In the scorching summer, many people are accustomed to avoiding spicy and irritating foods, believing that eating them will lead to "internal heat." However, that's not the case. You should actually eat some chili peppers in the summer. So, what are the benefits of eating chili peppers in the summer?
Benefits of Eating Chili Peppers in the Summer
1. Balancing Cold and Heat
In the hot summer, people naturally consume more cooling foods. However, eating too many cooling foods can easily damage the spleen and stomach, leading to mild discomfort in the epigastric area or, in more severe cases, stomach pain. Therefore, if we pair our diet with some chili peppers in the summer, it can help balance the cold and hot nature of the foods.
2. Stimulating Appetite
In the hot summer, many people lose their appetite. Eating some chili peppers appropriately can promote the secretion of digestive fluids, enhance intestinal peristalsis, and improve appetite after the taste buds and digestive tract are stimulated by the spiciness. It can also inhibit abnormal fermentation in the gut. Additionally, chili peppers can effectively stimulate the release of prostaglandin E2 in the human body, promote the regeneration of gastric mucosa, maintain the function of intestinal cells, and effectively prevent gastrointestinal diseases.
3. Bactericidal
The summer season is characterized by heat and dampness, making food easily contaminated by bacteria. Moreover, due to the hot weather, food left out for too long can spoil easily. Therefore, having some chili peppers with each meal can help kill bacteria. Furthermore, because chili peppers have bactericidal properties, they also help prevent inflammation.
4. Weight Loss
Many overweight people suffer greatly in the summer; they sweat profusely from even minor activity, feel uncomfortable in the sun and are prone to heatstroke, and have slow heat dissipation. Therefore, many people want to lose weight in the summer. Why not try eating some chili peppers? Chili peppers contain a substance called "capsaicin," which can promote hormone secretion, thereby accelerating metabolism to burn body fat, thus aiding in weight loss.
5. Beauty Benefits
Chili peppers are very rich in vitamin C. "More C, more beautiful." We can often see that women from Sichuan and Hunan have relatively more delicate and fairer skin compared to other regions, which is inseparable from their habit of eating chili peppers from a young age. This is because chili peppers can promote hormone secretion in the body, improving skin condition.
Many people think that eating spicy food causes acne, but the problem isn't the chili peppers themselves. Only for those who are already prone to acne will eating chili peppers "add fuel to the fire." Of course, for those who are more prone to pimples, it's still best to control their intake of chili peppers.
6. Removing Dampness
Chili peppers have the effect of removing dampness, expelling excess moisture from the body. In the summer, there is a lot of rain and heavy dampness, so we can also eat some chili peppers to eliminate this dampness.
7. Promoting Blood Circulation
In addition to its high culinary value, chili peppers also have good medicinal value. Eating spicy food in moderation can effectively promote blood circulation, resolve phlegm and remove dampness, and effectively improve discomfort symptoms such as aversion to cold, vascular headaches, and chilblains.
8. Relieving Pain and Reducing Heat
Chili peppers are warm in nature and can lower body temperature through sweating and relieve muscle pain, thus having a strong antipyretic and analgesic effect. American studies have found that capsaicin can reduce the neurotransmitters that transmit pain, making a person's perception of pain weaker.
9. Protecting the Heart
Eating chili peppers in moderation in the summer can effectively prevent atherosclerosis and protect the heart. People with heart disease can add a moderate amount of chili peppers to their daily diet, as it is beneficial for the heart.
10. Cancer Prevention
Capsaicin in chili peppers is an effective antioxidant that can stop the metabolism of related cells and terminate the cancerous process of cell tissues, having a good effect on preventing cancer.
How Much Chili Pepper is Appropriate to Eat Daily in the Summer
It is absolutely not advisable to eat large amounts of chili peppers in the summer, as they are acrid and heating in nature. Overconsumption can cause dampness in the body to transform from heat, manifesting as skin acne, high blood pressure, aggravated hemorrhoids, and nosebleeds. Eating too much can also damage the spleen and stomach, leading to mild discomfort or severe stomach pain. At the same time, excessive chili pepper consumption can stimulate the skin, causing excessively active oil secretion and leading to acne. Everyone's tolerance is different, but for an average person, perhaps 5 or 6 chili peppers a day is appropriate.
Who Should Avoid Eating Chili Peppers in the Summer
Although eating chili peppers in the summer can remove dampness and stimulate appetite, there are certain groups of people who should avoid them. For example, pregnant and postpartum women, people with constipation, and those suffering from heart disease, hyperthyroidism, gastritis, gastric ulcers, kidney disease, conjunctivitis, or cardiovascular diseases should avoid eating chili peppers to prevent aggravating their conditions.
How to Avoid "Internal Heat" After Eating Chili Peppers in the Summer
Eating too many chili peppers in the summer can easily lead to "internal heat." Therefore, after eating spicy food, it is recommended to drink more soups, such as vegetable soup or tomato and egg drop soup, which can help clear heat and reduce fire. After eating spicy food, you can also eat more sour fruits, which can stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids, accelerate gastrointestinal motility, and nourish yin and moisten dryness.