How spicy food affects the body

24.07.2019 00:00

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Even those who love spicy food sometimes underestimate the sauce or spices and their taste buds start to burn. Due to a strong rush of blood, the formation of gastric juice increases, and its excess is thrown into the esophagus - this is how heartburn occurs. Unpleasant sensations in the mouth can be long-lasting, and you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

The first thing that comes to mind is to drink a glass of water. It seems like it can put out a fire quickly, but in reality it doesn't. What to eat or drink to eliminate the burning sensation after spicy food?

How does spicy food affect the body?

Eating foods with a lot of spices and seasonings often and in large quantities is harmful to the body. Such additives improve the taste of the dish, and sometimes you can simply forget about the measure, and overeating has never benefited anyone. It causes heaviness in the stomach, shortness of breath, gas, hiccups and, of course, heartburn. And no one has canceled the extra pounds. Many studies prove that excessive consumption of spicy foods causes diseases of the stomach and duodenum. Such food is absolutely contraindicated for people diagnosed with gastritis and ulcers.

After spicy food, bad breath appears. This applies more to onions and garlic, which create a specific “aroma” that does not disappear for a long time. Plus, the sensitivity of the receptors responsible for recognizing taste may decrease. The result is that the food will seem unsalted, bland and even unpleasant.

On the other hand, spicy foods in moderation can be beneficial. Spices and seasonings stimulate blood flow to the digestive organs, due to this, in some cases, the state of health during colds is made easier, and sputum in case of bronchitis is cleared better. The stimulating effect of acute to some extent has a positive effect on weight loss. This occurs as a result of activation of the cardiovascular system and acceleration of blood flow.

Research by some scientists proves that spicy foods produce serotonin, the so-called happiness hormone, which improves mood and increases overall emotional state and vitality. Therefore, a Mexican salad can be a great alternative to a chocolate bar.

Symptoms

A burning or scalded sensation in the mouth that most commonly affects the tongue but can also spread to the lips, gums, palate, throat and entire cavity
Feeling of dry mouth with increased thirst
Changes in taste, such as bitter or metallic taste
Loss of taste

Discomfort with burning mouth syndrome typically comes in several different patterns. It can appear every day after waking up, with a slight burning sensation in the mouth and increase throughout the day. Or it can start after waking up and last all day. Sometimes discomfort comes and goes.

Any of this pattern of burning in the mouth may continue for months or years. In rare cases, symptoms may suddenly go away on their own or become less frequent. Some relief from these sensations may temporarily occur while eating or drinking.

Burning mouth syndrome does not usually cause any noticeable organic changes in the tongue or mouth.

What actions to take if you are sprayed in the face with pepper spray

The composition of pepper spray intended for civil self-defense is based on a concentrate of capsaicin, an active irritant of plant origin. If it comes into contact with the eyes or skin, the following actions must be taken:

with a dry napkin or cloth to collect any remaining liquid. This must be done as carefully as possible, without spreading the product over the epidermis and mucous membranes,
Blink your eyes frequently until your eyes water. The biological fluid prevents the concentrated solution from entering directly onto the organ of vision,
Water the damaged areas with fermented milk products. You can wash off the concentrate from the pepper spray from the skin and eyes with milk, kefir or other high-fat liquid products. Water the skin and mucous membranes, but do not rub them,
Use a soda solution . Dilute 15 grams of baking soda in 0.5 liters of water, then rinse your eyes, face and other affected areas where liquid from the pepper spray got in,
Take off all your clothes , stand in a warm shower and wash yourself, lubricating yourself generously with soap.

How to protect yourself from burning

In cases where you are preparing a dish using hot peppers, you must prepare in advance and place next to you a container with water and bleach in proportions of 5:1. In this solution, when cutting peppers, you should periodically wet your hands and rinse them with water.

In addition, the safest method to protect yourself from getting burned is to use latex gloves or plastic bags while cooking. Or you can wet your hands with vegetable oil, which will neutralize the capsaicin. Only in this way is there a high probability of avoiding burns on your hands and getting pepper juice on other parts of the body and in the eyes.

To avoid getting burned when working with pepper, you must use safety precautions. And if necessary, immediately use the above traditional remedies to eliminate the symptoms of burning and burns. If pain, discomfort, burning in the eyes and body persists after the procedures, you should definitely contact a medical specialist for specialized care.

Why does pepper burn?

Capsaicin is an oily substance found in some varieties of hot peppers; it is this component that gives dishes a special, specific taste. During cooking, pepper juice can get on the skin of your hands, thereby instantly causing a burning sensation and redness, which is very difficult to neutralize.

