Wow, that’s some spicy chicken! Of course, if you love spicy food, you will be excited about its benefits for your health. But, even if you don’t like spicy food, there is still something for you. You can still get the benefits of spicy without the taste.

The secret in the spice is something called capsaicin. Capsaicin is an ingredient found in different types of hot peppers, such as cayenne peppers, chili peppers, jalapenos, etc. The highest amount of capsaicin is in peppers that have the hottest burning taste. The best way to ingest capsaicin is by eating the whole pepper raw or mixed in with your foods. However, if your taste buds don’t like to frolic on the spicy side, then you can take a supplement that gets digested in your stomach. The cayenne or chili pepper found in a pill is usually all-natural and just used to bypass the taste buds.

The Benefits of Capsaicin

Capsaicin is nothing new. It goes back thousands of years. Capsaicin is known primarily for being a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that prevents and fights diseases. It is high in specific vitamins like A and C and has a good amount of B6 and E. Capsaicin also has a particular trace mineral known as molybdenum needed to develop and build proteins and DNA.

1. Spicy foods boost your metabolism and help with losing weight.

Capsaicin works by elevating your body temperature at rest. An increase in body temperature boosts metabolism, which, in turn, burns more energy and calories. Capsaicin also appears to reduce your hunger to feel full for a longer extended period of time. It diminishes the release of ghrelin- the hunger hormone signaled when you are hungry. Understand, although eating spicy hot greasy buffalo chicken wings are delicious, that does not mean capsaicin will cancel the fat. You still have to eat healthily. However, you can splurge once in a while.

2. Spicy foods keep your heart healthy.

Eating spicy foods has been shown to lower LDL levels, known as bad cholesterol. LDL’s increase your risk of heart disease. Also, capsaicin has led to lower blood pressure, overall total cholesterol levels, and Type 2 diabetes effects.

3. Spicy food acts as a pain reliever.

When capsaicin binds to pain receptors, it desensitizes them, providing relief. However, you don’t just need to eat spicy foods to get pain relief. You will also find capsaicin in many pain-relieving gels and ointments that are highly effective at treating issues with muscles, joints, and nerves.

4. Spicy food alleviates depression.

Endorphins are released by capsaicin and produce a euphoric effect, helping to alleviate depression. In the presence of heat, the body releases endorphins, as a result, you feel good.

5. Spicy food can prevent and fight cancer.

Capsaicin works as an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals that cause cancer. Capsaicin has been shown to protect cells and slow down the growth of and destroy cancer cells.

6. Spicy food keeps your intestines healthy.

Capsaicin stimulates the good bacteria in your gut. As a result, it produces a healthy gastrointestinal and immune system. Capsaicin acts as a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that fights and prevents diseases simultaneously. If you want to take capsaicin, always seek your doctor’s advice first, especially if you have a disease or disorder.

Turmeric and Black Pepper

Another way to go if you don’t like hot and spicy is you can use turmeric and black pepper. I mention this combination because it needs black pepper for turmeric to work.

Turmeric is a golden spice used for thousands of years to treat various inflammatory diseases and disorders. It does not have a hot spicy taste but is a very potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant similar to capsaicin.

Black pepper contains something called piperine. Piperine is an anti-inflammatory that works the same way as capsaicin does. Capsaicin is more potent because the hotter the pepper, the stronger the effect.

By combining turmeric with black pepper, you will produce a similar effect as capsaicin, minus the heat. Since turmeric is not well absorbed in the body, combining black pepper with turmeric enhances turmeric’s absorption by about 2,000%. Turmeric needs piperine to be absorbed into the blood stream.

The combo has almost the same powerful effect as capsaicin. They both act as potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. If you are a true spicy fan who cheers for more tongue-burning, mouth-watering, eye tearing spices, then capsaicin is for you. If you enjoy milder spices, go for the turmeric and piperine. And, if you don’t want to walk on the wild spicy side, use the capsaicin supplement.

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