Is it true that spicy foods are good for the blood?!
Question: The other day a friend of mine made me some soup that made me sweat hard. i mean this stuff would set the walls on fire it was so hot! It was an oriental soup really spiced up and my friend tells me, "Oh but it is so good for your blood." Hmmm, I wondered about this. I mean it made me sweat, stuff like hot sauce and chili powder, are they genuinely good for your health in blood? Is this a myth or fact?
Answers: The other day a friend of mine made me some soup that made me sweat hard. i mean this stuff would set the walls on fire it was so hot! It was an oriental soup really spiced up and my friend tells me, "Oh but it is so good for your blood." Hmmm, I wondered about this. I mean it made me sweat, stuff like hot sauce and chili powder, are they genuinely good for your health in blood? Is this a myth or fact?
Research shows that people in warmer regions of the world benefit from eating spicier foods, because spices are natural antimicrobials. Food-borne pathogens and parasites are more prolific in warmer climates, and spices can kill or inhibit their growth.
When people in a country like Thailand, for instance, eat a spicy meal, they are much less likely to spend the next day with a bout of diarrhea than people in that region who eat bland foods.
In cooler climates such as Iceland, a steak left outside overnight might freeze. The cold would slow germ growth in the meat, rendering the use of spices unnecessary. As a result, Icelandic dishes tend to be bland.
Countries with the warmest climate have the spiciest food. Meat dishes in particular are always the spiciest because a piece of meat lacks defenses against pathogens and parasites. Plants by contrast are where the antimicrobials originate.
There is a completely logical, physiological reason why spicy foods are eaten when it's hot, but there are also other health and preventative reasons why spicy foods are good for you.
Let's just take a look at those reasons so we can use them when we go for the Korean yook-gae-jahng in 100% humidity.
Cancer-fighting and cancer-prevention - A recent study shows that capsaicin can be used to fight pancreatic cancer. It slowed the growth of cancer cells and in some cases, even caused cancer cells to die off.
Alleviate inflammation - Arthritis and psoriasis are cause by nerve damage and cause pain on joints. Capsaicin supposedly helps to ease that pain.
Relieve chronic pain - In some cases, spicy foods containing capsaicin greatly reduced pain caused by headaches or osteoporosis.
Heart-health - Cayenne and chili peppers can help to reduce cholesterol. Additionally statistics show that cultures that eat spicy foods (e.g. some Asian countries) frequently have a much lower rate of heart attack and stroke.
Fever is an evolved defense deployed to fight unwanted bacteria in the body. Increased body temperature makes it harder for parasites and pathogens to reproduce and kicks the host's immune system into overdrive.
This is useful knowledge when treating a mild fever. Instead of prescribing medicine to reduce the fever, it may be in the patient's best interest for the doctor to prescribe medicine that works with the fever to combat the parasites and pathogens.
Sweating after eating those spicy foods will certainly break the fever. Sweating is a cooling mechanism of the body's hypothalamus which is the heat-regulating center. .
So break out those jalapenos!!!!
I wouldnt think it would be good. Spicy food can eat away at the lining of your stomach (ulcers!) and dont forget heartburn. errr or was the food with alot of acid. lol.
I heard that spicy food were good for you because i think it was like some kinda antioxidant (capiscum) thingy.. but i'm not sure if it's good for the blood.
i think it was that people who eat spicy foods are better guarded against cancer.. because they would get used to the spicy, painfullness. I'm not so sure though. so don't take this as a known fact. lol
yes, spicy foods aren't always good because SOME- of them have a lot of sodium in it.
Hey top contributor RosieC do you ever source your answer,
her answer was once again copied from a website, This is the fourth time I have caught her out today, if you don't believe me click on her name, then her answer and go to some, you will see I have made similar comments.
her source for this one was the national geographic,
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/...