# hot peppers: Good for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 28, 2000, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966 "2000-11-28T02:55:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/1 "2000-11-28T02:55:52Z")
Can the consumption of hot peppers do something good for your health? Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/2 "2000-11-28T04:37:13Z")
Mexican males have diets that are among the highest in saturated fats. They are commonly overweight. They also have a disproportionately low rate of coronary disease. Many attribute this to the routine consumption of chiles. Look in my recipe thread for excellent salsa recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Meephead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/3 "2000-11-28T06:07:14Z")
Capsaicin, the “hot” in hot peppers, is known to improve circulation. Generally the sweats that some people have from eating hot foods are aused buy the skin flushing. It is also known, believe it or not, to improve digestion. Yes, it is true. Eating spicy food tends to make you salivate more, releasing more of the enzymes that initially start breaking your food down. This translates to mean better digestion. Since it stimulates and mildly irritates the mucous membranes, I use it to open my sinuses when I have a cold, as well. Not by inserting it up my nose, you silly, by eating it. It is also a very mild stimulant, and a natural pain killer. Some sports creams for relaxing strained, muscles contain capsaicin for its relaxing, heat-inducing properties? Is it good for you? I think so. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Meephead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/4 "2000-11-28T06:13:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meephead \* > **Since it stimulates and mildly irritates the mucous membranes, I use it to open my sinuses when I have a cold, as well. Not by inserting it up my nose, you silly, by eating it.** On that note, something else I remember about capsaicin: From MotherNature.com > [@](#): > > In one 1993 study on cluster headaches, a cream made from capsaicin—the compound that makes cayenne and chili peppers hot—was shown to provide some relief. After two weeks of regularly rubbing this cream onto their temples, the people who participated in this study said that the capsaicin cream made a difference. One-quarter of the people who used it had far fewer headaches than the group using plain cream, and those who tended to get cluster headaches benefited the most… ---
**Author:** ![writefetus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9de053/32.png) [@writefetus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/writefetus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/5 "2000-11-28T15:49:44Z")
I recall reading ( no citation-sorry) that a study done in Mexico found evidence that a diet high in consumption of hot peppers seemed to reduce the incidence of head and neck tumors ( in heavy users of Tobacco)…but seemed to INCREASE the incidence of stomach, liver and kidney tumors…ya’ just caint win… ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/6 "2000-11-28T17:23:23Z")
Hot peppers are also very high in vitamin A and vitamin C. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/7 "2000-11-28T17:24:04Z")
I f I remember correctly, hot peppers are also high in Vitamin C. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/8 "2000-11-28T17:25:31Z")
Oops, simulpost… Cher wins… ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/9 "2000-11-28T17:44:49Z")
According to Jethro Kloss in _Back to Eden_, the natural-healing bible, _Capsicum_ is valuable for health. He recommends using it to treat the common cold (I love it for this application: I sit down to a bowl of soup liberally dusted with cayenne). Kloss also recommends cayenne for **stomach ulcers** , incredible as that may sound. Psychologically, I get high off the endorphin release. I don’t do drugs, so thank God for _Capsicum_! Once I was eating Indian food and chomped down on a fresh Serrano chili. (I’m so inured to chili that I’m not bothered by pain from it.) I felt the top of my head fly off and soar up through the clouds into the stratosphere. _Wheeeeeeeeeee…_ ---
**Author:** ![Fyodor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/958977/32.png) [@Fyodor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fyodor)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/10 "2000-11-28T18:19:33Z")
Maybe your question isn’t answered here but it’s a wealth of hot information: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=7806](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=7806) ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-peppers-good-for-you/42966/11 "2000-11-28T19:01:31Z")
There is some evidence that they boost the metabolism. Here’s a site with some interesting info: [http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/health.html](http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/health.html)