One thing that I’ve done for years is to promulgate the notion that eating peppers was healthy and that they would have a beneficial effect on your overall health is a number of different ways. I can trace this back to I read Peppers: A Story of Hot Pursuits by Amal Naj that really talked about that in fairly good details. This article excerpt from the MedIll reports out of Chicago, IL really does a good job of summarizing it as well:

Peppers are hot — as a health and diet aid
by Darren Swan
Oct 02, 2007

Hot peppers have been around for more than 6,000 years and now they are taking the medical world by storm.

They have an array of health benefits and it’s time to get them in your diet.

Most authentic Mexican dishes call for some type of hot pepper, whether they be jalapeno, poblano or even chiles—all do the trick. Some sandwiches at your local deli come with pepperoncini or even wax peppers.

However, Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietician and author, said people need to get creative in the ways they incorporate these little red, green, yellow, red and orange vegetable fireballs to acquire a taste for some of nature’s piquant foods.

Blatner said hot pepper medicine is exciting because people have these foods already in their cabinets.

“The first take home message for people is that these foods taste good and it can be good for you too,” the Chicago-based nutrition expert said.

“Hot peppers and their active ingredient, capsaicin, acts as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, reduces risk for heart disease, and is great for people with arthritis or marathoners regarding inflammation. It’s a pretty special spice.”

Preliminary research proposes that adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper can cause the body to burn an extra 15 calories after eating the meal.

Blatner, a personal cayenne pepper lover, has come up with several different ways to incorporate the food into her diet.

She will burn some whole grain popcorn and sprinkle the pepper on top of it. Adding it to spaghetti sauce is a good way to subdue the strength of the pepper without losing its nutritional value.

Mix some in with a low fat frozen chocolate yogurt can give a peppery touch to dessert. This is a must-have spice to keep in your rack.

The power of plants and vegetables does not surprise dietitians. Hot peppers are phenomenal for the body and these experts in food and diet rely on these to help improve the human condition.

“We know plants are very powerful to protect humans against disease and we use them as much as possible,” she said.

Not everyone loves spicy food or can tolerate it, for that matter.

Sometimes it takes up to 14 food exposures in taste tests or especially with children to get used to a new food.

Blatner, who works with overweight patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago and is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said eating hot peppers is like any other desired health habit.

“Keep practicing and one day you’ll start craving it,’ she said.

The secret is out: hot peppers are the spice to a healthier life.

Capsaicin, the hot pepper’s natural heat-causing component, has been proven to kill cancer cells, prevent sinus infections, serve as an anti-inflammatory agent, provide gastric relief and produce fat oxidation.

A daily dose of hot peppers lets people breath easier, feel less pain and lower their body fat.

Registered Dietitians and medical experts in Chicago are pushing the multitalented and diverse health benefits of hot peppers.

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