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Health Benefits Of Spicy Food

By Bhadra Kamalasanan

Spicy foods are considered to be harmful; the general public perception is that spicy foods can do a lot of harm to your body. But is this the whole truth? The benefits of spicy foods are many, and you will find that it is a great way to help solve certain physical problems.

Did you know that people consume about 75 fewer calories after eating red chili peppers that when compared to eating bland food? Also a research at the Purdue University has found that chemicals present in peppers which are called capsaicinoids help to reduce cravings for fatty, salty and sweet foods. So, how about starting now? Because the answer to the question, “is spicy food healthy?” has but one answer - “yes”!

Health Benefits Of Spicy Food

Here are some of the health benefits of spicy foods:

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Helps you to Breathe Easily
Turmeric is great, and the reason being that it allows you to breathe more easily. Ayurvedic doctors have been using turmeric for centuries to treat respiratory problems. Among all the benefits of spicy foods, this could be a sure winner. Turmeric protects the lungs from irritants, pollutants and infectious agents such as cigarette smoke, exhaust, dust and viruses. So, add a pinch of turmeric to your food and breathe well.

Clears your Mind
Spices Rosemary, Spearmint, and Cinnamon could prove to help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are still looking at the effects that it can have on the human mind, but one study showed that high dose of rosemary and spearmint extracts could improve memory in mice suffering from age related decline. The researchers are still at it, and experiments are in its earliest stages, but you could still use some for cooking! Is spicy food healthy for you? You bet it is!

Weight Loss
Believe it or not, but just adding jalapenos and some hot sauce you can improve your meal in comparison to a bland one. You will very easily stick with your weight loss plan and in addition will give a kick to your metabolism. Capsaicin, which is the main compound in chili is great and has a thermogenic effect. This may have a role in what causes the body to burn bonus calories for about 20 minutes post your food consumption.

Cancer Prevention
Here is one of the most important health benefits of spicy foods. According to the American Association of Cancer Research, the compound in chili that we talked of, known as capsaicin even has the ability to kill some cancer and leukemic cells. Turmeric which is found in curry powder and some mustard could be helpful in slowing the spread and growth of tumors. The amazing news is that it somehow has the same effect as drugs do.

Congestion
One of the most common benefits of spicy foods is that these foods help to ease your sinus congestion and also relieve clogged nasal passages. Spicy foods like pepper increases body temperature and this could be very effective in fighting fever and relieving flu symptoms. Hot pepper can also help respiratory problems.

So, one can safely conclude that eating spicy foods can give us an added advantage. Though researchers are still studying the effects, it sure does taste good! So put some chili and add some jalapeno, and don’t forget the pepper!

Story first published: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 19:23 [IST]
Read more about: nutrition health