Fiery Fruits Help Fight Disease

Hot chili peppers, often considered to be a vegetable, are actually fruits from the plants of the genus Capsicum. These spicy delights are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, along with the source of their fire, capsaicin, a substance that provides lots of proven health benefits.

Cancer Killers

Regular consumption of chili peppers decreases the risk of cancer, and researchers are now beginning to understand why. According to a study by scientists at the University of Nottingham, capsaicin attacks the cancer cells' energy-producing mitochondria but without damaging healthy cells.

Opening up Airways

A healthy bite into a hot pepper can make the eyes water and the nose run. It's no wonder they also act as an expectorant, helping people with asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis and other respiratory conditions breathe easier according to Irwin Ziment, M.D., professor of medicine at UCLA. Because their spicy flavor promotes sweating, peppers can ease the discomfort of cold and flu symptoms, too.

A Healthy Boost to Metabolism

Hot peppers can help rev up metabolism, making the body burn calories faster. Further research reported by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed capsaicin acted as an appetite suppressant, leading people to reduce their fat, protein and caloric intake. Capsaicin seeds also speed up the death of immature fat cells, which can help prevent obesity.

Potent Pain Relief

The remarkable capsaicin substance is also a potent inhibitor of Substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes. The more capsaicin, the hotter the pepper. Habañero and Scotch bonnet peppers top the hot pepper blaze list. Researchers are also studying the spice to see if it's an effective treatment for other disorders, including pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis and diabetic neuropathy.

Help for the Heart

Red chili peppers, such as cayenne, reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels and platelet aggregation, which increase the body's ability to dissolve blood clots, according to a report by the George Mateljan Foundation. In cultures that include high consumption of red chili peppers, people have a lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

But Keep in Mind

The Food and Drug Administration has ruled out any connection to the recent salmonella outbreak with jalapeño and serrano peppers grown in the United States. However, it's best to avoid eating raw jalapeño and raw serrano peppers and foods that contain them if they are grown, harvested or packed in Mexico.

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