There are a lot of people who love pepper in food - some with “iron” receptors can indulge in spicy food every day, while remaining unperturbed and very satisfied. What does such a habit entail? Is eating spicy food good for us? internal organs and how often can this be done?
Why is spicy food good for you?
Spicy food stimulates blood circulation and thus we warm up and normalize blood pressure, blood vessels dilate. Adrenaline is released - the strength to work appears, the mood improves, and the tone increases.
Any pepper contains vitamins and minerals - the leaders are vitamins A and C, which strengthen the immune system well and help fight viruses and bacteria. For a cold spicy food Helps increase sweating and reduce body aches from elevated temperature. Spicy food is good for clearing up nasal congestion and helping to clear the throat.
Spicy foods, by stimulating the digestive organs, help in the fight against extra pounds. The substance capsaicin, found in spicy foods, burns body fat and speeds up metabolism.
The piquant taste of food helps to relax and overcome insomnia, since spicy food makes you feel full faster and at night the body is not distracted by digestion. Plus, spicy food stimulates the production of endorphin and serotonin - pleasure hormones.
Why is eating spicy food harmful?
Sometimes, when there is an excess of spicy foods, heartburn occurs. By itself, it only causes discomfort, but in combination it can be a symptom of incipient digestive problems. The most common consequence of overusing spicy foods is gastritis. And if heartburn will go away After some time, stomach diseases become chronic.
Because of specific impact spicy food on our acidity, excretion gastric juice and creating an environment for the proliferation of bacteria, after eating food with peppercorns, you may experience bad smell from mouth. And if it’s a lunch break and there’s communication with people ahead, then spicy food can interfere with your active social life or a romantic date.
Spicy notes in food can clog the availability of other tastes for our receptors, as if shouting over them. Over time, the receptors lose the habit of distinguishing shades of taste, and this is fraught with problems, because it is very difficult to restore the sensitivity of taste buds.
When tasting spicy dishes, listen to your body. If you feel rejection, discomfort, pain, then spicy food is not your thing, and you shouldn’t eat it out of politeness or delicacy. If you cannot live without a taste that burns your mouth and esophagus, then think about the seriousness of the consequences and try to reduce spicy food in your menu. By learning to use seasonings in moderation, you can get the most out of them without harming your health.
The most popular seasonings are horseradish, onion, garlic, ginger, and hot pepper. Some people like to pamper themselves with spicy seasonings: lard with pepper, meat with mustard, dishes with garlic sauce. You need to know how harmful spicy food is.
Gastritis
Excessive consumption of garlic and pepper can lead to irritation of the stomach walls, and spicy foods can also lead to gastritis. Gastritis mainly occurs due to the appearance of various infections. It is also believed that spicy seasonings can reduce protective barrier stomach. If you are afraid of heartburn, then try not to eat foods seasoned with hot spices.
Spicy dishes can also lead to a decrease in receptor sensitivity. Periodic consumption of hot spices leads to headaches and migraines. Also, after spicy food, an unpleasant odor may come from the mouth, for example, from onions or garlic. Agree, this is not very pleasant.
addictive
Spicy food is a kind of drug. So you can get used to it. This is how addiction develops. A person cannot eat regular food and constantly flavors it with seasonings. After eating spicy food, the body is somewhat reminiscent of the effects of morphine. It causes euphoria.
Heartburn and insomnia
Some people who regularly eat hot spices often experience unpleasant heartburn, which only medications can treat. Chronic form heartburn can eventually transform into esophageal cancer. And at night, due to the release of gastric juice, teeth can gradually decay.
Few people know that spicy foods can cause insomnia. But this is a fact. Before going to bed, some vital processes in the body slow down, for example, the pulse slows down. And spicy food can damage the body. After which your sleep will become restless or you will experience insomnia altogether.
Hot spices can also cause a disease called migratory glossitis. The disease can manifest itself immediately. The tongue receptors become irritated and the person loses taste. It should be kept in mind that excessive consumption of hot spices can lead to stomach ulcers. Therefore, doctors and nutritionists advise limiting the intake of spicy foods. If you do not want to suffer from heartburn, insomnia, and stomach ulcers, you should not eat hot and spicy foods at all. This doesn't mean the food should be bland. There are many different mild seasonings that can be added to dishes.
