9. Može pomoći u borbi protiv stanica raka
U većini istraživanja kapsaicin je potencijalni antitumorski spoj. Važno je napomenuti da na biološke funkcije kapsaicina uvelike utječe njegova koncentracija, a učinkovita koncentracija u različitim malignim tumorima znatno varira. Nadalje, može utjecati na djelovanje konvencionalnih kemoterapijskih lijekova ili terapije zračenjem protiv raka, a razvijeno je sve više i više nanočestica s kapsaicinom kako bi se produžilo zadržavanje lijeka kapsaicina u krvotoku i omogućilo aktivno ciljanje specifičnih stanica raka kako bi se poboljšala njegova točna isporuka i specifičnost ciljanja stanica, što sugerira da se kapsaicin može koristiti kao potencijalna kemoprevencija ili novi pomoćni terapijski lijek za rak. Kombinacija kapsaicina s konvencionalnim kemoterapijskim lijekovima ili radioterapijom može poboljšati osjetljivost, smanjiti nuspojave i povećati toleranciju bolesnika na liječenje raka. Razvoj nanočestica s kapsaicinom mogao bi pružiti vrlo obećavajući pristup kemoterapiji malignih tumora. Kapsaicin pokazuje snažna antikancerogena svojstva kod raznih vrsta raka; uspješno usporava rast stanica tumora dojke, karcinoma pluća, čak i raka prostate.
10. Ekipa će misliti da ste kul i opasni
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Spicy Food – To Eat or Not to Eat?
That is the Eternal Question. For some, indulging in spicy cuisine is akin to an adrenaline sport, while others wouldn’t even want to sniff it. Because of the bodily reactions it provokes, it instills doubt and fear in many. After all, why would anyone voluntarily break a sweat and endure unpleasant physical consequences, except perhaps to push their own endurance limits, if there isn’t at least some benefit from that “suffering”?
We are still on a perpetual mission to encourage you enough to venture into the spicy waters. That’s precisely why we’re going to give you 10 reasons why we should eat it and potentially incorporate it into our weekly menu.
You’d be surprised at how many health benefits regular consumption of spicy food has. But you don’t have to take our word for it; trust science!
1. Can Boost Your Metabolism
Let’s start from scratch. Metabolism can be most simply explained as the process by which your body converts food into energy. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn, and the more food you can eat without gaining weight. At least that’s the idea…
Spicy food can rev up your metabolism by speeding up your heart rate and generating heat in the body, causing you to burn more calories. Much of the research on spicy food has focused on capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat. We’ve talked quite a bit about capsaicin on the blog already.
Some of these studies have revealed that capsaicin enhances the body’s ability to break down fat and expend more energy. This is because capsaicinoids (a group of compounds similar to capsaicin responsible for the spicy taste of peppers) can have a thermogenic effect, meaning your body generates more heat while digesting spicy food, resulting in burning more calories.
Research suggests that daily consumption of capsaicinoids may contribute to weight management by reducing energy intake. Furthermore, there may be potential for capsaicinoids to be used as long-term, natural aids for weight loss.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to disappoint you and say that daily indulgence in chili peppers isn’t a magical weight loss solution, and some form of exercise and balanced diet will still need to be part of the equation.
2. Can Extend Lifespan
Life may be tough, but who wouldn’t want to add at least a few more years to their life, if only out of curiosity? The results of this research have already been discussed on our blog, and we can only say that all spice enthusiasts will be pleasantly surprised.
However, it’s important to remember that spicy food isn’t a magic wand for health and should be combined with a healthy diet and consistent exercise routine. Other lifestyle factors should also be taken into account. There’s no need to overindulge; instead, use it as a supplement to an already well-balanced diet.
3. Can Suppress Appetite
Consuming spicy food during meals could actually help reduce calorie intake. This is because capsaicinoids in spicy food, such as chili peppers, reduce cravings for fatty, sweet, and salty foods.
Additionally, while reducing calorie intake, spicy food can decrease unhealthy cravings for salty food. According to a 2017 study, spicy food actually increases our sensitivity to food additives like salt, which can be found in a large number of processed foods. Furthermore, adding capsaicin to the diet increases satiety, making it of great interest for use in obesity therapy.
FOR THOSE ALREADY CURIOUS:
4. Can Improve Heart Health
Spicy food can also improve overall heart health. Research has shown that spicy food increases circulation and lowers blood pressure by stimulating the release of compounds that expand blood vessels. Spicy food helps reduce cholesterol, improving heart health and reducing the risk of heart diseases.
Evidence of this is a study from 2017 where participants took two capsules of capsaicin of 4 mg daily for three months, resulting in improved blood cholesterol levels compared to a control group. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of capsaicin intervention on the serum lipid profile in adults with low HDL-C.
The main function of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is to transport cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver. The concentration of HDL cholesterol in the blood is associated with the development of atherosclerotic diseases, primarily coronary heart diseases and peripheral circulation disorders. The lower the concentration of HDL cholesterol in the blood, the higher the risk of disease.
