Spicy food can kill cancer!

dreamer · Jan 10th, 2007, 22:28

Great news for all those lovers of hot and spicy curries!

Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells. They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria - the cells' energy-generating boiler rooms

Unfortunately even half a chilli is too much for me

full story below

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6244715.stm

Nick-H · Jan 10th, 2007, 22:49

What, only the cancer cell mitochondria?

Without mitochondria we'd be dead.

I can manage half a chilli --- in a whole meal!

kalyani68 · Jan 12th, 2007, 00:11

My husband will be protected for life then....
He eats chile peppers raw on a daily basis. I don't mean the mild jalapenos, I mean the small hot Thai/Indian chiles.

Several years ago I read of a study of Mexican-American cigarette smokers who seemed to have lower rates of lung cancer than most. It was thought that their diet high in chile peppers had some protective effect.

icetea · Jan 12th, 2007, 11:34

I once started argueing with an Indian doctor that all these hot spices must be very harmful for the heart, BP and so on (I was dead convinced of what I was saying...). He was saying that, on the contrary, they seem to be quite healthy, they clean the blood system and protect the heart.

I've also read contradictory information about the effect of chillies on blood pressure, some say to avoid it for high BP, some say it actually lowers it. My guess would have been that it definitely increases blood pressure, at least that's what I feel when I eat very spicy food (that my head will explode, more preciselly). Not that I don't like it (or learned to like it, having started from a zero chillies diet).

capt_mahajan · Jan 12th, 2007, 12:19

I prefer raw indian chillis (2 or 3) with indian food.

Hope I am like the American-Mexicans...

just_an_old_boy · Jan 12th, 2007, 12:40

icetea,

The traditional knowledge says, 'green chillies' in moderate quantities are good for health. But, the dried and ground... chilly powder (red gunpowder

) is considered harmful.
Excess consumption as well as dry/red chillies are said to cause intestinial ulcers, beside BP problems.

jyotirmoy · Jan 12th, 2007, 12:51

Billing J, Sherman PW. an evolutionary biologist and professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell, in his article (Rev Biol. 1998 Mar;73(1):3-49), "Antimicrobial functions of spices: why some like it hot" Capsicums, including chilies and other hot peppers, are in the middle of the antimicrobial pack (killing or inhibiting up to 75 percent of bacteria), while pepper of the white or black variety inhibits 25 percent of bacteria, as do ginger, anise seed, celery seed and the juices of lemons and limes.

icetea · Jan 12th, 2007, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by just_an_old_boy

The traditional knowledge says, 'green chillies' in moderate quantities are good for health. But, the dried and ground... chilly powder (red gunpowder

) is considered harmful.
Excess consumption as well as dry/red chillies are said to cause intestinial ulcers, beside BP problems.

There seems to be some recent research showing that red chillies are actually healthy for a lot of things, not just cancer (anti-inflammatory, pain killer, blood thinner, good in diabetes, digestive & respiratory problems). But, as you say, in moderate quantities, I presume! (is there anything moderate about Indian food, really?).

Ulcer seems to be caused by a bacteria. I can see how eating chillies will not feel the best while having a gastric lesion, as they will irritate the wound and make it bleed more, but as somebody says here, it also kills bacteria. Just maybe not THAT kind of bacteria

Sujoy666 · Jan 13th, 2007, 08:04

The hot chille sure has good effects, that is for sure. Not just cancer rate goes down but also has vitamins in it which is good for our health. so atleast one a day should be consumed and if taken raw green, just nothing like it...

ranjan154 · Jan 13th, 2007, 08:41

I wonder then why cancer rate is increasing in India

as we have enough of spice..

Nick-H · Jan 13th, 2007, 09:58

That may have something to do with increased diagnosis rather than increased incidence?

icetea · Jan 13th, 2007, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travinfoindia

I wonder then why cancer rate is increasing in India

as we have enough of spice..