Help from the udder
The best means for neutralizing capsaicin (it is this substance contained in pepper that causes a burning sensation) are recognized throughout the world. processed cheese, ice cream, milk and yogurt. The secret is that these products contain casein protein, which removes capsaicin from nerve endings. A couple of sips of cherry yogurt and you'll be good as new!
Help with squinting
It is no coincidence that rice is the basis of all Asian dishes, replete with hot spices. And if you drank a bottle of Tabasco at someone’s wedding on a dare, eat it with a spoonful of boiled unsalted rice (rare holidays are complete without this delicacy!). It perfectly absorbs the same capsaicin, like activated carbon. If the Chinese toastmaster has already eaten all the rice, take the bun from the pigeons: it also has absorbent properties.
Alco-help
If you grabbed wasabi rather than pepper, you can consider yourself lucky. It does not contain capsaicin, but the explosive substance allyl isothiocyanate, which is highly soluble in alcohol. So wash it down with Japanese sake or beer.
Sour Aid
If you think that a lemon is only good for making you salivate at the thought of it, you are sorely mistaken. This fruit contains special acids, helping to quickly neutralize the burning sensation in oral cavity. So, if necessary, just suck on a lemon wedge and then return it to your neighbor's tea.
Water is liquid evil
You should not drink spicy food with water: capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate are absolutely insoluble in water. “Water will only worsen the effect of pepper: a person’s body may begin to tremble, tearfulness increases, and breathing becomes difficult,” warns Marina. And impressed locals will remember the “dance of the white devil” for a long time.
Hot spices and seasonings are in great demand because they add variety to the diet and reveal the facets of taste. familiar products. Real passions can flare up in the love of spicy food. There are even specialized restaurants for those who like, for example, dishes with pepper. However, not everyone realizes the consequences of satisfying such “burning” desires. The benefits and harms of spicy food is a question to which nutritionists do not have a clear answer. And weighing all the pros and cons, everyone finds their own, their own.
What substance gives food its spiciness?
Before you begin to study the benefits and harms of spicy food, it is worth understanding a little about its composition and the mechanism for obtaining a unique taste effect.
It's all about special receptors - temperature ones. Surprisingly, they are the ones who react with a feeling of heat to a special substance in spicy food - capsaicin.
Capsaicin is an alkaloid that a huge number found in chili peppers, as well as in plants of the genus Capsicum. By its nature, it is a colorless crystalline substance with a pronounced burning taste, which has an irritating effect not only on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, but also on the skin.
Capsaicin is not a poisonous product and does not cause harm if ingested, but strong influence substances on the body that trigger useful internal defense mechanisms can cause harm to the body.
The concentration of capsaicin in peppers is measured using the Scoville heat scale, which measures 16 million units for pure capsaicin. Burning properties the most hot peppers in the world on the scale is only 1.5-1.6 million units. Cayenne pepper and Jalapeño pepper have a heat rating of about 8 - 50 thousand units.
For those people who are just starting to experiment with spicy foods, useful option will start with small dose, gradually increasing it depending on the body’s reaction.
What are the benefits of spicy food?
The benefits and harms of spicy food for the body are determined by a number of its unique features.
You can find it in almost any national cuisine various kinds dishes with added spices. The benefit of spices and hot foods is their ability to significantly complement the taste of food and stimulate the feeling of hunger.
But not everyone knows that in addition to its taste functions, such food has many other beneficial properties.
Improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system
Thanks to capsaicin, spicy foods have the beneficial property of changing the condition blood vessels: Thanks to the formation of nitric oxide, which in turn helps dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure and regulate blood flow.
Experts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted an experiment, the results of which confirmed the benefits of spicy food in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Capsaicinoids in its composition tend to significantly reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol, thereby preventing the development of diseases such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, ischemic disease hearts.
The beneficial effect of capsaicin is also evident in its ability to prevent the development cancerous tumors. Therefore, eating a small red pepper once a week can literally prolong a person’s life.
