What are spicy foods
Spicy foods have a strong, pungent taste. Besides the well-known chili peppers, foods like ginger, star anise, chives, and alcohol are also considered spicy. Because spicy foods have a strong flavor, can easily irritate the nose and throat, and may lead to pharyngitis and respiratory diseases, frequently consuming them is not good for your health.Many people love spicy food and can't live without it. Although spicy food has its benefits, it is not good for sleep. Eating well and sleeping well are the basic standards of happiness for most people and the primary prerequisite for maintaining good health. However, for modern people with fast work paces and immense life pressures, it is not easy to balance both. Besides the "forgetting to eat and sleep" work routine that makes it hard to rest, even seemingly ordinary daily habits can lead to neglecting one aspect for another.
Spicy dinner affects sleep
"Spicy food affects sleep" is not an exaggeration. Recently, a study found that after a heavy dinner mainly seasoned with hot sauce and mustard, young men's sleep patterns changed significantly. Brainwave monitoring showed that the duration of their rapid eye movement (REM) and slow-wave sleep was shortened, their deep sleep time decreased, and they tossed and turned for longer periods.
In addition, the researchers also found that after consuming very spicy food, body temperature rises during the first sleep cycle, which also leads to reduced sleep quality. The researchers stated that multiple reasons can explain the effect of a spicy dinner on sleep, the most obvious being the irritating effect of spicy food on the digestive system.
Who should not eat spicy foods
Heart problems
The capsaicin in chili peppers increases blood circulation and heart rate, which can induce tachycardia. Therefore, patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should eat less spicy food.
Kidney problems
Capsaicin is excreted by the kidneys and has a certain stimulating effect on them. If people with poor kidney function eat spicy food often, it will加重 the burden on the kidneys.
Excess stomach acid
Capsaicin can stimulate the secretion of gastric acid. Excess gastric acid can cause gallbladder contraction, leading to spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, which makes bile excretion difficult, thus inducing cholecystitis, biliary colic, and pancreatitis.
Constipation
Capsaicin is irritating and can worsen constipation. After eating, patients with hemorrhoids may also experience congestion and edema of the hemorrhoidal veins, leading to a worsening of the condition and inducing perianal abscesses.
Oral ulcers
The irritant nature of chili peppers not only induces pain but also stimulates the ulcer surface, causing it to expand further and leading to a prolonged healing process.
Eye diseases
People with conditions like keratitis or conjunctivitis may experience discomfort such as swollen eyelids, a burning sensation in the eyes, or even increased intraocular pressure after eating spicy food.
Hyperthyroidism
Patients with hyperthyroidism already have a fast heart rate. After consuming chili peppers, their heart rate will become even faster, making the symptoms more pronounced.
Poor digestive system
People suffering from chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, or esophagitis, if they frequently eat spicy food, capsaicin will stimulate the mucous membrane to become congested and swollen, accelerate gastrointestinal motility, and thus cause symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain, which also affects digestive function.