Hot Peppers Aren't for Everyone—Read This Before Trying (2024)

Hot peppers may give your meal a kick, but you may wonder, "Are hot peppers good for you? This vegetable contains capsaicin, a compound that gives it its spicy flavor. Research has shown capsaicin might reduce pain, protect cells against damage, and decrease inflammation. Hot peppers are also a source of vitamins A, B, C, and E.

It's standard for spicy food to cause your upper lip to sweat, your eyes to tear up, and your mouth to feel on fire. Capsaicin causes this reaction. Several types of hot peppers exist, including jalapeno, poblano, and serrano peppers, that have different amounts of capsaicin.

Hot peppers come in all shapes and sizes. You can eat them raw or prepare them grilled, roasted, or stuffed.Read on to learn about the possible dangers and benefits of eating hot peppers.

There are several types of hot peppers, commonly known as chilies. These peppers vary in color, shape, size, and pungency. The spiciness of each hot pepper is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU). The higher the number, the spicier the pepper is.

Here are some of the common hot peppers and how spicy they are:

• Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU
• Cayenne: 30,000–50,000 SHU
• Serrano: 10,000–23,000 SHU
• Jalapeno: 1,000–10,000 SHU
• Poblano: 1,000–4,000 SHU
• Peperocini: 100–900 SHU

What Makes Peppers So Hot?

The main compound that gives chilies their signature kick is capsaicin. This phytonutrient attaches to the receptors on the taste buds that detect temperature, sending signals of spicy heat to the brain. The amount of heat a pepper packs has to do with the level of capsaicin it contains.

Adventurous eaters can refer to the Scoville scale to figure out how spicy a scorching pepper is. This measurement tool ranks varieties of peppers from most to least spicy based on their capsaicin concentration. The Scoville scale ranges from standard bell peppers with no capsaicin to ghost peppers and the Trinidad scorpion, the spiciest chilies.

Many of the benefits of hot peppers come from capsaicin. This compound has been shown to reduce pain, protect your cells against damage, and decrease inflammation. Hot peppers are also sources of vitamins that promote overall health.

May Help You Live Longer

Some evidence suggests hot peppers might reduce the risk of early death. A study published in 2017 found that people who ate one hot pepper per month for nearly 20 years decreased the mortality risk by 13%.

It's unclear why hot peppers may help you live longer, but the nutrients in these peppers likely play a role. Capsaicin, for example, helps reduce inflammation. Long-term inflammation increases the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Helps Kill Cancer Cells

Research has shown that capsaicin might kill cancer cells in people with colon, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancer. The compound can prevent these cells from growing and spreading, but more research is needed. A review published in 2017 noted that capsaicin might increase the risk of cancer.

May Prevent Obesity

Capsaicin has been shown to trigger transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Some evidence suggests that this protein can prevent fat build-up and suppress appetite, which protects against obesity. Most research has been conducted on animals, so more human studies are needed.

Packs Plenty of Nutrients

Hot peppers are sources of several nutrients in addition to capsaicin. One jalapeno pepper, for example, packs vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin C and E are antioxidants, which protect your cells against damage. Vitamin A is essential for healthy teeth and strong eyesight.

Reduces Pain

People often use capsaicin to treat arthritis and other pain-related conditions. Research has shown that capsaicin stimulates pain fibers, decreasing sensitivity to pain. Capsaicin might also effectively treat headaches and pain from trauma or surgery.

One specific medication, Zostrix HP (capsaicin), treats diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage). Some evidence suggests that pain patches containing capsaicin treat diabetic neuropathy as effectively as oral medications.

Unclogs a Stuffy Nose

Eating a hot pepper might alleviate a stuffy nose if you have allergies or a cold. Spicy foods trigger the trigeminal nerve, which supplies nerves in the nose. This causes the trigeminal nerve to increase mucus production, leading to a runny nose.

Possible Risks and Side Effects

It's a bit of a myth that hot peppers can cause physical damage to the esophagus or tongue. That does not mean no dangers are associated with eating fiery foods. When you eat very hot peppers, the brain receives pain signals that can result in an upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting.

Hot peppers themselves may not cause damage to the esophagus, but these symptoms can. The acid that comes up from the stomach if you vomit can irritate the esophagus.

Other possible side effects of eating hot peppers include:

• Breathing difficulties
• Diarrhea
• Pain and redness in the eyes or on the skin
• Respiratory distress (if inhaled)

What To Do if You Have a Reaction

Choose varieties not too high on the Scoville scale and consume them in tasty meals rather than by themselves. This lessens the impact on the tongue, esophagus, and stomach.

Make sure you drink milk instead of water to alleviate the symptoms of eating hot peppers. Water can spread capsaicin around the mouth, potentially intensifying the pain. Eating bread might also help. The starch in bread helps neutralize the effects of capsaicin.

If a hot pepper comes into contact with your skin or eyes, rinse with water. Apply a cool compress to the affected area to reduce pain and redness.

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling hot peppers. Capsaicin might irritate your skin, so make sure that you wear gloves when preparing the peppers. Always rinse fresh produce under cool water to get rid of disease-causing bacteria and dirt.

You can eat hot peppers grilled, roasted, or stuffed. Try adding hot peppers to dishes like salads and soups rather than eating them on their own. Other ways to enjoy hot peppers include:

• Pair hot peppers with herbs and spices like basil, cilantro, cumin, or ginger.
• Pickle the peppers to use in homemade salsa.
• Stuff hot peppers with meat, rice, or vegetables. Bake the peppers in the oven for about 25–30 minutes.

You can safely store hot peppers in the fridge. Slice them into smaller sections and place them in a plastic bag for freezing.

A Quick Review

Some people prefer to eat on the spicy side. Capsaicin is the culprit of the spicy heat in hot peppers. This phytonutrient can have many health benefits, including reducing pain, protecting your cells against damage, and decreasing inflammation. Eating hot peppers may also help relieve your stuffy nose.

Too much heat, however, can result in unpleasant side effects like abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Drinking milk instead of water may help alleviate hot pepper symptoms.