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 Spice Up Your Diet & Live Longer
By Adrienne Turner, AskMen.com
Chili peppers and other hot spices have an undeserved reputation for causing bad breath, ulcers, stomachaches, and gas. Aside from the bad breath (hey, they're not perfect), most fiery spices and sauces are actually thought to remedy or prevent these ailments.
Diets rich in chilies, other capsaicin-containing peppers and many other "hot" spices (such as turmeric) actually improve general health and may prevent several serious or life-threatening illnesses.
A few of the health benefits linked to turmeric and chili peppers include:
• Lowered blood pressure and cholesterol
• Reduction in the frequency of headaches and migraines
• Improved cardiovascular health and increased circulation
• Increased metabolic rate, leading to weight loss
• Decreased frequency of colds, fevers and other respiratory problems
• Increased endorphin production (counteracts depression)
• Anti-inflammatory benefits (arthritic conditions)
• Nutritional benefits (hot peppers and spices are packed with vitamin A, C, beta-carotene, and other antioxidants)
• Improved digestive function (wards off flatulence and, in some cases, prevents ulcers)
Incorporating spice in your life
There are many different types of hot and spicy ingredients that you can integrate into your diet to achieve the associated health benefits.
Chilies, hot peppers and turmeric are used predominantly in Latin American, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, and African dishes. So, even if you don't like to cook, you can still sample spicy ethnic cuisines by dining at a restaurant in your neighborhood.
The following is a sampling of some of the most common types of "fire" you can integrate into your diet:
• Chili Peppers: Including green and red chilies, habanero peppers, jalapeno peppers, Poblano peppers, Serrano chilies, and Anaheim and Hungarian chilies
• Cayenne Pepper: Finely ground red pepper derived from dried cayenne chilies
• Tabasco Sauce: Hot sauce consisting of mashed, aged red peppers, combined with vinegar and salt
• Curry: A mix of spices including hot turmeric; can be found in sauce or powder form
• Sriracha: Hot chili sauce or paste often found in Asian restaurants
• Wasabi: Japanese horseradish
• Peri Peri Sauce: A South African sauce derived from Peri Peri chilies
Leading a hot 'n' spicy lifestyle
There are several ways that you can lead a hotter lifestyle. Let your imagination guide you for ideas. After all, incorporating healthy hot sauces and peppers into the dishes you eat every day can improve your overall health and decrease the risk of serious illness.
The good news is that kicking up the spice in your diet can be as flavorful as it is healthy. Here's how to include spice in your life:
Mix some cayenne pepper into barbecue sauce or any other marinade to add some zip to regular sauces that normally accompany meat. Cayenne is virtually odorless but packs a powerful punch, so be sure to taste your sauce periodically to make sure it's not too hot.
Spread a spoonful of wasabi into ordinary guacamole to create a tangy, hot dipping sauce for tortilla chips or pita bread.
Whisk a couple of teaspoons of curry powder into mayonnaise to add some punch to sandwiches. Curry flavoring complements turkey and pork nicely, and is sure to liven up your ordinary deli-style sandwich.
Spice up your life
Following a healthy diet no longer means restricting yourself to sprouts and spinach. But before you start adding hot sauce to your morning oatmeal, remember that all foods -- healthy or unhealthy -- are only good for your body in moderation.
And it's still okay to order your chicken Vindaloo "mild" if you don't feel like sweating.
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