is spicy food REALLY that bad for you?

[iwuvmydoggy]

i've heard some raw foodists say that spicy foods are bad for you.. i just want to know if this is legitimate or not... because i like spicy food.. my mom swears that i'm half dragon. i can eat kimchi without breaking a sweat.. indian food doesn't even make my nose run... if i curry were a perfume, i would wear it, and i have even eaten raw habaneros with no problems... lol i think pepperoncini is a good addition to just about anything... so.. is it really that bad for people?

i'm not as bad as that one dude that squeezes chili juice in his eyeballs from ripley's believe it or not... but i really love the taste of spicy food....

[Veronica01]

well spices are stimulants and irritants, they sure spend a lot more time in your body being digested and utilized than they ever spent in your mouth. I think that just because your mouth can handle it doesn't necessarily mean thats a good thing for digestion, or nutrient absorption. You also find that going raw you appreciate flavours so much more because you're not eating piping hot food laden with tons of spices to put flavour BACK into the food once it's cooked out of it. I use spices sparingly as i would never have a desire to eat them plain and much prefer sweet and juicy fruits to scorching hot dishes. Maybe your tastes will change as your tasebuds adjust.

[RawSar]

I was the same way but the more research I have done the more I have cut it out. I now do my best to only have spices/herbs on special occasions when I have gourmet raw foods. Everyday if I REALLY crave it I will add a pinch of cayenne to a lemon drink or to a salad.

Here;s a really good site that had many answers to my questions.

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/condiments/condiments-seasonings-and-spices.html

[Raw Angel Mom]

High in vitamin C.. I love hot pepper and they love me, lol... I guess it depends on people. Cayen pepper is very good for you.

I don't put much, just a little to spice thing up and it gives a lovely taste

Hugs!

[rkk]

I have always loved chili peppers and heat in my food. However, about 5 weeks ago when I started transitioning to raw, I stopped eating chili peppers (never really thought about it, just didn't). A few weeks ago when I was still eating occasional cooked vegan meals (though mostly raw), I went out and had some Mexican food with hot salsa. While I was eating the food, my tastebuds were very happy. However, within 30-45 minutes of leaving the restaurant, my stomach was completely burning up! And this wasn't due to me eating cooked food, as I was eating a cooked dinner nearly every night and didn't have the same effect (although I had the general fatigue eating cooked).

It made me realize that once my diet had started cleaning up, my body was so much more sensitive to things like chilis. If you don't eat chili peppers for awhile, and then reintroduce them, your body knows it doesn't want it. Even though my tastebuds like chili, my body obviously doesn't - as they irritate my insides.

So I am not eating any more chili peppers, and will learn to adapt my taste without them.

[iwuvmydoggy]

good points! i never really thought about it like that. i just like the taste of hot stuff.. it doesn't give me any problems, unless i eat something spicy like right before i go to bed... then i can get acid reflux, but not all the time.. but really, that's just common sense. don't eat anything before you go to bed. lol

i dunno.. maybe i'll eventually adjust to where i don't want lots of spice.. but i enjoy the fragrant scents of spices (such as curry) as much as i enjoy the taste... and personally, spice doesn't bother my insides. my grandfather used to keep a big bowl of tabasco peppers and jalapenos & snack on those while watching TV, like most people would chips.. it's genetic. lol and citrus has given me more problems than i've ever had with spicy food. (i won't go into great details.. let's just say it was extremely painful... and i advise anyone not to consume a large amount of lemons or anything like that as your food won't be the only thing about you that is raw... lol)

[RawYorkCity]

I avoid spices because most are made with nightshades, which make my skin dry.

[Ilse W.]

Don't believe everything you read. Every body is different. What's right for one person is not good for the next. Listen to YOUR body and enjoy your food. I eat spicy food all the time. I love it and it loves me back!

[Redrocket]

Yes that's right, there are different body types. Read a little into AyurVeda. Ayurveda doesn't recommend raw for everybody so it can be confusing to some people but raw foods have characteristics and I'm sure it can work just fine if one takes care to use all the tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent and astringent and consider some of the characteristics of foods like cool, warm, rough, smooth, dry and oily. Certain body types should have combinations of these and also adjusting to Earth's seasons will help as well. Our environment and even our mental/physical habits and daily activities will have an effect; it's all a matter of moderation and maintaining a balance in our lives to keep your mind/body type in balance. That is why some have trouble no matter how they eat, consider the body types if you're having some trouble with diet and you may do better.

Just my two sense and life experience.

[rawlight]

if i curry were a perfume, i would wear it,

Me too!! That is funny.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i go through phases... sometimes i can't get enough spicy and i add lots and lots of cayenne to my tomato juice/soup when i'm fasting. other times i can't stomach even a small amount. i figure it's my bodies way of letting me know what it needs and doesn't need.

i have read that spicy food cleans the blood... but don't take that as fact cause i don't remember where i read it. :p