Topic: Mr Naga ruined my curry!

[Kashmiri Bob]

There is quite a market for crazy hot chili.  Looked into it once, but a product called Daves Ghost Pepper sauce gave me a serious nose bleed.  Never again.  Mr Naga is fairly tame to aficionados.  Check this nutter out:

Chilli SauceTests "Mr Naga Hot Pepper Pickle"

Rob

[sp]

Does eating too much spicey food (especially curry) give you stomach ulcers?
Has anybody had any problems with their health (apart from piling on a few pounds) that they equate to too much spicey food etc?

Funnily enough I'm going to see about exactly that on Monday morning when I visit the doctor about recurring stomach ache (could almost set your watch by it!)... I'm hoping it's just a long-term side-effect of the medications I'm on for psoriatic arthritis (first showed signs at 21 but officially diagnosed at the ripe old age of 31, turned 37 this year) rather than something more insidious (like the big C) - I'm guessing IBS or stomach ulcer - guess what you should avoid?  yep, spicy foods and alcohol... pity these are two of my favourite things ;D :

[sp]

There is quite a market for crazy hot chili.  Looked into it once, but a product called Daves Ghost Pepper sauce gave me a serious nose bleed.  Never again.  Mr Naga is fairly tame to aficionados. 

Here's a reprint of Jeremy Clarksons (famous motoring journalist/celeb of BBC Top Gear fame for the non-Brits amongst us) take on "Insanity" pepper sauce

http://www.nwcaching.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4920

[Tommy Timebomb]

Re Robs video... Those Aussies do tend to like a bit of extreme sports, I watched him and his son tuck in to the Dorset Naga, they was mighty impressed, I may have to give it a go.

Hope your tests turn out ok Steph as I'm of an age now where everything is taking it's toll also. I've been over indulging in everything apart from smoking from an early age so now my mortality has become questionable. 

As for Clarkson that was quite a funny write up, he blows hot and cold with me so I wasn't too sure if I was hoping for his demise or not during his encounter with the Insanity sauce.  ;D
As I mentioned earlier... I'm just glad I've run out of Mr Naga for a while.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Funnily enough I'm going to see about exactly that on Monday morning when I visit the doctor about recurring stomach ache (could almost set your watch by it!)... I'm hoping it's just a long-term side-effect of the medications I'm on for psoriatic arthritis (first showed signs at 21 but officially diagnosed at the ripe old age of 31, turned 37 this year) rather than something more insidious (like the big C) - I'm guessing IBS or stomach ulcer - guess what you should avoid?  yep, spicy foods and alcohol... pity these are two of my favourite things ;D :

Good luck, Stephen : hope everything turns out well for you.
** Phil.

[Aussie Mick]

Hope all is well mate.

[Salvador Dhali]

Now please do tell me... Does eating too much spicey food (especially curry) give you stomach ulcers?
Has anybody had any problems with their health (apart from piling on a few pounds) that they equate to too much spicey food etc?

My former g.p., herself from the sub-continent, once said to me "Curry, worry, chilli : very bad for tummy".  She added black coffee to the list, too

** Phil.

It's strange that a GP (and one from the sub-continent, where the health benefits of spices have been known for thousands of years) should make such a sweeping - and grossly incorrect statement.

While there is much evidence for the health benefits of the spices used in curry, there is no evidence that eating too much chilli is unhealthy, or that it causes ulcers. In fact, capsaicin is used in anti-inflammatory creams to treat ailments like arthritis and shingles. For even though it may feel as though the spice is setting your mouth on fire, capsaicin actually helps ease pain. That's because over time, capsaicin depletes the pain-causing neurotransmitter, Substance P. What's more, chillis may help you lose a little weight, as capsaicin helps suppress body fat accumulation (in particular, a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that capsaicin plays a role in abdominal fat loss). That may be because the spice alters key proteins found in fat, triggering them to break down fat.

While some people may have sensitive stomachs or perhaps medical conditions that too much chilli aggravates, as a long-term chilli and curry addict I can only speak from personal experience, which indicates that 35 years of daily indulgence has produced no ill effects whatsoever (bar the occasional 'morning after' discomfort after going a little too far ).

As for health benefits accruing from other curry spices, cumin is a good source of iron, and studies have shown it may help lower blood glucose levels. It also has antibacterial properties, and has been found to be effective at killing Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria linked with stomach ulcers, while black cumin can help reduce inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Turmeric has been much in the news of late, after studies showed that it contains a remarkably effective anti-cancer agent called curcumin. (Some of you may have seen it featured on C4's 'Food Hospital' program.) Leicester university scientists have already started trials to test its ability to kill bowel cancer tumours. Another study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research found that turmeric supplements suppress a cell signaling pathway that fuels the growth of head and neck cancer.   

Ginger is well known for its myriad health benefits, including its anti-inflammatory properties. Two other phytochemicals in ginger - shogaol and zingerone - have anti-tussive and anti-inflammatory properties, and can bring relief for cough and congestion from a cold or the flu. They are also known to minimise discomfort from the ravages of arthritis. Suffering from muscle soreness? Research published in the Journal of Pain shows that consuming two grams of ginger supplements daily eased exercise-induced muscle pain by 25 percent over an 11 day period.

Cinnamon contains iron, calcium, manganese and even fibre and is loaded with health benefits. It contains substances that work as antioxidants to protect cells against damage caused by harmful free radicals - substances found in the environment and inside the body that destroy cells. The spice may also be a diabetic's new best friend. It has a remarkable effect on regulating blood sugar, and several studies suggest that cinnamon may help regulate blood glucose as well as blood pressure in people with Type 2 diabetes. One study found that consuming two grams of cinnamon for 12 weeks significantly reduces the HbA1c [a test that shows blood sugar levels], systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in those with poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes.

I won't go through the rest of the curry spices, but hopefully the above is enough to challenge the notion that "Curry, worry, chilli: very bad for tummy".

In other words, get those spices and curry pans out and start eating yourself healthy!

[Tommy Timebomb]

Thanks for your time in writing this Salvador... That is without doubt one intresting comprehensive no nonsence answer.
Good news in fact! 

What better place for a case study of the myths surrounding the evils of spicy foods than forums such as this.
I have always had in the back of my mind that us Europeans weren't/wasn't (help me out here Phil) cut out for a lifestyle of this cuisine without detrimental consequences.
Let the good times roll!  ;D

[fried]

You only forgot to mention that chillis have one of the highest amounts of Vitamin 'C'.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but..

My missus had an infection behind her eye and was under a course of Cortisone (still is in fact) for more than a year. There are normally lots of side effect from this medication, but she had none. They asked her about her diet and she said that she'd been eating a lot of curry. The doctor had been studying the effects of ginger and turmeric use and was really interested in the quantities she'd been eating.

Still only allowed to cook a curry once a week though

[chillihothot]

To me/for me, chilli is a bit of a wonder. I once OD'd on Ibuprofen and gave myself an Ulcer, experienced no negative side effects from heavily spiced and very hot curry, actually more the opposite effect of easing the pain.
Along side red wine (in moderation has similar effects), chilli is most definitely a wonder food/drug.

I know this is all anecdotal but I notice these effects after consuming large doses of chilli:
- Cold/flu relief
- Unexplained increased happiness/euphoria
- Increased concentration
- Improved verbal articulation
- Heightened senses
- Creative impulse surges