Having a little bit of extra spice can go a long way in making just about any dish better and more memorable, and you certainly have quite a few choices when it comes to the types of peppers that you add. If you have been paying attention to the health news over the past few years, you might have heard that capsaicin is being touted as majorly beneficial for peoples’ health. This element is found in chili peppers. Naturally, you want to choose a pepper that tastes great and that includes capsaicin. Jalapeños and the capsaicin they offer could do the trick.
Let’s get a better understanding of exactly what it is that makes jalapeño and the capsaicin it provides a good option to add to your diet.
Antioxidant Powers
A study conducted by researchers from Poland, Canada, and Mexico was published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” in 2011. They found that a certain type of jalapeño, called a Flores Magon jalapeño, had more capsaicin than any of the other peppers they tested. In fact, this type of jalapeño had capsaicin levels measuring 2.3 milligrams for each gram of dry weight. They also had a high level of antioxidants in them. These antioxidants can help to reduce the free radicals in the human body, which can help reduce instances of disease and cell damage related to a person’s age.
Autoimmune Diabetes
Another one of the benefits of jalapeño and capsaicin use could be to help fight against diabetes. An animal study from researchers at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine found that using capsaicin orally in mice was able to “suppress the proliferation and activation of autoreactive T Cells in the animals’ pancreatic lymph nodes”. This helped to prevent the mice from developing Type 1 diabetes.
Weight Loss
In addition to these other benefits, you will find that the jalapeño and capsaicin can also help with weight loss. Several studies, including a Canadian study and a study published in the “Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology” have shown that there is a correlation between these peppers and losing weight. While it is not a magic solution that will help you to shed all of the weight that you want, you will find that it can be quite advantageous. In many, it could increase the metabolic rate by about 8%. It may also make you feel like eating less than usual when you add spicy foods such as jalapeños to the diet.
A Good Choice
You will find that the jalapeño is a great choice for many who are just starting to add more spicy food to their diet. The peppers are hot, but they are still manageable for many people. It is possible to use them in a range of dishes, such as chili. You can also add some of these to a sandwich or salad to get a bit more of a kick. Jalapeños and the capsaicin they provide are a great option for those who are looking for something delicious and healthy.