October: National Chili Month
October 1, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Nutrition
Would you have known it was National Chili month if I hadn’t told you? Well, now you do.
Did you know that the main “ingredient” in a chili is capsaicin? And that capsaicin can be used in a cream or ointment to help relieve pain? The burning sensation that the cream gives by stimulating the pain signals in your body, researchers believe.
People often use a capsaicin cream to help relieve neuropathic (nerve) pain, such as that from shingles (herpes zoster) or diabetic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes. When I had shingles a few years ago, I did try a capsaicin cream and I can tell you one thing for sure: Be sure not to touch your eyes after you’ve rubbed the cream into your skin. You know that burning on the skin? Imagine that on your eye.
This type of cream may also be used by people for relieving cluster headaches and joint pain. The instructions usually say not to apply it more than three or four times a day and to avoid mucus membranes (nose, mouth, vagina).
Capsaicin can also be used as a dietary supplement. Some people swear by it to improve their digestion. The website, HealthLink BC has a good write up on how some people use capsaicin.
Nutritionally, chili isn’t bad either. It has several B vitamins, is low in fat, calories and sodium. It also contains minerals, such as manganese, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and thiamine. Many people believe this is why chilis can be boost the immune system.
So, are you going out to have chilis this month?
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Image: PhotoXpress.com
chilis? or chiles? is there a difference?
it’s kind of ironic that it can be used to aid digestion, when people with IBS have to avoid it like the plague. wonder why that is?
Hi Nicole, I think it’s really Chili month but I thought it was a good way to have some fun and talk about the health benefits of chilis at the same time.
Three cheers for National Chili Month!!