By Amy Sun, Dietetic Intern According to the USDA MyPlate, instead of salting food, using spices is healthier alternative for adding flavor to your dishes.1 Chili peppers add heat and a kick to any recipe. Chili peppers contain capsaicinoids (a class of compounds including capsaicin) which gives the peppers their spice. 2 A common misconception is that the spicy part of the peppers are the seeds. In actuality, capsaicin is concentrated in the rib (inner membrane) or the pith (spongy white tissue) of the pepper. 3 Because the seeds often come into contact with these areas, they may be coated with capsaicin, giving off the impression that the seeds are where the heat is located. The sensation or “taste” of spicy food is actually the result of the capsaicinoids within peppers reacting with the pain receptors in the mouth. However scary this may sound, spicy peppers are actually not harmful if consumed in moderate amounts. They actually research has proven that they possess more health benefits than only acting as a flavoring substitute for salt.
Dietitian Carlie Saint-Laurent says that, the fruit of the pepper itself is a low calorie and low fat vegetable loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A. 4 According to Penn Medicine, when used topically, the capsaicin in peppers can act as a mild pain reliever. Research has also shown that spicy foods may have an impact on keeping your heart healthy by impacting cholesterol levels and may actually calm inflammation in your gut.5 The Scoville Scale measures the spiciness (pungency) of chili peppers in Scoville Heat Units. This measure generally correlates with the capsaicin content of the pepper. Levels range all the way from bell peppers, which do not contain capsaicin to peppers that can cause serious medical harm.6 Some good mild peppers to start off with if you’re considering adding spice to your diets are poblanos, tabasco sauce (made from tabasco peppers) and jalapeños. Poblanos are great stuffed with cheese and grains. Tabasco sauce can be used atop foods or even in drinks to add a little kick. Jalapeños are great peppers for topping dishes or diced in salsas. Remember, if any dish ever gets two spicy, a cup of milk, a slice of bread, or a spoonful of sugar can all help cool the burn by acting on capsaicin. Although spicy foods may have health benefits, each person should make their own determination on whether or not to include spicy peppers in their diets. Spicy peppers too high on the Scoville Scale pose a health risk and cause gastrointestinal damage. Dietitian Carlie Saint-Laurent warns that that pregnant women with morning sickness and people with heartburn or GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) should avoid spicy foods.4 People with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBS, Crohn’s, etc.) should also demonstrate caution.
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