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SPICE IT UP!
You bite into it, and immediately it sets your mouth on fire, opening up sinuses and releasing bodily fluids from your nose, mouth and even pores! After a few bites, you wonder why you still continue eating just to go through the torment over and over again. Jalapeño, habanero, cayenne or Thai peppers; cultures around the world have been spicing up their foods for thousands of years with the most common type of spice - the chili pepper. Chili peppers which were first consumed by the Aztec, Inca and Mayan civilizations as early as 7000 B.C. were eventually introduced by explorers to the rest of the world including Europe, Africa and Asia in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Consumed for thousands of years, it is believed that the burning effect caused by chilies is addictive. When the nerve receptors in the mouth feel the pain brought about by eating chilies, they transmit a message to the brain. The brain in turn responds by releasing endorphins which are natural pain killers. These endorphins create a temporary feeling of euphoria (a natural high). This natural high can become addictive causing one to crave spicy foods and chilies.
Besides burning your mouth, and causing temporary discomfort, you might wonder whether chilies and spicy foods have any health benefits at all. Spicy food and its benefits have become a “hot” topic of study for the medical and pharmaceutical communities. According to the latest research published in the Journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, it has been discovered that a compound found in spicy foods may kill all types of cancer without hurting any healthy cells in humans. A study led by Dr. Timothy Bates from Nottingham University found that capsaicin –a flavorless, odorless chemical that is found in the veins of chilies and peppers can kill cancer cells by directly targeting their energy source, indicating that people could control or prevent the onset of cancer by eating a diet rich in capsaicin.
'This is incredibly exciting and may explain why people living in countries like Mexico and India, who traditionally eat a diet that is very spicy, tend to have lower incidences of many cancers that are prevalent in the Western world,” Bates said. Researchers tested the compound in a laboratory on human lung cancer cells, which Bates said produced 'startling results'. “As these compounds attach to the very heart of the tumor cells, we believe that we have in effect discovered a fundamental “Achilles heel” for all cancers,” Dr. Bates said.
About 80% of the capsaicin of chili peppers is in the veins and seeds which is why much of the heat is removed when these are taken out. Chili peppers come in many varieties with unique flavor, color, shape, and heat factor. Generally, the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. Habaneros are some of the hottest peppers out there.
The benefits of capsaicin do not stop short of just preventing cancer. Even though, some may argue that chilies irritate the lining of the stomach and cause ulcers, latest research, however, indicates just the opposite. Capsaicin has been scientifically proven to combat several common health issues such as relieve sinus symptoms, combat headaches, relieve congestion, fight inflammation, improve circulatory blood flow and decrease cholesterol absorption by the body. The benefits of the pepper, however, go beyond oral consumption. Capsaicin has also been proven to reduce arthritic pain. In China, it was observed that women who pickled peppers with their bare hands did not complain as much of arthritic pain as their peers even though they visibly had so much arthritis. This was because they were having direct skin and joint absorption of capsaicin. This eventually led to the founding of Zostrix, a topical arthritis cream. If that’s not enough; how about relying on the pepper for protection? Look in your dashboard and purses; “capsaicin” is the concentrated solution that is found in mace pepper spray!
Finally, capsaicin is also a thermogenic agent which is why I love to bite into that fiery pepper. By eating a hot pepper, the body’s metabolic rate increases, thus, burning extra calories for several hours after it has been consumed. Instead of buying the traditional Indian chili pickle which is usually high in fat, why not make a medley of your own? Slice up a variety of peppers: banana, chili, Thai, habanero, jalapeño, red chili and green chilies, mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar in jar, add the peppers and now you have a heart healthy version of pickled peppers that can be refrigerated and enjoyed for several weeks!
A couple of hot chilies accompanying your meals will provide many health benefits, but remember, as with everything else, moderation is the key. So go ahead, use your imagination- marinate it, pickle it, dice it, slice it, cook it or just eat it raw- but remember to always pick a chili pepper!
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