Improves digestion
Many people believe that burning food is only harmful to the body, causing heartburn and serious digestive problems.
However, studies conducted in Asia showed that people who did not eat foods containing capsaicin at all were susceptible to heartburn three times more than those who actively used such products in their diet. Capsaicin itself gives our stomach the benefit of stimulating the digestive organs, burning fat deposits and speeding up metabolism. The beneficial properties of spicy food also lie in its ability to protect the gastric mucosa from the harm of various medicines, chemical additives and toxins.
Increases appetite
It is known that spicy and salty foods provoke the production of gastric juice. However, statistics have shown that, despite the ability of spicy foods to increase appetite, lovers of such food rarely overeat. This property helps to control the amount of food eaten.
Reducing salt intake
In 2010, Chinese scientists conducted a study of 700 people. It has been shown that eating hot spices in food can help reduce harm overuse salt: the subjects ended up consuming 3 grams less salt per day, and their blood pressure dropped significantly.
Helps against colds and runny nose
The benefits of capsaicin are manifested in its ability to relieve nasal spasms during sinusitis and runny nose, get rid of congestion, and also reduce the amount of cold discharge.
When your nose gets stuffy during a runny nose, you need to put a pinch of chili pepper in a cup of hot tea, inhale the steam through your nose, and then take a sip - this will help clear your nasal passages and make breathing a little easier.
Eating spicy food also provokes sweating, and this will be useful in lowering body temperature, as well as stimulating the removal of mucus from the bronchi.
Prevents the appearance of stomach ulcers
Some people believe that eating spicy foods can burn a hole in the stomach and cause ulcers. However, the real culprits behind the formation of all ulcers are considered to be the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. Capsaicin has the ability to help neutralize pathogenic bacteria and remove them from the body. During the research, another one was discovered interesting fact: people who eat Korean or Indian cuisine, suffer from stomach ulcers three times less than supporters of traditional nutrition.
Helps with depression
Eating spicy food can significantly lift your mood and improve your mental condition: capsaicin in its composition helps to increase the level of endorphins and serotonin. However, it is important not to overdo it here. The best option for health benefits would be to add a pinch of spices to hot tea or milk. Turmeric is considered a leader in the fight against depression and stress.
Improves sleep
Spicy food has a warming effect. To provide good night It is recommended to drink a cup of milk with a pinch of spice at night. As for fatty foods with hot spices, this combination can result in harm to insomnia, so you should completely abstain from a hearty, fatty dinner before bed.
Interesting! Products containing capsaicin have been proven to be beneficial for headaches and migraines.
Promotes weight loss
Spicy foods are classified as thermogenic foods that tend to speed up metabolism in the body and thereby promote weight loss. This has been proven by the results of studies conducted in Canada, Denmark and the USA. In particular:
- the introduction of red pepper into the diet reduces appetite and leads to gradual weight loss;
- hot peppers tend to increase thermogenesis - the rate at which the body burns fat;
- Chili peppers on a diet increase your metabolic rate by 25%.
Spicy foods tend to make you thirsty: drinking water also helps reduce the amount of food you eat and speed up your metabolism.
There is proven evidence of the ability of spicy foods to increase testosterone levels in the blood, which has special benefit for men.
The result of studying all the beneficial properties of hot food was the development acute diet, as a rather extreme option for burning extra pounds.
Its peculiarity lies in the addition of predominantly protein diet red hot pepper. Calorie restrictions: energy value daily ration should not exceed 1800 kilocalories.
The diet allows the addition of red pepper to drinks: teas (including herbal ones), coffee.
The daily set of products includes:
- chili pepper - 1 tsp;
- dietary meat (including fish) - up to 250 g;
- unsweetened seasonal fruits - 400 g;
- whole grain bread - 2 - 3 slices;
- vegetables with low rate starch - unlimited;
- fermented milk drinks - 2 glasses;
- granular cottage cheese 20% fat - 200 g;
- welded egg— 1/2 pcs.;
- honey - up to 2 tsp.
