There’s no better dish than one that packs a spicy punch. Mixing up our weekly meals with something spicy is a great way to amp up the flavour – as well as being a delicious and exciting element to your dish, there are also some great health benefits too – as well as a few bad ones – Let’s take a look:
- Fight a Cold – Spicy peppers are full of vitamin A and C which boost the immune system. They are great at helping you fight off a common cold. The added heat also has antibacterial properties, which can kill off any budding germs taking hold in your gut.
- Make you sweat – Capsaicin-containing spicy dishes raise your body temperature, that’s why a good spicy dish will literally leave you sweating. Sweating is a great way to clean the pores of your skin, leading to an increase in skin health.
- Metabolism – That spicy curry can actually do wonders for your waistline. The chemical capsaicin, found in spicy foods, is great at speeding up your metabolism by increasing your body temperature and heart rate.
- Heartburn – People who suffer from heartburn or stomach ulcers can come off worse after a spicy meal. What is spicy on the tongue continues to burn all the way through your body. So if your reflux is acting up, dial down on the spicy foods a little. A side of yoghurt or sour cream with a spicy curry is a great way to enjoy some fire without the burn.
- The Runs – This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the person. Spice acts as an irritant in your intestines, and can act as a laxative, causing things to start moving. If you suffer from an easily irritated stomach, spicy foods are probably not going to be your friend.
- Tones Down Taste Buds – regularly eating spicy foods can lessen the sensitivity of your taste buds over time. So go sparingly; unless you plan on eating nothing but spicy food for the rest of your life, as you may miss out on more subtler flavours by dulling your taste buds with powerful spices.
Has this read made you hungry? Then check out a great Halal restaurant, Manchester Royal Nawaab has a great selection of spicy food for you to give your taste buds a workout.
