Spicy Foods Are Good for You

Red chili in a bowl Photo by Adi Chrisworo on Unsplash

A managerial assistant at Eastern Fork Lift, Michael (Mike) Angeleri, formerly of Pennsylvania, now lives in New Jersey. A lover of good food, especially Mexican and Caribbean, Michael Angeleri enjoys spicy dishes.

Spicy foods have been shown to add longevity to human lives. A 2015 study by Harvard and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that eating spicy foods at least six days a week reduced mortality rates by 14 percent. Additionally, spicy foods have been shown to increase metabolism and assist in weight loss.

Spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, pepper, and chilies have been shown to raise metabolic resting rates and reduce appetite. Certain spices, such as turmeric and ginger, have anti-inflammatory effects and have been used to treat people with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

For many years, people mistakenly thought that spicy foods caused stomach ulcers. Today, doctors know the real cause of ulcers is long-term ingestion of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, alongside infection by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

Similarly, studies have shown that spicy foods do not cause gastroesophageal reflux. However, eating spicy foods more than 10 times a week may cause irritable bowel syndrome, so moderation is important.