Feel-Good with hot peppers

While writing this post, I got an interesting phone call from Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times, one of the best reporters in America covering science and health for national magazines and newspaper. Apparently, Hilary Clinton – who was then running for the Democratic presidential nomination – had told reporters that the secret to keeping her energy up on the campaign trail was eating plenty of capsaicin peppers. The Times wanted to know what I thought about that.

Truth be told, eating hot peppers for energy is a pretty interesting possibility. Hot peppers, such as cayenne, habanero, and jalapeno, have an active ingredient called capsaicin, which has a host of benefits and uses, one of which just might be increasing metabolism (and possibly energy).

Eating red hot chile peppers raises your levels of “feel-good”, according to my friend, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. At the very least, hot peppers will definitely wake you up! Capsaicin is a vasodilator*, enhancing circulation and increasing body temperature. What’s more, hot peppers may act as a metabolism booster. In one animal study, capsaicin promoted energy metabolism and suppressed the accumulation of body fat.

I think adding hot peppers to your diet makes a lot of sense. They’re loaded with antioxidants, low in calories, and high on taste. They’ll certainly wake you up and put a zing in your step!

*Meaning it helps relax the muscles of the blood vessels, dilating them and allowing blood, nutrients, and oxygen to flow more freely.