Attention! The introduction of such a diet should be strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Some doctors are skeptical about such methods: their main argument is that the benefits of stable results depend on permanent rather than short-term changes in the metabolic process.
Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women to eat spicy food?
During pregnancy, a woman’s taste needs can change dramatically, as a result of which the craving for spicy and salty foods increases. Eating spicy food during pregnancy may be beneficial: in small quantities, such food can reduce nausea and stimulate digestion expectant mother, which will have a good effect on both her and the baby’s health.
However, you should not abuse spicy food because of the harm caused by heartburn and inflammation of the digestive system. You should also take into account possible toxicosis - in this case, nausea and dizziness may appear after eating spicy food.
Attention! During pregnancy, you need to remember about the body’s individual reaction to spicy foods and consult your doctor first.
Diet of nursing mothers in the first three months breastfeeding is strictly prohibited, since any spicy food, if it gets into milk, can cause harm by burning the child’s stomach and intoxication.
During the first month of lactation, any spices are prohibited, with the exception of salt (in very limited quantities). In the fourth month, a nursing woman is allowed to include in her diet onion– after a test reaction to the product.
At 6 months, the child himself begins to try the first complementary foods: the mother is allowed to gradually introduce Bay leaf and garlic.
Spicy food for children
Including spicy foods in children's menu should be as careful and careful as possible, especially when it comes to hot spices. Hot spices can contain dangerous substances and acids that can cause serious harm to an undeveloped children's gastrointestinal tract: the intestinal and stomach mucosa. To find out about the individual tolerance of a particular product to a child’s body, a consultation with a pediatrician and an allergist is necessary.
The list of spices strictly prohibited for children under 7 years of age includes:
- horseradish;
- Chile;
- Cayenne pepper.
Garlic is approved for use by children over 2 years of age because it has beneficial properties. natural antibiotic and tread colds; it is also capable of improving digestive process in organism.
The properties of spicy food influence lipid metabolism and can provoke the appearance of acne on the face and back, which is especially important during adolescence, when metabolic processes unstable.
Why is spicy food harmful?
Despite all the benefits of beneficial properties, spicy food has its disadvantages and contraindications.
Addictive
Some types of spicy food can cause euphoria, becoming a kind of drug for the human body. The heat of spicy foods triggers the defense system in our brain in the form of the release of endorphins and pleasure hormones. As a result frequent use Spicy food can be addictive among its lovers, which threatens dangerous consequences. Her regular use It also harms the kidneys, since spicy foods in food can affect the water-salt balance.
Promotes the development of gastritis
Excessive consumption of spicy food can seriously damage the walls of the stomach. Capsaicin can increase the temperature in the body, causing food to “burn” the mucous membrane, which can lead to the development of gastritis. This is why you may feel pain in the stomach after eating spicy food.
For the same reason, you should not combine spicy foods with alcohol, which also irritates the walls of the digestive system.
Leads to heartburn
In addition to the development of gastritis, spicy foods tend to increase the acidity of gastric juice, which leads to heartburn, as well as belching, bitterness in the mouth and constipation. If you observe one of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor and undergo a course of treatment to avoid serious harm from the development of gastritis.
Bad breath appears
As a result of increasing the acidity of gastric juice in the human body, maximum comfortable conditions for the growth of bacteria. As a result, after eating spicy food, a specific taste may appear in the mouth, and an unpleasant odor may begin to emanate from the mouth, which, as a rule, lingers long time. Thus, a meal with the addition of garlic or red pepper can become an obstacle to communication with other people.
Damages taste receptors
Eating spicy foods on a regular basis can disrupt the functioning of your taste buds. It is this fact that can explain a person’s addiction to acute taste sensations and, against their background, a decrease in interest in ordinary bland food. Such food can provoke a malfunction in digestive system, which is why food without spices begins to seem completely tasteless.
How to neutralize spicy food
Numerous studies have shown that drinking spicy with water- not the most suitable option. In addition, water can only enhance the “fiery effect”. It's all about capsaicin, which, with strong exposure, can cause a feeling of a “burning tongue,” coughing, and sometimes vomiting.
