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It’s common for spicy food to make your top lip perspire, your eyes cry, and your mouth feel like it’s on fire.
Can eating hot peppers harm your health, though? It is important to think about the causes of chilies’ extreme spiciness as well as the risks associated with consuming them.
What you should know about the risks and potential advantages of eating a lot of habaneros is provided below.
How do Peppers get so hot?
A phytonutrient by the name of capsaicin is the primary ingredient that gives chillies their distinctive heat. Dr. Bazilian said that capsaicin “attaches to the receptors on the taste buds that detect temperature and sends signals of spicy heat to the brain.”
The amount of capsaicin in a pepper determines how much heat it can pack. The Scoville scale can be used by adventurous diners to determine how fiery a flaming pepper is.
Based on the amount of capsaicin in each pepper variety, the measurement tool rates them from spiciest to mildest. The hottest chilies according to the Scoville scale are Trinidad scorpion and ghost peppers, which lack capsaicin.
Eating hot Peppers can be dangerous
The idea that hot peppers can physically harm the tongue or esophagus is somewhat of a fallacy, according to Dr. Bazilian.
However, this does not imply that there are no risks involved in consuming hot foods. Why? Dr. Bazilian explained that when we consume really hot peppers, the brain receives pain signals that may cause nausea, vomiting, or an upset stomach.
Those symptoms, like vomiting, can harm the esophagus even though hot peppers themselves might not.
According to Dr. Bazilian, if vomiting happens, the stomach’s acid can irritate the esophagus.
- Additional possible reactions to extremely hot peppers include:
- Diarrhea
- Redness and discomfort on the skin
- If squirted into the eye, discomfort and redness may occur.
- When breathed in, respiratory discomfort
- Breathing problems
To relieve the effects of consuming hot peppers, drink milk. However, avoid drinking water as this could make the effects of eating hot peppers worse. Water can disperse capsaicin around the mouth, which could make the pain worse.
Apply a cool compress or rinse with water if the hot pepper gets on your skin or in your eyes.
Choose hot peppers with a Scoville rating that isn’t too high and use them in tasty recipes rather than eating them alone.
According to Dr. Bazilian, “this way, the impact on the tongue, esophagus, and stomach is smaller, too.
Benefits of hot peppers for health
Additionally, hot peppers have health advantages. Capsaicin is frequently used to treat pain-related illnesses including arthritis.
1. Can lessen the chance of developing cataracts and macular degeneration
Age-related vision loss can be slowed down in part by proper nutrition. In particular, lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids, seem to benefit eye health when consumed in appropriate concentrations. They accomplish this by defending the retina against oxidative damage.
These carotenoids, as well as other antioxidant elements like vitamin C, are particularly abundant in red peppers. Numerous studies indicate that eating foods high in carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, on a regular basis may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
2. Could lessen the risk of anemia
Anaemia is a common illness caused by a shortage of oxygen in the blood, especially in women and girls of reproductive age. The most typical cause is an iron shortage. The iron content of bell peppers is not particularly high, but they are unusually high in vitamin C, with half a pepper providing up to 100mg.
This is essential since diets high in vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables lead to greater iron uptake. Vitamin C also improves the absorption of iron in the gut, according to multiple studies. Bell peppers are also beneficial because they contain vitamin B6, which is required for the production of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen throughout the body.
3. Could guard against several chronic disorders
Antioxidants, which are found in abundance in bell peppers and are linked to greater health and defense against diseases including cancer and heart disease. For instance, peppers are particularly high in vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, which are antioxidants. Additionally, they provide copious amounts of polyphenols, which are antioxidant plant compounds like lutein, quercetin, and capsanthin, the latter of which is particularly abundant in ripe red peppers.
Given their high antioxidant content, peppers are likely to have potent anti-inflammatory properties and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Unfortunately, there haven’t been any significant studies done on the impact of bell pepper consumption on the prevalence of chronic disease.
4. Can prevent memory decline brought on by aging
Interesting results from animal studies imply that bell pepper eating may be useful in halting Alzheimer’s-related memory loss. Ripe peppers have compounds that seem to block an enzyme that generates amyloid proteins, which build up around nerve fibers and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
The numerous plant chemicals found in peppers, such as phenols, carotenoids, and flavonoids, may be to blame for these results, according to later studies.
5. Might reduce blood sugar levels.
Studies on animals indicate bell peppers help control blood sugar. More human studies are required despite mounting evidence that the polyphenols present in plants like peppers influence blood sugar in a positive way and may help lower the risk of developing diabetes. Future studies are hoped to shed light on the amount of foods high in polyphenols that would be considered an effective intake.
Bell peppers: Are they healthy for everyone?
Although most people find bell peppers to be healthy additions, some people choose to forego them because they believe peppers to be difficult to digest and may cause heartburn.
While it is uncommon for others to experience allergic symptoms, those who are allergic to pollen are more likely to experience cross-reactivity.
Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian for advice if you’re unsure about consuming bell peppers in your diet.So if you’re thinking about participating in a hot pepper eating competition, consider yourself forewarned.
Chili Peppers 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects – Healthline