Actually India and some Central & South American countries have a low incidence of some forms of cancer, and that's being attributed to their spicy diet. Or so I've read.

Bhaswaran · Jan 13th, 2007, 13:36

Wow, that was great news for me. I always take and like hot-chilli food as well as spicy ones. Recently I got gastritis and my doctor told me to lower my chilli intake. I am still taking 2-3 a day through spicy food. Ha ha.

Jan 10th, 2007, 22:28	#1
dreamer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southampton, U.K. Posts: 188	Spicy food can kill cancer! Great news for all those lovers of hot and spicy curries! Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells. They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria - the cells' energy-generating boiler rooms Unfortunately even half a chilli is too much for me full story below http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6244715.stm __________________ Life is not about the moments that we take breath, rather the moments that take our breath away.

Jan 10th, 2007, 22:49	#2
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	What, only the cancer cell mitochondria? Without mitochondria we'd be dead. I can manage half a chilli --- in a whole meal! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jan 13th, 2007, 08:41	#10
ranjan154 Amateur Photographer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Greater Noida (India) Posts: 853	I wonder then why cancer rate is increasing in India as we have enough of spice.. __________________ Rakesh Ranjan -------------- http://www.flickr.com/photos/travinfoindia/

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Jan 12th, 2007, 00:11	#3
kalyani68 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 214	My husband will be protected for life then.... He eats chile peppers raw on a daily basis. I don't mean the mild jalapenos, I mean the small hot Thai/Indian chiles. Several years ago I read of a study of Mexican-American cigarette smokers who seemed to have lower rates of lung cancer than most. It was thought that their diet high in chile peppers had some protective effect.

Jan 12th, 2007, 11:34	#4
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	I once started argueing with an Indian doctor that all these hot spices must be very harmful for the heart, BP and so on (I was dead convinced of what I was saying...). He was saying that, on the contrary, they seem to be quite healthy, they clean the blood system and protect the heart. I've also read contradictory information about the effect of chillies on blood pressure, some say to avoid it for high BP, some say it actually lowers it. My guess would have been that it definitely increases blood pressure, at least that's what I feel when I eat very spicy food (that my head will explode, more preciselly). Not that I don't like it (or learned to like it, having started from a zero chillies diet).

Jan 12th, 2007, 12:19	#5
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,509	I prefer raw indian chillis (2 or 3) with indian food. Hope I am like the American-Mexicans...

Jan 12th, 2007, 12:40	#6
just_an_old_boy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 229	icetea, The traditional knowledge says, 'green chillies' in moderate quantities are good for health. But, the dried and ground... chilly powder (red gunpowder ) is considered harmful. Excess consumption as well as dry/red chillies are said to cause intestinial ulcers, beside BP problems.

Jan 12th, 2007, 12:51	#7
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 4,659	Billing J, Sherman PW. an evolutionary biologist and professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell, in his article (Rev Biol. 1998 Mar;73(1):3-49), "Antimicrobial functions of spices: why some like it hot" Capsicums, including chilies and other hot peppers, are in the middle of the antimicrobial pack (killing or inhibiting up to 75 percent of bacteria), while pepper of the white or black variety inhibits 25 percent of bacteria, as do ginger, anise seed, celery seed and the juices of lemons and limes.

Jan 13th, 2007, 08:04	#9
Sujoy666 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 38	The hot chille sure has good effects, that is for sure. Not just cancer rate goes down but also has vitamins in it which is good for our health. so atleast one a day should be consumed and if taken raw green, just nothing like it...

Jan 13th, 2007, 09:58	#11
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	That may have something to do with increased diagnosis rather than increased incidence?

Jan 13th, 2007, 13:36	#13
Bhaswaran Landscape Photographer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kolkata. INDIA bhaswaran@redifmail.com Posts: 992	Wow, that was great news for me. I always take and like hot-chilli food as well as spicy ones. Recently I got gastritis and my doctor told me to lower my chilli intake. I am still taking 2-3 a day through spicy food. Ha ha.

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