To neutralize the effects of spicy food on receptors best assistant will become casein protein, which contains dairy products. That is why, to “put out the fire” in the mouth, it is recommended to drink yogurt or milk, eat a spoonful of sour cream or ice cream. White rice, honey, and olive oil and even alcohol.
And vice versa, carbonated drinks will aggravate the matter.
Why do people in hot countries eat a lot of spicy foods?
Many people know that spicy food is most common in southern countries. The whole secret lies in the already familiar capsaicin, one of the properties of which is detrimental influence on energy sources - cell mitochondria. Thanks to this, hot spices do not allow dishes to quickly deteriorate and thereby protect residents from poisoning and digestive problems, which is very important in the climatic conditions of Asian and Central America, where they are so common in cooking.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of spicy food continue to be actively studied all over the world. Despite the divergence of opinions, many studies have proven that spicy foods have a number of beneficial properties - from speeding up metabolism to preventing stomach ulcers. However, it is also worth remembering that the abuse of “warming” spices can negatively affect your health - provoke gastritis, heartburn and stomach diseases.
Did you find this article useful?
No nation in the world can boast of the absence of spicy dishes in its national cuisine. And the main consumer of such culinary products is most often a man. For decades now, some scientists have been preaching about the dangers of spicy cuisine for male body. Others, on the contrary, praise her beneficial features. So what should the emphasis be on? modern man?
List of Spicy Foods You Don't Need to Cook
It's no secret that the best chefs are men. Is it any wonder that representatives of the stronger sex try every day to create a masterpiece in their own kitchen, which would be on par with the dishes served in restaurants or elite pubs. Those who never found common language with kitchen appliances, he is simply content with new positions in public catering establishments.
As a rule, spicy food is classified as “Alarm!”, and is not recommended by nutritionists. Therefore, it is better to exclude some items of the daily menu from the diet completely or partially:
1. Hamburgers.
You shouldn’t give up the occasional snack of a cutlet with a crispy bun. You just need to focus on the content in the middle of these components. Spicy and pickled peppers, salted cucumbers and a sauce full of harmful microelements - this is what poses serious harm. But remember your student years - beer and a burger were our everyday food.
2. Seafood.
Most modern dishes are made using spices. Thanks to them, they manage to give a special taste. Seafood itself is an essential component of a man’s diet. But what is mixed in them is a taboo for health.
4. Beer snacks.
Today, many pubs present visitors with various additions to beer. These are garlics (garlic croutons), onion rings, fish and meat slices. As a rule, these dishes are made from expired products. And it allows you to add flavor a large number of spices
There is not enough time to list all the dishes that are very popular in modern world, and which must be excluded from the diet. It is enough to summarize one thing - you should abstain from foods rich in the following ingredients:
- Pepper
- Marinades
- Other spices
However, you should not create rigid boundaries. Moderated consumption (rare and in small quantities) will allow you to simultaneously enjoy delicious food, and do not harm the body.
Top 5 Spicy Food Recipes
As already mentioned, you should not completely give up spicy food. Sometimes you can pamper your stomach with delicious spicy dishes. Preparing each of the items listed below will not be difficult even for a culinary novice.
Best Spicy Food Recipes:
1. Cheese and garlic sticks
An excellent delicacy that is suitable for both festive table, and for an ordinary evening gathering in front of the TV. You will need:
- Filtered water (1.25 cups)
- Honey (1 tsp)
- Salt (1 tsp)
- Yeast (7 grams)
- 5 cloves garlic
- Butter (225 grams)
- Garlic powder (1 tsp)
- Parmesan (150 grams)
- Oregano (2 spoons)
- Rosemary (2 tsp)
- Thyme (1/4 tsp)
Pour water into a container and add honey and yeast. After foam appears, add salt and flour. Knead and leave for 30 minutes. In a blender, blend cheese, oregano, thyme and rosemary. Transfer the resulting mass into a bowl.
When the dough has settled, roll it up and divide it into 5-6 parts (strips). Separately mix the oil and garlic powder. Dip the dough sticks in this oil. Then roll in cheese mixture.
Place the sticks on a baking sheet and bake for 17-18 minutes. The oven temperature should be at least 200 degrees.
