Some Like It Hot: Chili Pepper's Secret Ingredient

From anaheims, to jalapenos, to chipotle, to anchos, the spicy, burning heat of chili peppers make any meal exciting. From Mexico to Thailand, there are no shortage of cultural cuisines obsessed with chili. Or is it the chemical contained in chili peppers, capsaicin? Capsaicin is responsible for the "burn" you experience in your mouth, nose, sometimes all the way up to your eyes when you come across an especially hot chili pepper and boldly chow down. Capsaicin also stimulates a state of euphoria. For good reason! Capsaicin is pain-killing, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial. In Ayurveda as well as South American traditional medicine, chilis are used extensively in diet and also applied as a paste or patch to painful joints or muscles.

Improves Your Digestion

One of the best Thanksgivings I ever had was way out in Grants, New Mexico. I was settling into a new town far from home, and was invited to a family dinner by a new friend. With my "in-the-same-boat" roommate in tow, I drove way out into the desert for the event. Thanksgiving dinner in New Mexico is essentially the same typical "American" fare- turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, the works, with one, major difference. Chili. Each and every item from cornbread to yam casserole was covered in smoky, hot red chili sauce. An avid lover of chili, I helped myself, easily ate too much, and deposited myself on the couch to recover. I was surprised by the sequence of events. Not much time went by before I felt my full belly become more comfortable again. I felt happy and at ease as this huge meal easily assimilated into my body.

With a little research and Ayurvedic assessment, I realized that the effect was no mystery. Chili speeds up digestion. In fact, capsaicin increases the secretion of digestive fluids like gastric acid, and dramatically improves your ability to digest. It's antibiotic effect protects you from dysentery and diarrhea. Too much chili has consequences of course, but in the context of Thanksgiving, it's effects were quite welcome.

Come On, Get Happy

Have you ever noticed that it's rare to see a group of somber people eating spicy food? Spicy food is the inspiration for our phrase "spicy personality." It makes you feel wide awake, powerful, maybe a little hot-tempered, and it makes some people pretty darn happy. Eating chili makes you feel a happy natural high thanks to its painful burn. This burning sensation induced by chili peppers is a type of pain. When enough burning pain is sensed by your neurons, your body releases endorphins to make it more manageable. This sensation is comparable to a runner's high, an induced sense of euphoria caused by discomfort.

Topical Use: Hurt So Good

Chili pepper can be used topically as a painkiller for arthritis, strains, sprains, and muscle pain. It can easily be added to creams, ointments, and nasal sprays (to clear sinus congestion). You can easily apply a large bandages (plasters), or chili pepper paste to a painful area. It works quite well on your lower back. It's blood moving effects help with pre-menstrual cramping.

Protect Your Lungs from Winter Cold

Have you noticed that when getting down on some green chili your nose begins to run? Capsaicin thins mucus in your sinuses, allowing thick, stuffy congestion to run free! This effect may reach as deep as the lungs, helping you breathe deeper. Leave a Comment / Question