Researchers found that eating spicy food has many benefits, although the benefits of eating spicy food are more for women than for men. There are many indicators that affect people’s interest in spicy foods. Social and cultural influences, physical differences, a person’s temperament and personality traits are among these factors. For those people who are looking for excitement or a new and complex feeling, eating spicy food apart from the adventurous taste it gives to life also has health benefits. Contrary to the belief of many people, the consumption of spicy food not only does not have many side effects for the body but its benefits for the stomach and its pains as well as heart health have been proven.
Advantages of spicy foods
1.Fight inflammation
Doctors call inflammation the “secret killer” because it increases the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and cancer. Fortunately, spices like turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger have powerful antioxidant properties that can help fight inflammation. According to research, curcumin, a drug found in turmeric, helps reduce inflammation.
2.Longer life
If you decide to live 100 years, then you should use spicy spices in your food. Eating spicy food six or seven days a week can reduce the risk of death by 14 percent. Also, regular consumption of spicy food can reduce the risk factors of death such as cancer, respiratory diseases and heart diseases.
3.Reducing the risk of cancer
Capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers, can also help fight cancer. Adding turmeric to foods can help prevent cancer. It can also reduce the risk of stomach, brain, bone and breast cancer.
4.Controlling the urge to eat and of course losing weight
Spices like cinnamon can regulate your blood sugar levels and thus control your appetite. Other spices such as basil, cloves, lavender, oregano, lemon balm, mint, and coriander can help regulate blood sugar.
5.Increasing metabolism
There are different ways to keep the metabolism high. According to research, using red pepper helps to keep your body fuel high. This spice can also regulate your appetite. Although red pepper may increase metabolism slightly, the spice alone is no substitute for regular exercise. If you want to keep your body’s metabolism high all day, increase your strength and muscle mass with exercises and sports.
6.Pain relief
Capsaicin, in addition to reducing the risk of cancer, is one of the main ingredients in pain relief. Chili peppers can relieve joint and muscle pain. Capsaicin can reduce pain in people suffering from rheumatism and arthritis.
7.More absorption of nutrients
One of the ways to absorb nutrients is to use fruits and vegetables. Of course, you can add spices to your food list to avoid nutrient deficiencies. Black pepper is one of these spicy spices that help absorb more nutrients.
8.Improving heart health
According to research, it has been proven that there is a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes among people who eat spicy food. Also, the active ingredients in chili peppers help reduce plasma cholesterol.
9.Preventing bacterial infections
Cumin and turmeric can help fight harmful bacteria in the body. These spices have strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
10.Improving digestion
Pepper helps in digestion because it increases hydrochloric secretions in the stomach. As a result, more blood gathers around the stomach and the process of food digestion is facilitated. Capsaicin also kills certain microbes in the stomach.
11.Regular sleep pattern
Researchers have found that people who regularly consume pepper have a more regular sleep pattern. These people also wake up easier and have more energy during the day.
12.Stress Relief
Spicy spices cause your brain to release endorphins and dopamine, feel-good hormones that can improve your mood and reduce stress.
13.Open sinus
Capsaicin causes the nasal vessels and sinuses to open and increases the blood flow in the sinuses and relieves inflammation.
Disadvantages of spicy foods
As it was said, consuming spicy food has benefits for the body, but it also has disadvantages, which include:
1.Irritation
As a strong stimulant, capsaicin can damage the inner wall of the stomach and cause gastritis, stomach ulcers and intestinal diseases.
2.Loss of sense of taste
You add spices to your food in order to increase the taste of food, but spicy foods cause irreparable damage to your sense of taste and prevent you from feeling the taste of food.
3.Worsening of acid reflux problem
Spicy foods are not usually the cause of stomach ulcers or heartburn, but eating spicy foods worsens acid reflux problems.
4.Diarrhea
Eating spicy foods causes irritation and discomfort in the digestive system, which causes the rapid movement of food in the intestines and creates a state similar to anti-constipation and laxatives.
5.Decreasing sensitivity of the taste buds
If you eat spicy food all the time, you will notice that your taste buds lose their sensitivity. Decreasing the sensitivity of the sense of taste makes it harder to enjoy eating other foods.
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6.Skin irritation and itching
Many spicy foods cause severe skin irritation and itching.
7.Burning tongue
Spices add flavor to foods and make them delicious, but in the end, you end up with a burnt tongue, a burning sensation in your mouth, or worse. Spicy food can also cause heartburn and acid reflux because spices are rich in stimulant properties that cause unwanted side effects.
8.Watch out for stomach ulcers
Losing excess weight with red chili does not mean eating a lot of spicy food. Moderation in eating foods that increase your body temperature will increase your body’s metabolism and, as a result, lead to weight loss. On the other hand, excessive consumption of seasonings and spices will increase the amount of acid in the stomach and as a result, will lead to stomach ulcers.