ARE SPICY FOODS HEALTHY OR DANGEROUS?

Are spicy foods safe to eat, or do they cause more harm than good? Many eaters are confused about the safety of consuming fiery foods. However, that spicy flavor may be beneficial for everything from soothing ulcers to losing weight, according to University of Chicago Medicine gastroenterologist Dr. Edwin McDonald IV.

McDonald, an active researcher and trained chef, has dedicated his career to improving health through nutrition education. Here he sheds some evidence-based light on eating spicy foods, separating fact from fiction.

Q: Are spicy foods healthy?

A: Of course, they are! Capsaicinoids, which include the compound capsaicin, are the chemical components of peppers that create their spicy taste. Research over the past couple of decades has demonstrated that capsaicinoids — and, thus, spicy foods — also possess several health benefits.

Q: Can eating spicy foods help you live longer?

A: According to an extensive population-based study published in the British Medical Journal in 2015, people who ate spicy foods six or seven days a week had a 14 percent relative risk reduction in total mortality compared with those who ate spicy foods less than once a week. The association between eating spicy food and total mortality was stronger in those who didn’t drink alcohol than those who did.

In other words, it’s OK to eat your spicy foods, but cut down on the margaritas with your spicy tacos.

Q: Do spicy foods cause ulcers?

A: They may actually help ulcers. As a gastroenterologist, I often diagnose people with ulcers. When I share this diagnosis, people typically blame spicy foods. However, they frequently ignore the fact they are taking ibuprofen around the clock or that they may have a common ulcer-causing bacteria called helicobacter pylori.

Contrary to popular belief, multiple studies show capsaicin actually inhibits acid production in the stomach. Capsaicin has been considered as a medication for preventing ulcer development in people who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

If you’re worried about an ulcer, go see your friendly neighborhood gastrointestinal (GI) doctor. Most importantly, when seeing your doctor, make sure you have a conversation about any anti-inflammatory medications you’re using.

Q: Can spicy foods cause hemorrhoids?

A: No, but they may irritate small tears in the anus called anal fissures. Anal fissures are extremely painful.

Q: Can spicy foods help with weight loss?

A: Yes, it can, according to an analysis of 90 different studies that looked at the role of capsaicin in weight management. The analysis found spicy foods reduce appetite and that they increase energy expenditure.

Q: Are spicy foods dangerous?

A: It depends on how spicy. When I started my search for dangers of super spicy foods, the first article I came across was from the Journal of Emergency Medicine. It was about a guy who ate ghost peppers as part of a contest and started vomiting violently. He eventually vomited so hard that he ruptured his esophagus. Granted, the rupture was likely due to the vomiting, not from direct effects of the spicy peppers. But the crazy-hot peppers definitely triggered the vomiting.

Q: What’s up with the belly pain I experience every time I eat spicy foods?

A: Although spicy foods don’t cause ulcers, they can trigger abdominal pain in some people. One study specifically highlighted that frequent consumption of spicy foods can trigger upper GI symptoms in some people with indigestion. For people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), spicy foods can also trigger symptoms.

Another study showed that people who eat spicy foods more than 10 times per week were 92 percent more likely to have IBS compared with those who never ate spicy foods. When the researchers tried to analyze this finding based on gender, they found that spicy foods were not associated with irritable bowel symptoms in men.

In people with inflammatory bowel disease (or IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), spicy foods can also trigger some symptoms.