2. Savory cheese scones
Another tasty dish, which is ideal for the holiday table. You will need:
- Egg (2 pcs)
- Cottage cheese (250 grams)
- Granulated sugar (1/2 teaspoon)
- Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- Flour (250 grams)
- Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- Mozzarella (150 grams)
- Garlic (clove)
- Sour cream (1 tablespoon)
- Thyme (1 handful)
Mix one egg, butter and cottage cheese. Heat the oven to 190 degrees. Flour is mixed with baking powder. Salt and sugar are added to it. Afterwards everything is mixed with the curd mass. The resulting mixture is set aside for a few minutes.
The cheese is grated, and garlic, passed through a press, is suspended from it. Next, thyme and sour cream are added.
The dough is divided into two parts, each of which is rolled into a ball. The first layer is placed on a baking sheet. The cheese filling is laid out on it. Cover with a second layer and go into the oven. Bake for no more than 20 minutes.
3. Chicken wings in spicy apple-tomato marinade
Chicken dishes will never lose their relevance on the table. For the dish you will need:
- Chicken wings (1 kg)
- Butter (150 grams)
- Apple puree (80 grams)
- Tomato sauce (80 grams)
- Sugar (3 tablespoons)
- Tabasco (1/2 teaspoon)
- Soy sauce (3 tbsp.)
- Half a lemon (squeeze juice)
- Vegetable oil (2 tbsp)
- Cinnamon (1/2 tsp)
- Paprika (1 tsp)
Add sugar to lemon juice. Combine with tomato paste And applesauce. Add spices and vegetable oil there.
Place the container on the fire and heat to a boil. Add Tobasco sauce.
Cut up the chicken wings and place them in the marinade. Leave on the stove for 2 hours over medium heat. Then remove the wings and place them on a wire rack. Fry for 5 minutes each side.
4. Garlic croutons
Soft crackers are perfect both as a snack for beer and as a snack before a feast. You will need:
- Rye bread
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
- Garlic (3 cloves)
- Butter (100 grams)
- Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
Cut the bread into 1 centimeter strips. Melt butter in a frying pan and pour the remaining ingredients onto it. Pour the resulting mixture over the bread slices and place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Heat in the oven for 25 minutes.
5. Spicy Mexican Burger
He is the king of fast food. Not to say that it is healthy, but one burger, consumed once a week, has never harmed anyone. To prepare you will need:
- Minced meat (500 grams)
- Chili pepper (5 grams)
- Onions (2 pcs)
- Ground black pepper
- Avocado (1 piece)
- Garlic (1 clove)
- Lemon juice (15 ml)
Mix minced meat, onion and chili. Add spices. Make 4 cutlets and brush each one with oil. Grill until each side is brown.
Mash the avocado and combine it with lemon juice and onions. There is also garlic, pepper and salt. Place the resulting mixture on the minced meat. Next, combine with bun.
The benefits and harms of spicy food
Spicy food, although criticized by nutritionists, is not only harmful to the body. Her healthier properties are as follows:
- Strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
- Improved blood circulation;
- Normalization of digestion;
- Elimination of colds/Destruction of harmful microbes;
- Fighting stress;
- Normalization of sleep.
The benefits of spicy foods also include weight loss, because after eating it, your heart rate increases and your temperature rises, which has a positive effect on fat burning. Spicy food stimulates the appetite, but eliminates the desire to taste harmful salty foods. In view of this, many people who want to lose weight tend to replace salt with pepper, turmeric, ginseng or some other spice.
The reason why people try to avoid spicy foods is because of their following negative effects:
- Stomach upset (gastritis, ulcer).
- Damage to receptors on the tongue.
A person who often consumes spicy foods will sooner or later see a gastroenterologist. Conclusion: Spicy dishes are quite appropriate on the table, but it should be a rare occurrence. Special attention You should pay attention to the serving size.
Consequences after eating spicy food
Although dishes in this category have a body-warming effect, the presence discomfort more typical for them. After spicy food, bad breath occurs. Also, in most cases, heartburn occurs. If you experience abdominal pain after eating spices, this is an indication of the development of a stomach disease.