Chile Peppers - More Than Just Hot and Spicy

It's possible for families to have professional gourmet dinners at home any time you want! You can be the chef or order them and just reheat gourmet meals are not just for the rich and famous. For premium gourmet eating it's best to go for quality - it might stretch the budget but will make up for it with better flavor.

When they cut into a pepper of any type most cooks will
naturally discard the seeds and white ribs or veins inside of
the pepper without giving it much thought. While the veins are
not very tasty for our palates concentrated within them is a
substance called capsaicin which not only provides the pepper
with its signature heat but also provides a hearty dose of
health benefits.

For example capsaicin is loaded with vitamins A and C
beta-carotene and bioflavinoids (which are antioxidants that
serve to protect your body against infection help you to
properly absorb vitamin C and maintain the strength of your
capillaries). Capsaicin is low in fat calories and cholesterol
and aids in digestion. If that's not enough capsaicin has also
shown to increase your metabolic rate which means your body is
burning more calories. A study recently published in the British
Journal of Nutrition validated this by showing that capsaicin
added to the breakfast and lunch foods of test subjects resulted
in their eating less at these meals. Additionally the results
showed that the subject's appetites were suppressed for up to
several hours after ingesting the capsaicin and that the number
of calories they burned particularly after meals high in fat
was higher than those subjects who did not receive any capsaicin.

Capsaicin has also been in use for many years as a treatment for
inflamed muscle and non-rheumatoid arthritis pain
post-operative pain and for pains resulting from burns and
other medical conditions. Most commonly available as a cream or
ointment the capsaicin is applied directly to sore areas.
Chemically speaking when applied the protein ion receptors in
our body bind with the capsaicin in the cream which allows
calcium and sodium ions to react with the sensory nerve cells
and inhibit the transmission of pain signals through these
receptors. Further to this capsaicin creams have also been
shown to counter the production of the neurotransmitter
responsible for transmitting pain signals in the joints. It is
able to do this by stimulating the brain to continuously release
this transmitter in response to the heat from the capsaicin
cream. As a result of this increased output the body soon
depletes its reserve and releases less and less of the
transmitter which leads to less response from the nerve endings
and improved pain relief. Capsaicin has also been shown
effective at controlling the pain and discomfort associated with
diabetes mellitus itching associated with dialysis and when
used in a candy form the discomfort and pain of lesions inside
the mouths of cancer patients.

Besides controlling pain capsaicin cream has been shown to be
an effective treatment for the dermatitis and pruritis caused by
skin rashes and irritations such as psoriasis and poison
ivy/oak/sumac. While capsaicin itself can be a skin irritant and
in its purest forms even burn the skin when used cautiously
under the advice and guidance of a physician capsaicin quickly
dries up irritated psoriasis patches and effectively relieves
the itching and stinging from poison ivy by neutralizing the
oils from these plants.

Consuming chile peppers has been shown to stimulate and increase
circulation of blood throughout the body from the internal
organs to your skins surface which helps to lower blood
pressure. Capsaicin also helps to strengthen blood vessel walls
by increasing their elasticity better allowing the vessels to
adjust to regular changes in blood pressure. Additionally when
you sweat while eating chiles you lose fluids which will
reduce your blood volume temporarily and thus lower your blood
pressure.

Speaking of blood eating peppers has also shown to decrease the
number of free radicals floating around in our systems which is
quite important considering free radicals can do you a lot of
harm. Free radicals are a natural part of the production of
chemicals by the mitochondria in your cells. But if your body
fails to combat them effectively it is believed they can
directly influence cell growth and development cell survival
and are likely to increase the risk of atherosclerosis cancer
premature aging and several other conditions including
inflammatory disease. They are constantly attacking body
proteins carbohydrates fats and DNA causing potentially
serious damage unless kept in check so by increasing the amount
of peppers in your diet you can help to strengthen your system
against these radicals.

Chile peppers are also quite effective at relieving the pain
caused by headaches. Numerous research studies are currently
underway to examine the effects of capsaicin on migraines but
there is definite promise in their results. Research has shown
that pepper powder snorted directly in the nostrils does appear
to provide some migraine suffers with relief. This stems from
our current knowledge that capsaicin cream will relieve the pain
and symptoms of cluster headaches when applied directly inside
the nostril. When taken directly into the nostrils capsaicin
deactivates the nerve release fibres and desensitizes the nasal
nerves which relieves these headaches as well as those caused
by sinusitis tension and allergies.

Next time the flu or cold bug hits home eating a spicy dish
made with chili peppers can help to fight the discomfort by
promoting sweating as well as opening clogged nasal and sinus
passages. Additionally chiles serve as an expectorant to help
soothe bronchial spasms and loosen mucous secretions that
accompany a dry cough. If you have a sore throat an old remedy
that really works is a simple mix of a tablespoon of bourbon a
tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of cayenne. Sprayed on the
back of the throat you can expect relief for several hours.

As you have just learned chile peppers and especially
capsaicin serve a purpose that is far greater than just as a
spicy flavoring for foods. Eaten regularly as part of a healthy
diet chile peppers are guaranteed by Mother Nature to provide
your body with a dose of health benefits. Oh and the next time
you are rubbing cream on your tired aching muscles thank the
chile pepper.

About the author:
Joe Johnson is a founding partner with
Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations where he is in charge of product promotion and
development and where he serves as the executive chef.