In a controlled clinical trial, 42 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. One group consumed two capsules of capsaicin twice daily (4 mg of capsaicin per day) for three months, and the other, control group, consumed control capsules (0.05 mg of capsaicin per day) just as frequently and for the same duration.
Compared to the control group, the HDL-C levels of the other group significantly increased, which was an excellent result. In conclusion, capsaicin could contribute to the prevention and treatment of CHD. In addition to all this, the presence of vitamins A and C in spicy food (and hot peppers are extremely rich in these vitamins) plays a vital role in strengthening the walls of the heart muscle.
5. Can Improve Digestion
For a long time, the general attitude about the relationship between spicy food and digestion deterred people from consuming it, let alone including it in their weekly menu. In fact, for years, spicy food was associated with a whole range of digestive problems, including irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers, diarrhea, and vomiting, since its consumption could cause pain and stomach cramps. However, more recent scientific research has discovered that this is not necessarily the case and that eating spicy food can actually improve the health of your digestion.
As we mentioned earlier, it was previously believed that spicy food could cause ulcers, while current evidence now shows that capsaicin provides protection against pathogens – Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori is a bacterium found in the stomach lining, and its presence does not cause problems for some, while for others, it can cause inflammation.
This bacterium infects more than 50% of the world’s population. It is also known that H. pylori is associated with peptic ulcer (ulcer), the development of chronic gastritis, as well as stomach cancer. A study conducted in 2013 in India, where a high prevalence of this bacterium was proven – even up to 80%, showed that the chances of H. pylori infection were lower among participants who consumed chili peppers compared to individuals who did not.
Some of the other benefits of consuming capsaicin for digestion are that it stimulates the production of saliva (breaking down food), improves the secretion of gastric digestive fluid, helps fight the growth of harmful bacteria in the stomach, reduces inflammation in the digestive system, etc.
6. Can Make You Happier
Capsaicin causes pain and prompts the body to think it is in danger. In response, the body releases endorphins – pleasure-inducing hormones, as a way to eliminate the “threat” it feels when you eat spicy food. This chemical release causes some people to associate eating spicy food with happiness, creating a “high” similar to the good feeling you get after exercising (a “runner’s high”).
When the body senses it is in danger, it will also release the survival hormone – adrenaline, which can give someone eating a fiery spicy bowl of noodles a sense of excitement accompanied by heart palpitations, just as if they are engaging in some adrenaline-pumping activity like riding a rollercoaster. In short, for many, eating spicy food is a sort of thrill-seeking behavior.
7. Can Be an Effective Pain Relief
Okay, for this one, we need to highlight that it’s not for oral intake, but we love to discover the diverse applications of capsaicin. Not only can consuming spicy food improve your health, but the topical application of ointments, creams, or patches rich in capsaicin is effective in relieving pain.
Topical forms of capsaicin help block messages to your nerves so they can help reduce the sensation of pain. They can alleviate pain from nerve damage or other skin conditions. The safety and efficacy of low-concentration capsaicin formulations, which require multiple daily applications, are supported by meta-analyses of numerous studies.
A high-concentration capsaicin patch of 8% (Qutenza™) has recently been approved in the EU and USA. A single 60-minute application in patients with neuropathic pain produced effective pain relief for up to 12 weeks.
8. Can Alleviate Cold and Flu Symptoms
What is often an uncomfortable side effect during the usual consumption of spicy food is actually a blessing during a cold or flu when we can’t taste or smell anything due to a blocked nose.
And, not to mention, the process of unblocking a nose can feel like an impossible mission in itself.
Here comes our good old capsaicin again, with the ability to break down mucus, which can help in effectively relieving cough and sore throat.
However, you have to consider that increased mucus production also causes a runnier nose. But hey, better to have opened sinuses with a bit of mucus than the other agony.
9. Can Help Fight Cancer Cells
In most research, capsaicin is a potential anti-tumor compound. It’s important to note that the biological functions of capsaicin are greatly influenced by its concentration, and the effective concentration in different malignant tumors varies significantly.
Furthermore, it can affect the action of conventional chemotherapy drugs or radiation therapy against cancer, and more and more capsaicin nanoparticles are being developed to extend the retention of the capsaicin drug in the bloodstream and enable active targeting of specific cancer cells to improve its accurate delivery and specificity of targeting cells, suggesting that capsaicin can be used as a potential chemoprevention or a new adjuvant therapeutic drug for cancer.
Combining capsaicin with conventional chemotherapy drugs or radiotherapy can improve sensitivity, reduce side effects, and increase patient tolerance to cancer treatment. The development of capsaicin nanoparticles could provide a very promising approach to chemotherapy of malignant tumors.
Capsaicin shows strong anticancer properties in various types of cancer; it successfully slows down the growth of breast tumor cells, lung carcinoma, and even prostate cancer.
10. Your Friends Will Think You’re Cool and Daring
Do we even need to elaborate on this? All spicy food lovers are absolute legends, and we stand by that.
Now, put on your big-boy pants and try something hot!
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE ENCOURAGED YOU, grab SOMETHING SPICY:
