Jalapeños

Jalapeños are low in calories & full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, & antioxidants. Jalapeños also contain lots of vitamin C & vitamin B6. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radical damage & keeps your skin healthy & firm, while vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient involved in over 140 bodily reactions. One of the most unique...

HEALTHY & FUN FRUITY FACTS

Tatianna

4/27/20213 min read

Jalapeños

Jalapeños are low in calories & full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, & antioxidants. Jalapeños also contain lots of vitamin C & vitamin B6. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radical damage & keeps your skin healthy & firm, while vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient involved in over 140 bodily reactions. One of the most unique compounds in jalapeños is capsaicin, an alkaloid that gives peppers their characteristic spicy quality & is responsible for many of their health benefits. Jalapeños may help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism, increasing fat burn & reducing your appetite. Several studies have found that capsaicin & other similar compounds called capsaicinoids can boost metabolism by 4–5% per day, potentially making it easier to lose weight. In addition to boosting metabolism, capsaicinoid supplements have been shown to reduce abdominal fat & appetite so that people eat 50–75 fewer calories per day. Preliminary in vitro studies suggest that capsaicin may help fight cancer in high doses, but more research is needed to determine whether this holds true in humans. Products that contain capsaicin can help relieve pain when used topically, but it is unknown whether jalapeño peppers have similar effects. Stomach ulcers can be caused by a number of factors, including: the growth of H. pylori bacteria within the stomach, high levels of stomach acid, low blood flow to the stomach, taking too many NSAID pain relievers, drinking alcohol, smoking, & stress. While it is commonly believed that spicy foods like jalapeños can cause or aggravate stomach ulcers, research has shown this to be false. In fact, the capsaicin in chili peppers may protect the stomach from developing ulcers in the first place. It may have this effect by reducing stomach inflammation in people with H. pylori & even helping kill off the infection. However, it is not clear whether the amount of capsaicin in jalapeños is large enough to have this effect. Chili peppers can also help reduce the stomach damage caused by the overuse of NSAID pain relievers & alcohol, potentially preventing the formation of ulcers from the start. Compounds found in spicy chili peppers are especially powerful at slowing the growth of common foodborne bacteria & yeasts. Chili extracts can even stop cholera bacteria from producing toxins, potentially reducing the impact of this deadly foodborne disease. Beyond food poisoning, new research suggests that capsaicin can help prevent other types of infections, such as strep throat, bacterial tooth decay, & chlamydia. However, it is important to note that all of these studies used chili extracts, not whole chilis, & were conducted in test tubes, not humans. These early studies suggest that chili peppers may have strong antimicrobial properties, & future research is underway to determine if they may be used as natural preservatives or medicines. Some of the biggest risk factors for heart disease include diabetes, high cholesterol, & high blood pressure. Capsaicin can help reduce the impact of these factors & may help keep your heart healthy. Eating 5 grams of chili peppers before a high-carb meal has been shown to help stabilize blood sugars & prevent the large spikes that occur after meals. Capsaicin has also been shown to lower cholesterol & lipid levels in animals, but no studies have been conducted in humans. Animal studies also suggest that capsaicin can help lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, but there is no research to show whether this is true in humans. Overall, preliminary research suggests that capsaicin & chili peppers may be beneficial for heart health, but more human studies are needed. The most common side effect of eating jalapeños is a temporary burning sensation in the mouth, but simple steps can be taken to reduce it. Those with heartburn, IBS, or aflatoxin sensitivity may want to avoid chili peppers to avoid symptoms.