The fast-paced life has changed people's palates. The heavily spicy flavors, once popular only in the damp and cold regions of Sichuan, Hunan, and Hubei, are now spreading across the entire country. However, behind the indulgence in spicy food lies a significant health crisis.
Overstimulating the appetite can easily lead to overeating or even binge eating, which in turn can cause obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and other related issues. Generally, chefs follow the principle of "where there's spice, there's salt," increasing the amount of salt used to counteract the spiciness, which is also why Sichuan cuisine has a heavy flavor. Such a diet that is excessively spicy and salty can indirectly induce chronic diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.
At the same time, consuming large amounts of chili peppers high in capsaicin can cause excessive secretion of digestive fluids, leading to congestion and swelling of the gastrointestinal mucosa and a sharp increase in gastrointestinal motility. This can trigger gastritis, enteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and is even more detrimental to the recovery of digestive function.
Under the stimulation of capsaicin, hemorrhoids can even worsen into perianal abscesses.