Spicy food has a huge fan following in all the different corners of the globe. Even though having spicy foods can lead to bouts of crying, lots of shouts, etc., spicy foods have been found to be really beneficial for the body.
As a result, several countries have adopted diets that have an affinity for being spicy. Taking a leaf out their diet charts, other countries are also coming up with their own spicy dishes, giving everyone a chance to enjoy them.
| Benefits of eating spicy food | Drawbacks of eating spicy food |
| It increases your life span greatly | Too much spicy food can cause ulcer(s) |
| It tends to speed up weight loss | It can damage your taste buds |
| It protects the heart from diseases | It causes skin irritations |
| It relieves you from mild physical discomforts | It has several other physical complications |
| It can prevent cancer | It can worsen Acid Reflux Issues |
| It helps in improving digestion | |
| It can liven your mood | |
| It helps to improve your immune system |
Advantages of eating spicy food
- Increased Life Span :
Several studies have been conducted in countries like The United States of America and China that have conclusively proven that consuming spicy foods have a direct effect on increasing the life span in human beings. This is due to the pepper in Spicy food that provides daily consumers with a reduction of 14 percent, in overall death risk.
- Speeds Up Weight Loss :
Studies have shown that spicy foods can improve our metabolism. As the body heat increases, when we eat spicy food, it starts to burn up fats and calories too, at a faster rate than before. Moreover, when we consume spicy foods, we generally tend to get satisfied with our food and that in turn also lowers the calorie intake.
- Protects the Heart :
Research has shown that regular consumers of spicy food have far lower chances of heart attacks than non-consumers. The basic reason being that peppers, one of the main ingredients of spicy food, aid in the destruction of bad cholesterol in our bodies. Also the chemical “Capsaicin”, found in spicy food, helps to avoid inflammation(major cause of heart diseases).
- Relieves Body Pain :
Spicy foods have the power to relieve physical pain. Peppers are made up of several elements that are also the necessary elements present in prescriptions for different types of body pain. The chemical found in peppers called “Capsaicin”, when present, helps the body to overcome the pain. Headaches and other mild discomforts can be treated with spicy food.
- Cancer Prevention :
” Capsaicin”, found in peppers, slows down cancer cell growth and in rare cases kills cancer cells without ever harming any of the adjoining non-affected cells. Countries with pepper-rich diets like India, Mexico, etc., chances of having cancer are lower. Also, turmeric, a spice often used in spicy foods, contains the active antioxidant called curcumin that also has anti-cancer properties.
- Improving digestion :
Spices have been found to improve digestion. The hydrochloric secretion of the stomach gets increased, boasting blood flow and strengthening the mucous lining. Capsaicin can kill some bacteria, eg. Pylori. Spicy food can help in ridding the body of dampness and helping the spleen, which is intrinsically involved in proper digestion and transportation of food in the body.
- Livening the Mood :
Even though having very spicy food is physically painful, the heat from spicy food actually causes the brain to release the chemical called “Endorphins”. They are basically your body’s own painkillers. Once released, the endorphins will not only help the body to ward off the pain from the heat but will also lift up your mood.
- Better Immune System :
Spicy foods are often rich sources of both the Vitamin A and the Vitamin C. As a result, the regular consumption of spicy food rich in those two vitamins will boost your immune system with each consumption. So your immunity grows stronger and can fight off ailments. Some spicy food ingredients like peppers have many anti-bacterial properties.
Disadvantages of eating spicy food
- Ulcer is a Possibility :
Consuming too much spicy food regularly can lead to an Ulcer. Heavy consumption of spicy food for rapid weight loss can form ulcers in your stomach. Spice increases acid in the abdomen. The imbalance causes your stomach lining to be left unprotected. In case the excess acid pools in a particular area in the stomach, a painful ulcer could form.
- Damaged Taste Buds :
Excessive consumption of spicy foods could lead to dulling of your taste senses. Intense spice can burn areas in your mouth if they are consumed without caution. The spice can damage your taste buds on certain parts of your tongue leaving you insensitive towards milder flavours. The biggest problem is, severe exposure to spice, this damage can become permanent.
- Irritates the Skin :
Mostly, touching our skin with the same body parts, mostly fingers, that touched the spicy foods(peppers), causes the irritation. This is the most common in the areas with delicate skin cover like the lips, the eye region, etc. Washing both hands vigorously with soap right after eating spicy food is a must to avoid this problem.
- Other Physical Complications :
Excess heat brings a few other physical complications like completely killing one’s appetite. After eating spicy food the longing to eat completely goes away, which can be bad if your stomach is not actually full. Spicy food causes hot flashes(women), can lead to a bad fever and there have been cases of nose bleeding and even swelling of gums.
- Acid Reflux :
Eating spicy food can worsen your issues related to acid reflux. Spicy food is a major cause of increased levels of acid in your body which might not always be able to escape. This can cause excess acid build-ups in the stomach, leading to acid reflux. It is better to keep yogurt and/or sour cream handy to counter these effects of spicy food.
All in all, spicy foods are a favourite of people across the globe. Be it everyday consumption, eating at competitions, etc., spicy foods are here to say. As mentioned above, eating spicy foods have a host of different benefits. But there are definitely risks involved with the consumption. But if you can take a few precautions, eating spicy food can be healthy for the body.
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