Spicy Foods Help with Cold Symptoms: FACT Spicy foods contain capsaicin, the bioactive ingredient in chili peppers. Capsaicin breaks up mucus, which can help effectively relieve coughing and a sore throat. However, capsaicin can increase the production of mucus, causing a more prevalent runny nose.
Loading up on foods that contain spicy ingredients like chili peppers can help break up mucus and clear out your sinus passages. Spicy foods can also improve symptoms of a cough. Be aware, though — spicy foods can also cause bloating, nausea, or pain in some people.
Spicy foods like sauces and seasonings with chilies and cayenne will also be irritating to the throat since they can affect the throat lining. “For people with specific allergies or acid reflux, certain foods like dairy can also increase mucus production and even tomatoes for some,” adds Dr. Tolentino.
Eating spicy food can be an effective way to help relieve sinus congestion— but it's not a perfect solution. Not only can it be unpleasant if you don't enjoy the burn of spicy food, but it can actually cause nasal congestion too!
Spicy foods:Everyone knows that spicy foods like hot peppers can clear sinuses. Capsaicin is a chemical found in spicy foods that causes a burning sensation when in contact with bodily tissues. Capsaicin irritates mucous membranes, which results in a runny nose, thereby softening any nasal obstruction.
Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C is a smart move. Vitamin C boosts your immune system, which is how your body naturally fights off infection. If you're feeling nauseous, following the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples and toast – may be your preference.
Spicy foods contain various vitamins and minerals that can help boost your immune system. For example, peppers are packed with vitamin C, which can help fight off colds and flu. In addition, capsaicin can help ward off infection and reduce the risk of certain diseases.
Foods that have a lot of dry, firm edges (like crackers) also tend to be more irritating to the throat when swallowed. If you have a sore throat, you may want to stay away from: Citrus fruits and juices, like oranges, lemons, and grapefruit.
As Abramson explained, when we are sick, whether we have a fever or not, our metabolic rates skyrocket, and our bodies need more calories to support that high metabolic rate.
Even if you start feeling a little under the weather, curry is a great way of clearing your sinuses and fighting off the sniffles once and for all.
The bottom line. If you enjoy spicy foods, there's promising research that spices and peppers that contain the compound capsaicin can benefit your health. This includes improving your gut microbiome, possibly lowering your blood pressure, improving good cholesterol levels, and even revving up your metabolism.
Chiles, onions, black pepper, and garlic are among a handful of “highly inhibitive” spice ingredients capable of killing over 75 percent of common food borne bacteria. They are also the most commonly used spices world-wide and are particularly revered in warm climates.
Spicy Foods Can Cause a “High”
Capsaicin causes pain and triggers the body to think it's in danger. In response, the body releases endorphins, which are pleasure causing hormones, this is the body's way of trying to eliminate the “threat” it feels when you eat spicy food.
When you're fighting sinus symptoms, you can put the kettle on for caffeine-free teas — (caffeine dehydrates the body, so options like black tea can irritate the sinuses). Some top herbal choices, which can also help clear congestion, are peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, wild thyme and blackberry teas.