The heat in any hot pepper comes from capsaicin, a natural substance which on its own is both odorless and flavorless. Capsaicin is a super-health-nutrient and medicine is more and more using capsaicin in its products. While adding hot peppers to your diet offers health benefits, you may not be able to eat enough of them to get some of these positive effects. That’s why medical products are adding capsaicin to their ingredients. INFLAMMATION: It is a known vasodilator which means that it allows the blood vessels to expand and thus improves circulation to the organs of the body. Capsaicin also reduces inflammation. Persistent inflammation in the body can cause pain and promote cardiovascular disease. Capsaicin creams are also used to reduce the itchiness and inflammation of psoriasis. ANTIOXIDANTS: Hot peppers contain antioxidants, those age-fighting and cancer-busting agents that promote good health. The hotter the pepper, the more antioxidants you’re getting. CANCER FIGHTER: Capsaicin may be a cancer fighter. It is theorized that capsaicin works at the cellular level to inhibit tumor growth. When a cell in the body becomes damaged (say with cancer), the healthy body orders it to commit “cell suicide” by undergoing programmed cell death or apoptosis. Programmed cell death protects the body by forcing abnormal, diseased cells out of existence. Tumors grow when cells somehow get around this programmed cell death—and capsaicin appears to force these cells to undergo apoptosis. WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT CONTROL: If you’re dieting, your metabolism slows down by about 10% or 15% and moderate exercise will not get it back to normal. This can make it harder to lose weight. However, capsaicin rev up that dieter’s metabolism a bit, which, in turn, will help you shed pounds. It’s not a weight loss magic potion—you still have to diet and exercise. But it will make weight loss somewhat easier WARMTH & BURN CALORIES: Capsaicin elevates body temperature, which may be why eating too many hot peppers can cause you to sweat. That warmth can help burn calories, too. PAIN RELIEF: Capsaicin applied in a cream to the body reduces nerve pain. It is believed that topical capsaicin prevents painful stimuli from reaching the brain. Capsaicin is available in many over-the-counter topical pain relievers. HEADACHES & FIGHT BACTERIA: Capsaicin works on something in the body called Substance P which causes swelling in the head, sinuses, and blood vessels that are associated with migraine and cluster headaches. In addition, capsaicin is a bacteria fighter which further can help sinus headaches. Capsaicin is currently being studied for its beneficial effects in treating allergic rhinitis, which is the runny nose, watery eyes, and congestion associated with certain allergies. ADDICTIVE: While your first bite of a hot pepper may cause pain (they actually can trigger pain receptors on the tongue to signal danger to your brain), over time, a person can get desensitized to the heat and find the peppers enjoyable. They may even be addictive, in that hot peppers release endorphins and can cause a mild pleasant sensation.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 05:20:44 +0000
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