What are the Health Benefits of eating HOT CHILI PEPPERS?
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A FIENDISH THINGY!!!!! asked:
What are the Health Benefits of eating HOT CHILI PEPPERS?? (jalepenos, Tobasco Sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce, etc).
I am aware of the medical use of Capsicum as a topical pain reliever – but is there any hard scientific evidence about health benefits that arise from actual CONSUMPTION of hot peppers?
TIA!
( list references or citations, please…)
October 10th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
There is not much in the way of subtlety when considering the influence of chili on the flavor of food; it is out-and-out hot. Eyes stream, noses run and tongues burn with the physical sensation of pain… yet the diners keep coming back for more! Chili can justifiably be claimed to have an addictive influence; some scientists say that it is due to the release of opiate-like endorphins by the brain to counteract the pain caused by capsaicin (the chemical that gives chili its heat) that triggers the culinary equivalent of a high-speed joyride in the brain, without the dangers.
And they aren’t without a good share of health benefits either: a typical chili pepper packs more vitamin C than a whole orange. They are also low in sodium, and rich in potassium, vitamin A and fiber. They contain compounds that many are believed to fight against heart disease, cancer and cataracts. So, the next time you eat out at your favorite Indian restaurant, spare a thought to the humble yet remarkable chili pepper as you enjoy (and weep through) your extra-hot curry!
October 13th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
This is what’s a thermogenic reaction. Eating spicy foods can raise your metabolism by 50% in some cases. Getting the heart rate up to produce sweat which is, of course, what most exercise does. It’s would be considered a diet aid rather than a diet plan. A lot of “diet pills” use cayenne pepper as an ingredient to create the same reaction.
Capsicum (chilli) powder contains an alkaloid named capsaicin that facilitates weight loss by mobilising fat stores for use in energy production. Capsaicin also increases the body’s metabolic rate, which accelerates weight loss. The authors of a 1986 rat study concluded that capsaicin stimulates fat mobilisation from adipose tissue (body fat). The usual dose of capsicum to help achieve these benefits is between 2,700mg to 4,100mg per day.