Spicy Food: Good or Bad for our Health

Nowadays, the topic of nutrition is one of the most widely-discussed ones. It is important to take care of your health condition, and that is why so many people are interested in the origin, functions and negative aspects of various products. Spicy food is considered to be a rather controversial topic, though the number of arguments for is still prevailing. Eating Spicy food can cause certain health benefits such as high metabolism, and strong immune system, but consumption of spicy food in large dozes can result in such an illness as gastritis.

There are both arguments for and against spicy food in our life. As for the positive characteristics of spicy foods, the main benefit is the ability to serve as stimulants for human body. Spicy products are known to “stimulate blood circulation and increase the temperature of the body and besides, if one is living in a very hot climate, the rain in the body temperature is able to make you feel colder, while the main difference between the air, by inducing sweating, which cools the human body when perspiration is evaporated, and you (Brody). Besides, there is also a point of view according to which spicy food can increase the appetite. Such a peculiar characteristic is especially useful for people living in the tropical areas. Moreover, hot spicy products can be used as the overall stimulant, awakening effect, producing the titillating, and increasing the sensibility (Brody).

The positive impact of spicy food can also be proved by the fact that “hot peppers are an excellent source of vitamin A, some B vitamins, and vitamin C. They contain niacin, iron, riboflavin, magnesium, thiamine, a lot of vitamin C and vitamin A. They raise the metabolic rate and also they strengthen the immune system (“Nutrition…” 2). It is also believed that “spicy foods can increase your metabolism. Hot sauces, red peppers and other red-pepper spices influence human’s nervous system and result in an increase of calories burned. A lot of bodybuilding diets contain high protein, but not the flavor. Crushed red peppers, Tabasco sauce and Thai red chilies are a not significant source of calories, and they help fasten your metabolic rate and add some zest to the chicken breasts” (Aceto 172).

However, it is also important to remember the negative characteristics of spicy products. Constant consumption of spicy food is likely to result in such problems as heart burn or acid reflux. Every organism is different, but in case your health and body are not strong enough to endure the consequences of spicy food, then you should be ready to deal with the acid reflux. The most typical and widespread symptom is when you make burps after a good meal (Janowitz 132). Spicy foods, such as paprika, chili peppers, cinnamon, black pepper, or anything which has the hot taste, is able to make people sick. After eating such foods they get any combination of the following symptoms: a headache, nausea, dark circles under the eyes, shoulder pain, sudden low back pain, dizziness, tension of the right quadriceps, flu symptoms, or the Pseudo sinus infection (“Nutrition.” 2).

Unfortunately, many people disregard the fact that spicy food can cause and evoke many diseases. Such an irresponsible attitude can even lead to a lethal outcome. All the diseases caused by spicy food can be stopped and prevented in advance with the help of proper attitude and certain effective medications.

Except the great range of diseases caused by spicy food, it is also possible to experience other unpleasant things and inconveniences such as; bad breath, hemorrhoid, and burning sensation on the skin. Eating spicy food might cause such oral distortion as; bad breath due to the presence of such components as hot pepper, onion or garlic in some products and meals. As a result, it is preferable to use a more traditional cuisine, despite the high percentage of vitamins and other useful elements in the spicy food.

One of the biggest dangers concerning the spicy food is the risk to have an ulcer. For a long time, doctors considered that ulcers, “or peptic ulcer disease (PUD), was caused by consumption a lot of spicy or acidic food (along with drinking alcohol, smoking, poor digesting and stress)” (Freeman). However, in the early 1980s, it was found that the mentioned factors do not cause an ulcer and spicy food is not so dangerous. Scientists stated that “burning stomach pain could be an ulcer, but not because of the spicy food. It’s also possible that people are simply allergic or sensitive to something in the curry” (Freeman). Moreover, some of the doctors mentioned that some people are often experiencing an intense stomach cramping or gastrointestinal burning whenever they eat the spicy food, but various people are often sensitive to different food types, a fact that they often discover it and can then avoid offending the food (Brody).

To conclude it should be noted that spicy food has both pros and cons. Many people like spicy food and there is no terrible reason to refuse from it. It is important to consume spicy food moderately. Such an approach will definitely help to avoid some diseases or other problems caused by the spicy products. However, it is also essential to understand that ulcer and some other diseases are usually caused by a set of reasons, and not only by spicy food consumption. It is very important to take care of your health in advance, in order to avoid serious problems and consequences.