Spicy = Healthy?

Why spicy foods are good for you, and why some people can't get enough

DR. SAN DIEGO

For sure, “some like it hot.” I’m not talking about the 1959 Billy Wilder film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon (shot, in part, right here at the famed Hotel del Coronado). I’m talking about the creation of another local “hottie,” San Diego’s own Jennifer Reynolds, founder and owner of Sauce Goddess, which she opened in 2000, based on her father’s own recipes.

Get this — her company’s tag line is, “If you don’t lick your fingers, someone else will.” Now that’s spicy! And so are her famed “Grill Glazes” and “Rubrubs.” After all, “a good rub can make anything extraordinary,” she says. Whew.

What in the world is this blog about? Yes, I know “Dr. San Diego” writes about healthy living, and when I met Jennifer at a party recently, she convinced me to look into the growing evidence that links what we eat to the way we feel and behave.

What I found was somewhat surprising, though I’ve been a lover of hot, spicy food for years. Now I understand why.

Of course, we know that the brain is one of the largest organs in the body and, like our other organs, it’s affected by what we eat and drink. But scientific data on how food affects our mental health is far from complete.

Clearly, there’s no magic bullet or single nutrient that holds the key to mental health and well-being. We do know that the following, all combined, are commonly associated with good mental health and well-being: polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 types found in oily fish and some plants), along with minerals such as zinc (found in whole grains, legumes, meat and milk), magnesium (in green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains) and iron (in red meat, green leafy vegetables, eggs and some fruit), and finally vitamins such as folate (green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals) with a range of B vitamins (whole-grain products, yeast and dairy products) and antioxidant vitamins such as C and E (found in a wide range of fruits and vegetables).

So what about our Sauce Goddess? Can kicking up our food a notch keep our brains sharp and strong as we age? Why do we have such an “addiction” to spicy foods, that the Fiery Foods and BBQ Show, where Jennifer’s offerings won a highly coveted Scovie Award, has more than 10,000 public attendees (“chileheads”) year after year? And finally, why do men lie about the amount of hot and spicy food they eat?

Here’s the skinny on spicy foods: first, they ARE good for us.

Want to stay slim? The British Journal of Nutrition reported a study that said that when women add 2 teaspoons of dried red pepper to their daily food, they consume fewer calories and fat in later meals. Throw some tangy sauce on your morning omelet and you’re good to go.

Want to become stronger? A University of South Carolina study says that the curcumin that turns turmeric yellow also helps reduce inflammation and aids muscle repair after heavy exercise. These university researchers recommend athletes eat foods that contain curry for a few days before a game.

Want to stay sharp? A UCLA Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center study says curcumin also inhibits the production of amyloid plaque, the sticky deposits in your brain that directly cause Alzheimer’s disease. Tumeric, a relative of capsaicin found in curry powder, seems to cut the amount of amyloid plaque in half. Further, one New York Medical College study indicates that curry not only can prevent disease, but can help keep the brain sharp as people age.

Want to be happy? Capsaicin (the stuff that gives spicy foods its BAM!), according to research done at the State University of New York at Buffalo, triggers pain receptors in the mouth that, in turn, signal your brain to release those feel-good endorphins. So that’s why hot, spicy glazes and RubRubs can be addicting and make us feel good — albeit while burning our tongues. It’s a benign addiction, so don’t worry.

The stinging sensation we feel depends on the amount of “Scoville units” (thus, the “Scovie” award) found in the capsaicin. For example, eat a sweet green pepper and you’ll find zero Scoville units. On the other hand, a habanero chili pepper has 100,000-250,000 Scoville units. Pure capsaicin has 15,000,000-16,000,000 Scoville units. If you are a newbie but want to taste some heat, try some Anaheim peppers from California, rated 500-2,500 Scoville units.

Domino’s Pizza recently sponsored a study to shed light on why men exaggerate the amount of hot, spicy food they eat. Is it male chauvinism, or a competitive streak? Is it about showing off, or a need to prove prowess and manliness? Is the psychology of lying about the amount of Scoville units a guy bites off about a replacement for not having a hot car, home or girl?

It’s all based in evolution. Men who withstood the greatest amount of pain simply had better chances of attracting women. This behavior held a real advantage for hooking up with women who were hot on their own Scoville scale. So this “lie about the amount of habaneros a guy eats” is a genetic competitive drive, primitive as can be, and shows no signs of going away. Imagine: Men lie about who’s top capsaicin dog, the big habanero kahuna, just to win over a “hottie.”

The Chile Belt stretches over 11 states, including New York, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and our very own California. Locally, you can find Sauce Goddess at Bisher’s, Boney’s, Bristol Farms, Major Market, and of course Whole Foods, in addition to many other markets coast to coast.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Mantell has successfully been bringing upbeat, friendly and helpful psychological insights to individuals, families and businesses in San Diego as a clinical and corporate psychologist in private practice. He's been a regular on Good Morning America, KFMB-TV News 8, has appeared on Oprah, Larry King Live, the Today show, authored two best-selling books and speaks regularly for audiences throughout the country.

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