Sunday, August 3, 2008

Get Spicy: Maybe It's Good For Your Health

Thanks to harper07 from sxc.hu



Chili. Some people might reject it as part of their meal, while some other people in other part of world enjoying it without getting flushed on their face. Some other people even take it as major portion of their meal pepper and won't eat the meal without bunch of chili!

So what really makes those "hot spicy hunter" still consuming chili? Chili contained several chemical agent, collectively called capsaicinoids. When you consuming spicy food, capsaicinoid will bind with pain receptor in your mouth, tongue, and throat. This reaction will triggers burning sensation in your mouth cavity, increasing your heart rate and perspiration, and obviously releasing endorphins to your brain. Endorphins produce excitement feeling, sense of well being, light analgesia (pain relieve). This excitement feeling will recorded in your deep memory, and causing the "chili addiction" to "hot spicy hunter" group.

So, does chili has significant benefits to our health? Yes. Like other fruits, chili contain high amount of carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, and some minerals (potassium, magnesium, iron). Due to its endorphines releasing effect, consuming chili regularly will decrease chronic pain symptoms. According to latest research, chili could decrease risk for getting cardiovascular disease and type 1 diabetes.

Still cannot adopt with spicy food? You can start with food are only slightly spicy from your currently consumed, try to get comfortable with the hot sensation, and move up with more spicy food. If you get comfortable with spicy food, go to Indian/Thai/Indonesian restaurant. If you can enjoying their deadly spicy foods, congratulation, you have been accepted as "spice daredevil"! But if you had something overly spicy, don't release it with water or beer, it only makes the heat getting worse. Since capsaicinoid is oil based chemical substance, it will only washed away with oil based substance. Milk, sugar yogurt, banana, and strawberry are best relieve for overly spicy and burning sensation in your mouth.

So, are you ready for spicy food?

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