I was deeply disappointed to read in the Irish Examiner today where Spicy Food was compared to Junk Food. A pharmacist Bernard Duggan said “avoiding junk and spicy foods could help avoid upset stomachs, which can often be caused by stress, as can diarrhoea, cold sores, and tension headaches” Well Mr Duggan I own an Indian restaurant and am well aware of all the health benefits you can get from Spicy Food. I have taken time out to write a few for you.
The spices: Turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, rosemary, cloves and paprika
How they do it: Nobody is going to rat you out, but let’s say you down a plate of chicken smothered in coconut sauce, rice and cheese bread, plus a biscuit for dessert (49 grams of fat!). Your levels of triglycerides (associated both with heart disease and diabetes) surge, as does your insulin, which stores unused glucose as fat. Not so when that same fatty meal is seasoned with the spices above, found a small study at Pennsylvania State University. When volunteers ate the same chicken (this time with curry added to the coconut sauce) and the same breads (this time seasoned with herbs and cinnamon), their triglyceride response and insulin decreased — by 31 and 21 percent, respectively — as compared to consuming the meal unspiced. Why? These spices — especially the turmeric and cloves — are particularly high in antioxidants that improve insulin sensitivity, says, Ann Skulas-Ray, PhD, a research scientist and an author of the study.
The spice: Turmeric ( help students with there breathing)
How they do it: For centuries, Ayurvedic doctors have used turmeric (curcumin) to treat respiratory problems. Now, Western medicine is finally catching up, finding evidence — at least in animal studies — that it protects the lungs from irritants, pollutants and infectious agents in the air such as cigarette smoke, exhaust, dust and viruses. The result: a potentially lower risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, laryngitis, bronchitis and other lungs diseases, due to curcumin’s ability to prevent infection and to suppress a protein called NF-kB, which causes inflammation and mucus in the airways.
The spices: Rosemary, spearmint, cinnamon ( help students with memory)
How they do it: Although the research is still in its earliest stages, there’s promise that these spices could delay the onset — or reduce symptoms — of Alzheimer’s disease. In one study, high-dose rosemary and spearmint extracts improved memory in mice suffering from age-related decline. (The antioxidants they contain may reduce stress in brain regions that control memory and learning.) In in vitro lab studies, naturally occurring chemicals in cinnamon (also known as cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin) prevented neural “tangles” similar to those in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
I would like to thank the Huffingpost for this info. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/28/spicy-foods-help-lose-weight_n_4855955.html
CorriganSays 