Spicing Up Your Life: What Are the Benefits of Eating Spicy Food?

Not everyone has a taste for spicy food, especially if you’ve grown up unfamiliar with a lot of spicy cuisines and foods. It can be hard to acquire a taste for it, but you'd be surprised at the benefits of eating spicy food!

Not just in terms of flavor and texture, but also in terms of your health, there's a lot that common spices used in various cuisines can do. From peppers to chilies to all sorts of spices, there are several ways to enjoy foods that pack a punch.

But what are the benefits of having spicy food and adding spices to existing recipes and meals? Let's go over a few:

You could be burning more calories.

Spices boost your metabolism. A key compound present in chilies and peppers, capsaicin, has incredible health benefits such as fat burning and boosting metabolism. This means you’ll likely see your waistline shrink, and guiltlessly enjoy flavorful, healthy food such as grilled chicken, because spices tend to be low-calorie.

With a metabolism like a revving engine and enhanced flavor of healthy foods, you could be on your way to better health and more weight loss. That should be enough of a motivator to give this a go, right?

Heart health and blood pressure improve.

As mentioned above, spices tend to have a lot of health benefits and your heart health is likely to improve too. Again, capsaicin is to credit here because of its ability to combat inflammation and fight LDL, which might be why cultures where eating spices are common to have a lower incidence of heart disease. If you're eager to be healthier, cut down on salts, and up your spices! 

They tend to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Foods that have anti-inflammatory properties are excellent for your health in general, and certain spices like ginger and garlic may possess them. This means a healthy addition to your diet makes it more flavorful and significantly healthier too! Your body will respond to the anti-inflammatory property of spices and peppers with regular intake; however, it's important to draw the line after a certain point because you don't want to end up with an ulcer.

For better tasting food, more variety, and overall deliciousness, start adding more spice to your meals. A great way to do that is to start slow with the food you like. If you're in Tampa, FL, order delicious devil crabs and empanadas for a burst of flavors, textures, and peppery goodness. While it might take a while to get used to, these crabs go exceptionally well with stuffed potatoes, and island punches, so contact them and place your order today!