Spicy food is very healthy!

Has it ever happened to you that you accidentally put too hot pepper in your mouth? You can probably remember the consequences all too well! You break out in a sweat, your mouth is on fire, and you have a runny nose for another half hour. Pleasant food is different, and such a sharp bite doesn't sound really healthy either…
Has it ever happened to you that you accidentally put too hot pepper in your mouth? You can probably remember the consequences all too well! You break out in a sweat, your mouth is on fire, and you have a runny nose for another half hour. Pleasant food is different, and such a sharp bite doesn't sound really healthy ...

Yet appearances can be deceiving here. Spicy food is indeed very healthy. Older scientific reports that it could cause stomach problems are increasingly unreliable. On the contrary: once you get used to them, those peppers are really good for you. We list a number of reasons today!
Yet appearances can be deceiving here. Spicy food is indeed very healthy. Older scientific reports that it could cause stomach problems are increasingly unreliable. On the contrary: once you get used to them, those peppers are really good for you. We'll list a few reasons today!

Why does food feel spicy?

To begin with, let's see where that burning sensation actually comes from. The culprit is capsaicin, which is found in all pepper varieties. Originally, plants produce capsaicin to defend themselves against animals and fungi. Not surprising, therefore, that it has a somewhat unpleasant effect on the nerves in our mouth!
To start, let's see where that burning sensation actually comes from. The culprit is the substance capsaicin, which is found in all types of pepper. Originally, plants produce capsaicin to defend themselves against animals and fungi. Not surprising, therefore, that it has a somewhat unpleasant effect on the nerves in our mouth!

It differs from person to person exactly how you react to capsaicin, but a number of consequences are actually common to everyone. For example, the substance stimulates the receptors in your mouth, throat and stomach. These then give your brain a signal that there is overheating. This can loosen mucus, and it can irritate or even irritate the stomach and intestines.

So why is spicy food so healthy? For starters, chilies are quite nutritious products themselves. They are packed with vitamins. Do you still eat oranges to prevent colds in the winter? Peppers contain relatively more vitamin C! In addition, it also contains various minerals that your body needs to function properly.
So why is spicy food so healthy? For starters, chilies themselves are quite nutritious products. They are packed with vitamins. Do you still eat oranges to prevent colds in the winter? Peppers contain relatively more vitamin C! In addition, it also contains various minerals that your body needs to function properly.

Think of calcium for your bones, potassium for your blood pressure and iron for the transport of oxygen. Manganese and magnesium are also contained in small amounts in peppers. Finally, fresh peppers contain various antioxidants such as carotene.

It is vitamin C that causes the first major benefit of peppers. They strengthen the blood vessels. Capsaicin also speeds up the flow of your blood. Combine those two factors and you have healthier blood vessels in which blood pressure is more stable. In the long run, that's good for your whole body!

In addition, spicy food is good for your cholesterol. It lowers the amount of the worse LDL cholesterol and increases the amount of the good HDL cholesterol. In short, the well-known myth that spicy food is bad for your heart is nonsense. The opposite is true: heart and blood vessels are actually getting healthier.

Well, maybe a spoonful of pepper in your mouth won't relax you right away - but spicy food can help with stress in the long run. How is that exactly? The production of serotonin is stimulated by sharp sensations. That substance acts as a kind of painkiller, which naturally comes into action after the burning effect of spicy food.
Well, maybe a spoonful of pepper in your mouth won't relax you right away - but in the long run, spicy foods help with stress. How is that exactly? The production of serotonin is stimulated by sharp sensations. That substance acts as a kind of painkiller, which naturally comes into action after the burning effect of spicy food.

The result of a higher serotonin level is that you will feel calmer and more relaxed. And peppers can really work as a pain reliever because of the same effect! For example, a headache is relieved after you have eaten a spicy meal. It doesn't work equally well for everyone, but it's definitely worth a try.

Another benefit of capsaicin: it slightly speeds up the metabolism. This sharp substance causes your body to warm up slightly, which in turn means that you will burn a little more calories. The best news is that you don't even have to keep moving. Calorie burning at rest will also increase automatically.
Another advantage of capsaicin: it slightly speeds up the metabolism. This sharp substance ensures that your body warms up slightly, which in turn means that you will burn a little more calories. The best news is that you don't even have to keep moving. Calorie burning at rest will also increase automatically.

Good, the effect is of course not huge. If you do not change anything, but put a red pepper in every meal, you will not lose kilos like magic. Yet it is such a little bit that in the long term can contribute to achieving a healthy body!
Good, the effect is of course not huge. If you don't change anything, but add a red pepper to every meal, you won't lose kilos like magic. Yet it is such a little bit that in the long term can contribute a little bit to achieving a healthy body!

Chronic inflammation is a cause of various nasty diseases, such as rheumatism and possibly even certain forms of cancer. Every reason to limit them as much as possible, in other words. Spicy food helps with that. There are several reasons for this. The aforementioned substance capsaicin is one of them.

It not only fights against existing inflammations, but also helps prevent new problems. That is two birds with one stone! The aforementioned carotene also acts as an antioxidant against inflammation and other factors that can cause cell damage. In short, those peppers may feel burning, but in the long run they actually work against inflammation.

Finally: have you ever noticed that spicy food is eaten a lot, especially in warm countries? The hot curries in India, for example, or the spicy Thai stir-fries. Or how about South American salsaâ € ™ s and the stews that are made in Central Africa? The reason is very simple: peppers have a very counterintuitive effect, and are actually cooling on the body.

Yes, for a moment you have the feeling that you are getting very hot. But that also makes you sweat a lot, and that actually cools you down. In addition, your body temperature rises slightly, so that the air around you feels relatively cooler. So it's not a bad idea at all to go for a spicy soup or salad on a hot summer day!

Have you enthusiastically started working with chili peppers, but is your meal burning out your mouth now? That is of course not the intention. What is the best thing to do if you have made your food a little too spicy? Don't drink water, anyway â € “that only makes things worse! Hot drinks such as mint tea are a better choice.

Dairy products also work very well to quench your mouth. Indian lassi, for example, is a perfect drink with a spicy meal, just like a yogurt-based sauce. Finally, bread and rice are also great for making spicy foods a bit more tolerable!