Love putting hot sauce on almost everything you eat? Good news – it’s not just tasty, it’s good for you too! Most people know that they get a myriad of health benefits from a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It turns out there are plenty of health benefits to adding spicy foods to your diet as well.
Here are some of the health benefits of eating spicy foods:
- Longevity – According to a study done by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Harvard School of Public health, people who consume spicy food six or seven times a week reduced their risk of dying prematurely by 14 percent
- Weight loss – Adding spicy foods into your diet can help speed up weight loss. However, it should not replace a well-rounded diet and regular exercise routine, but rather, be added. Research has shown when a person eats hot pepper, his or her body heat increases, which boosts the metabolism up to 5 percent and fat burning up to 16 percent. Capsaicin, found in spicy food which is the ingredient that makes the scorched feeling in a person’s mouth, has been known to stimulate the production of brown fat which helps the metabolism be more effective. Also, research done at Purdue University found that spicy foods can decrease a person’s appetite, which in turn lowers the amount of food a person will eat.
- Pain relief — Capsaicin (the source of “hot” in peppers) has also been known to spark the body’s release of opioids (endorphins). The benefits of this are usually seen when this ingredient has been applied topically to an area in pain, instead of digested. There are effective over-the-counter creams with capsaicin as an active ingredient that doctors suggest using for joint and nerve pain relief.
Curcumin benefits: This is the yellow pigment associated with curry spice, turmeric and ginger. Curcumin has been shown to reduce the growth of cancer cells and prevent them. It is fat soluble and by lowering lipid and plaque burden may help heart disease prevention.
Adding spicy food into your daily is a great way to boost your health. However, increasing the spice factor in a diet, may not be good for everyone. Spicy foods can possibly leave a lasting burn in the mouth and promote intestinal and rectal discomfort. If you need help with your diet or interested in making the right changes in your diet, contact Dr. Kordonowy at Internal Medicine, Lipids, and Wellness Practice of Fort Myers at 239-362-3005, Ext. 200. At this office, you can be set up for a dietary consult with a registered dietitian.
