Benefits of Spicy Food
Eating spicy food or adding spices such as hot peppers to your meal has its own health benefits.
Here we have listed down ten of them:
Aid Weight Loss
Spicy food helps to increase metabolic rate, therefore it aids to increase weight loss.
Lower “Bad” Cholesterol
Research has shown that by adding chili to the diet, the LDL, or bad cholesterol, actually resisted oxidation for a longer period of time, thus delaying the development of a major risk for cardiovascular disease.
Improve Digestion
Study has shown that the spiciness stimulates stomach secretions. This will increase blood flow to the stomach.
Improve Circulation
When you eat spicy food, your body’s temperature is raised, therefore, it increases your blood flow and gets your heart pumping. As a result, you sweat which makes in return, cool down your body.
Prevent Cancer
Capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers, was shown in laboratory settings that it kills cancer cell in rats.
Improve Heart Health
Hot peppers may help to improve heart health by boosting the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots. The capsaicin in peppers also fights inflammation, which has been identified as a risk factor for heart disease.
Improve Sleep Pattern
Researchers have found that people who frequently consumed spicy meals fell asleep more easily, had healthier sleep patterns, and even woke up easier and had more energy throughout the day.
Improve Healing Rate
Turmeric, another chemical found in curry powder speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
Improve Mood
Capsaicin also increases the production of endorphins in the brain and therefore, promote a sense of wellbeing.
Promote Better Breathing
Whether you have flu, cold or respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, eating hot peppers can help you to breathe better by opening up clogged nasal passages.
Here are a few spicy foods to eat in moderation:
Garlic
Granted, garlic is amazing. Eating one or two cloves of garlic might turn a few heads, but it won’t make you see talking coyotes. It is one of the healthiest foods out there, but some people just can’t get enough of this good thing. Consuming more than three cloves in one sitting can make one feel a little something brewing in the belly
Hot chili (jalapeño) peppers
The epitome of hot food, chili peppers have long been used in spicy meals. Indian, Creole and Cajun cuisine rely heavily on jalapeños for chili sauce. Eat one of those little things raw (notice how the smaller they are, the hotter they get) and you’ll feel the burn all the way to your ears, literally.
Horseradish
A popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, this little beige or green root (depending in which part of the world you are in) can pack a wallop and is often overused. Japanese horseradish, or wasabi, is green and used as dip for sushi. The funny thing about grated horseradish is that it always seems to catch people off-guard. We all know it burns and know it will unclog sinuses for what seems like a million years, but people still always take that extra ounce that puts them over the edge. Some cultures, like the Japanese, enjoy its punch, but horseradish is another spicy culprit to watch out for.
Ginger
Despite its pleasant name, ginger is often misused. Most recipes do not use it enough to make the ingredient harmful, but dried sweet ginger, especially when it’s eaten like candy, falls in the category of harmful spicy foods.
Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small green papaya peeled, seeded, and grated or 3 cups of pre-shredded green papaya
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
green scallions, sliced thin
* 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil chopped roughly - 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 to 2 small tomatoes, cut in strips
* 1/2 cup raw peanuts, crushed ( optional )
Dressing:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
- 1 red Thai chili pepper, sliced thinly, adjust amounts to the spice level you desire.
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 limes, juiced -
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
* 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
Instructions
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and crush with a pestle or the back of a spoon to release the flavours.
- Taste.
- Adjust the fish sauce to your liking
- Add the chiles bit by bit until you get the spice level you can handle.
- Add the other ingredients and toss well.
- Taste and adjust the lime juice or fish sauce if needed.
- Top with crushed peanuts. Enjoy!
This keeps well and was still good the next day; the flavours were more concentrated.
Serves: 4
Pectoral Doorway Stretch
- squeeze your “wings” together to stretch the chest
- assist the stretch by the pressing against doorjamb for two seconds
- relax and repeat 10 times.
- If you feel numbness with your arms up, drop them down by your sides between each repetition