The amount of this component in all varieties of pepper is different. Thus, the more capsaicin, the stronger the burn from contact with the skin. Some of the most popular hot peppers are chili pepper, red hot pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Pepper heat units

What to do if you get pepper in your eyes

The most problematic thing is to get rid of the unpleasant sensations after hot pepper gets into your eyes. The mucous membranes of the visual organs do not have basic protection from capsaicin compared to the epidermis, and accordingly, burning and pain are most pronounced. Harsh pepper neutralizers should not be used on the eyes. If red hot pepper gets into your eyes, then to neutralize the substance you need to do only mild options:

Soda solution. One tablespoon of baking soda is diluted in 500 milliliters of clean water. The eyes are washed with the liquid. If necessary, the product is prepared again, the procedure is carried out until the burning sensation disappears,
Olive oil. Capsaicin is partially neutralized in oils. The softest is natural olive essence in high concentration. Open a bottle of oil, moisten a swab generously with it and wipe the affected areas of the eyes for 3-5 minutes, changing the cotton wool regularly,
Starch. It does not directly eliminate the active irritant, but it counteracts the development of the inflammatory process and irritation. After removing capsaicin from the mucous membranes, generously sprinkle the affected areas with a product based on potato extract.

What to do if you eat chili peppers

Quite often, a person may even unintentionally consume hot red pepper, for example, by confusing it with its sweet counterpart. How to relieve burning in the mouth? Effective ways:

Drink milk. Fermented milk products significantly reduce the negative manifestations of the pathological process due to the destructive effect of casein on capsaicin. To enhance the positive effect, you should use chilled products. Take a sufficient amount of milk into your mouth and rinse the cavity with it. Repeat the activity until the burning sensation disappears,

Use any vegetable oil. To partially neutralize the effects of red pepper, olive, sunflower or any other oil is suitable. These products contain a significant amount of complex fats that dissolve the aggressive components of pepper. There is no need to drink the substance and rinse your mouth with it - just take a gauze or cotton swab, dip it in vegetable oil, and then treat the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue,
Use lemon juice. Lemon juice contains a mild acid that destroys capsaicin. To neutralize the pathological reaction, squeeze a sufficient amount of liquid from the lemon, dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio, then rinse your mouth for several minutes.

What to do

The burning sensation caused by peppers is caused by a powerful, naturally occurring substance called capsaicin.

So, if you come into contact with hot peppers while cooking (or under other circumstances) and feel an unbearable burning sensation, you can do the following:

1. Salt. Take a few tablespoons of salt, add a spoonful of water, rub your hands with the resulting mixture, or completely immerse them in salt. Leave in this state for ten minutes, wash off with soap and water, and apply moisturizer.

2. Fresh cucumber. Ideally, you need to prepare a paste and put your hands in it. But if the burning sensation occurs in a small area, you can apply a slice of freshly cut cucumber to the affected area.

3. Ice. Helps reduce sensitivity for a while, for example, while you are looking for a cucumber or dissolving salt.

4. Milk. You need to keep your hands in milk for 10-15 minutes, then wash it off with soap and treat the skin with any moisturizer. If there is no milk, any fermented milk product will do: kefir, yogurt, yogurt, etc.

5. An alcoholic drink with a strength of at least 40 degrees. You need to dip your hand in alcohol and hold it there for seven minutes. Then rinse and lubricate with cream.

6. Raw potatoes. It must be turned into a paste, applied to your hands for 10-15 minutes, then washed off with warm water and soap.

7. Olive oil (sunflower oil will also work). Apply to hands, wait until the unpleasant symptoms subside, and wash off with warm water and soap.

8. Liquid soap and soda. These two components need to be ground to a paste, thoroughly rub your hands with it, and wait about a quarter of an hour. Please note: this mixture is washed off with vinegar, and only then with water.

9. Lemon juice, water and vinegar in a ratio of 1:1:1. Everything is combined and applied to the affected area.

10. Another great way to remove the burning sensation from pepper on your hands is salted milk. Dilute the salt with milk and dip your hands directly into the solution. Leave for 10-15 minutes, rinse, moisturize.

Treatment of burns from hot spices

In some cases, at high concentrations of capsaicin and prolonged contact, prerequisites for the development of a burn may form. This type of damage to the skin and mucous membranes is a typical pathology of a chemical nature. As medical practice shows, in this situation 1st or 2nd degree burns are formed. They are characterized by:

Pain and severe itching
Redness of the skin,
mucous membranes,
Development of swelling.

In some cases, the appearance of small blisters with transparent contents or a local rash or secondary manifestations is diagnosed. First aid and subsequent treatment scheme:

Elimination of substance . Blot the damaged areas with a dry cloth, then wash them with sodium bicarbonate solution,
Reducing the inflammatory process. After removing the substance from the skin and mucous membranes, the affected areas are placed under a stream of cool, clean water for 15-20 minutes,
Antiseptic treatment. The epidermis, face and eyes are treated with safe antiseptics that reduce the risk of developing a secondary bacterial infection. Miramistin or Chlorhexidine is used,
Assistive therapy. After completing the above measures, it is possible to locally use available products based on dexpanthenol, which promotes the healing of soft tissues. In addition, if necessary, antihistamines (ointments or tablets) are used to relieve allergic reactions, analgesics to relieve pain, and steroids as prescribed by a doctor.