if consumed excessively. Therefore, there must be a balance in everything. You should not overuse spicy foods if your body is not yet accustomed to that amount of capsaicin. Capsaicin is the main active ingredient found in red peppers. He is the source of the benefits that we would like to talk about. After all, even 100 years ago, they discovered that chili pepper, which, by the way, is one of the most common spices on the planet, has many beneficial properties. But what exactly and how spicy food is useful — we shall tell further.
1. Spicy food helps to keep a heart healthy
It has been proven over and over again that people who consume chili peppers have lower levels of “bad” cholesterol. And since cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease, it is clear that red peppers reduce this risk. Some studies suggest that the death rate from heart disease is reduced by 13% if a person regularly consumes chili peppers.
2. Spicy food promotes weight loss and accelerate metabolism
Capsaicin is good not only for the heart, as we found out, but also for the fight against excess weight. This component, found in red peppers, helps to boost metabolism, which in turn helps burn more calories both during rest and during exercise. And since excess weight increases the risk of not only heart disease but also other serious diseases, capsaicin both helps the heart and accelerates weight loss.
3. Spicy food reduces pain
Do you remember these sensations when you ate a lot of spicy food and a whole fire like a fire in your mouth? So, at this moment, your brain throws all efforts to overcome this pain. And if you have a runny nose or joint pain, your brain stops noticing these sensations and switches to fighting the flames in your mouth.
It is unlikely that you should overeat spicy food every time you have pain, but it can be used in a different format. For example, if you apply a cream with capsaicin to your joints, then you will have a slight sensation of heat, burning, and itching. Therefore, your brain will put all its efforts into solving the problem and forget about joint pain. This, of course, will not cure them, but it will help soothe the pain for a while.
4. Spicy food soothes your intestine
When you bite a hot pepper, capsaicin attaches to a receptor in your mouth. He instantly informs the nerve of this arrival, and the nerve, in turn, immediately tells the brain that it is hot.
The same receptor is found in the digestive tract. When capsaicin gets there and binds to the receptor, it forms a chemical called anandamide. Anandamide has been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation that can be caused by ulcers. Therefore, spicy food does not provoke intestinal diseases, but, on the contrary, helps to overcome them.
Note!
Spicy fast food is devoid of so many health benefits. Therefore, to fully satisfy the benefits of red pepper, it should be consumed in fresh salads, baked vegetables, or boiled and baked meats. Also consider the amount of pungency in your food, as excessive consumption of hot peppers can increase stomach acid levels and lead to heartburn. The normal amount of pungency is determined individually, so we advise you to observe your body and determine the optimal amount of chili in your meal.
