A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark or vegetative substance used as a food additive for the purpose of flavouring and indirectly for the purpose of killing and preventing growth of pathogenic bacteria.  

Spices have been prominent in human history virtually since their inception.  Cultures around the world have been enjoying hot spices and sauces for centuries and not purely for taste.  Chillies, hot peppers and other spices were initially used in ancient civilizations for medicinal and decorative purposes.  Spices were among the most valuable items of trade in the ancient world.  Today, they are components of many traditional cuisines throughout Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

The most common spice used worldwide is the chilli pepper, which is second only to salt, when used as a seasoning.  Currently, China, Turkey, Nigeria, Spain and Mexico are the largest commercial chilli producers.  They export their goods to nearly every continent on the globe. 

If you like your food hot and spicy, you may live a longer and healthier life.  Chilli peppers and other hot spices have an undeserved reputation for causing ulcers, stomach aches and gas.  Today, research suggests that most fiery spices can in fact remedy or prevent these ailments.  They are also thought to improve general health and may prevent serious life-threatening illnesses.  So, feel free to add another splash of Tabasco to your eggs and smear another glob of wasabi on your sushi.  Here are several reasons why you may want to brave the tongue roasting horrors of a habanero pepper.

Health Benefits

Chillies and hot peppers contain capsaicin, the main compound found within their veins.  Capsaicin is the chemical that gives them their heat.  It is an odourless, flavourless chemical that has been proven to combat several common health concerns, including high blood pressure, cholesterol, joint pain, depression and digestion problems.  Capsaicin stimulates and then decreases the intensity of pain signals in the body.  Therefore, it is frequently used as a topical treatment for pain relief.  

Turmeric is another spicy ingredient that has shown health benefits in those who consume it in their everyday diets.  It is the main ingredient in many spicy sauces and curries.  The main chemical in turmeric is curcumin, which is thought to slow the progression of certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Recent studies also show, cultures that use hot peppers and spices in their diets have lower rates of cancer, heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

Other health benefits linked to chilli peppers and turmeric include:

• Reduction in the frequency of headaches and migraines;

• Improved cardiovascular health and increased circulation;

• Increased metabolic rate, leading to weight loss;

• Decreased frequency of colds and fevers;

• Increased endorphin production;

• Anti-inflammatory benefits against arthritis;

• Nutritional benefits - hot peppers and spices are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene and antioxidants.

Fire Up your Diet

There are many hot and spicy ingredients that you can integrate into your diet to achieve the associated health benefits.  Here is a sampling:

• Chilli peppers – including green and red chillies, habanero peppers, jalapeno peppers, Poblano peppers and Serrano chillies.

• Cayenne pepper is finely ground red pepper derived from dried cayenne chillies.

• Tabasco sauce, which contains mashed, aged red peppers, vinegar and salt.

• Curry is a mix of spices, including hot turmeric.  It can be found in sauce or powder form.

• Wasabi is Japanese horseradish.

• Sriracha is a hot chilli sauce or paste often found in Asian restaurants.

Try mixing some cayenne pepper into barbecue sauce or any other marinade to add some zip to regular sauces that normally accompany meat.  You can also add a spoonful of wasabi into ordinary guacamole to create a hot, tangy kick, or you can whisk a couple teaspoons of curry powder into mayonnaise to add some punch to sandwiches.  Using more spices for flavour can also reduce your intake of salt and sugar.

Chillies and hot peppers are used predominantly in Latin American, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern and African dishes.  So, even if you don’t like to cook, you can still dine out or order in spicy ethnic delicacies.

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spice is nice

Now that you know the ground rules, start sprinkling!  Start on the milder side of the spicy scale.  As you work up your tolerance to the heat, you can be more adventurous and daring!