Spicy food can transform any meal into a sensory experience — pain, pleasure, even breaking a sweat can take flavors to the next level. While some like it hot, dialing up the heat may ruin a meal for others. Spicy food is divisive, and everyone's tolerance is different.
Whether you love the tingling burn of a spicy meal or you can’t stand the scorch, you may be wondering: Does spicy food have health benefits? Or are fiery foods risky or even dangerous?
We spoke to experts about how spicy food affects the body, whether it's healthy, and the potential benefits and risks to know about.
What makes food spicy?
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What gives spicy food that "hot" burning sensation is a chemical compound called capsaicin, Dr. Rabia de Latour, a board-certified gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com. Capsaicin is a main component of chili peppers, such as cayenne, serrano and habanero.
Different peppers contain different concentrations of capsaicin, which is measured using the Scoville scale, Dr. Paul Terry, professor of epidemiology at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, tells TODAY.com. The spicier a pepper or food is, the higher it's rated on the Scoville scale, which is recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU).
A typical jalapeño pepper, for example, is around 5,000 SHUs, whereas a Carolina Reaper pepper can be over 1.5 million SHUs.
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What does spicy food do to the body?
When you eat spicy food, the capsaicin binds to receptors in the mouth and on the tongue called TRPV1, says Terry. "These send signals of pain to the brain," he adds. Technically, spiciness is just a painful sensation, not a flavor or taste.
These receptors also sense temperature and heat, so capsaicin tricks the body into thinking its overheating, per the Cleveland Clinic. There may be a slight increase in body temperature and heart rate.
As a result, the body may try to cool itself down, which is why you can become flushed or start sweating while eating spicy food, the experts note. Capsaicin can also irritate the membranes lining the nose, which may cause a runny nose or watery eyes.
Once ingested, the capsaicin enters the digestive tract and can irritate the esophagus or stomach. This may cause more pain or gastrointestinal upset, says de Latour. In the gut, capsaicin can accelerate digestion.
"Capsaicin can actually trigger some people to have diarrhea (because) in the intestines, it can speed up motility," says de Latour. As capsaicin moves through the rectum and anus, it may cause a burning sensation on the way out.
In addition to the physical experience, there's a psychological component, Terry adds. People may feel discomfort or panic when the burn hits. However, the pain can also trigger the release of endorphins, says Terry. The rush of these feel-good chemicals can create a sensation of relief, pleasure or euphoria.
Spice tolerance
Some people have a higher spice tolerance, which can be due to various factors including genetics, exposure to spicy foods and personality.
"The amount of TRPV1 receptors people have vary, and there are variations in the receptors themselves, so some people perceive heat more or less than others based on the number and type of receptors they have," says Terry. If a person is born with fewer pain receptors, they may be better able tolerate the heat.
"There's some evidence to suggest that continuous exposure, like people who grew up eating spicy food, can build up tolerance," Terry says. This may be more common in parts of the world where spicy food is a staple of the cuisine — these include parts of Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.
In people with a higher spice tolerance, their brain may associate the fiery burn with pleasure. Research shows people who like spicy food may have more thrill- or sensation-seeking personalities.
Is spicy food good for you?
"Spicy foods have been eaten for thousands of years by people and not caused significant health problems," says de Latour.
Spicy food can be part of a healthy diet and most people can eat it regularly without any issues. Additionally, there's research to suggest that spicy food may have health benefits — this is due to capsaicin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, experts note.
Capsaicin may also have antimicrobial effects, which is why it is traditionally used to preserve foods in warmer climates, says Terry.
However, it can be difficult to draw conclusions about the health effects of capsaicin because the amount of capsaicin and type of spicy foods consumed varies in many studies.
In any case, dashing hot sauce on junk food won’t transform it into a healthy meal. If you're looking to get the benefits of capsaicin, the experts recommend adding spice in a healthful way to a nutritious diet with protein, fiber and nutrients from different food groups.
Spicy food benefits
“There definitely are benefits (to spicy food), and there’s some research to support this,” says de Latour. Eating spicy food regularly — as part of an overall healthy, balanced diet — may be helpful for:
- Longevity
- Heart health
- Inflammation
- Metabolism
- Gut health
"There's some data to say that eating spicy food is associated with living longer," says de Latour. Research has shown that frequently eating spicy food may be associated with a lower mortality rate.
In a 2015 study published in the BMJ, which followed 500,000 adults in China between 2004 and 2008, researchers found that people who ate spicy food daily had a 14% lower risk of death compared to those who ate spicy food once a week.
However, there are many confounding factors, the experts note. "A lot of it may be that spicy foods often have other spices (such as turmeric) that are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and contain vitamins," says de Latour. Additionally, spicy food is often rich in vegetables, including the source of spice (peppers), says Terry. Overall, more research is needed.
Another benefit of spicy food is that it may help boost heart and gut health, largely thanks to the anti-inflammatory effects of capsaicin. A 2020 American Heart Association study showed that people who eat chili peppers have a significantly reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer.
There's some evidence that eating spicy foods may help boost metabolism slightly. "For people who might have slower gut motility, spicy foods might speed things up for them and make them normal," de Latour adds. However, research on the link between metabolism and capsaicin is mixed.
While spicy food can be beneficial to health, there are some risks.
Spicy food risks
Generally, spicy food is safe to eat. “The overwhelming majority of people tolerate spicy food just fine," says de Latour. However, spicy food can be harmful depending on the level of spice, the amount consumed and a person's underlying health.
The pain and unpleasant side effects from eating spicy food are temporary and usually not a cause for concern, the experts note. However, certain people may need to avoid spicy foods.
Eating spicy food, especially in large quantities, can cause gastrointestinal distress, heartburn, acid reflux, vomiting or diarrhea. "The GI distress tends to be more common in people who have irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory conditions (such as Crohn's). Spicy foods can exacerbate these," says de Latour.
Spicy food does not cause stomach ulcers, the experts note. "However, if someone already has an ulcer and their stomach is trying to heal, spicy foods may worsen symptoms," says de Latour.
The diarrhea and burning sensation of going No. 2 after spicy food aren't pleasant, but can be riskier for some. "If someone has an anal fissure or irritation the anal area, having a lot of bowel movements will cause pain," says de Latour.
Accidentally inhaling or aspirating spicy food may trigger breathing issues or an asthma attack in certain people, Terry notes.
If you have any underlying health conditions or digestive issues, talk to your doctor. “It’s really about listening to your body and knowing your tolerance,” de Latour adds.
Can spicy food kill you?
There are case reports of people having severe or life-threatening reactions after eating extremely spicy food, but these are extremely rare, the experts note. Still, the experts urge caution around spicy food challenges or trends online.
“Overall, spicy food is not dangerous ... but some foods are so obscenely hot and scathing to the human body that it’s probably not the best thing to eat, especially regularly,” says de Latour.
Always read nutrition labels and when adding spice, start small and gradually add more to see what you can tolerate. “If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. It gives you pleasure, do it within reason. And be aware that not all peppers are equal,” says Terry.
How to cool down after eating spicy food
If you're feeling the burn after eating spicy food, there are a few ways to try to cool down. These don't include water, which will spread the heat around.
Instead, opt for something with some protein or fat, which can act as a buffer against the capsaicin, says Terry. Try these foods for spicy food relief:
- Milk
- Ice cream
- Yogurt
- Avocado
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from Today:
