subject: Relive Pain And More With Capsaicin [print this page] Capsaicin is a phenolic acid that can kill harmful bacteria, prevent headaches and more. It can be sourced from chilli peppers with the hotter peppers containing more capsaicin. In this article I will be taking a deeper look at this phenolic acid, discussing its main health benefits and listing the top food sources.
1) DISCOVERY:
Capsaicin was first extracted in an impure form in 1816 by Christian Friedrich Bucholz. In 1898 Karl Micko managed to extract a pure form of this phenolic acid and in 1919 its chemical composition was determined by E.K. Nelson. In 1919 this fiery nutrient was synthesised by Ernst Spth and Stephen Darling.
2) HEALTH BENEFITS:
Capsaicin is not believed to be essential in humans but it does have a number of useful health benefits. For starters, it is a powerful antibacterial (a substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria) and anti-inflammatory (a substance that prevents unnecessary inflammation in the body).
It is also a powerful pain reliever that can prevent headaches, prevent migraines, prevent joint pain, prevent muscle pain, reduce the negative symptoms of arthritis (inflammation of the joints), reduce the negative symptoms of diabetic neuropathy (a nerve disorder caused by diabetes) and reduce the negative symptoms of shingles (a skin rash which leads to pain and burning).
In addition to this, capsaicin has a calming effect on the stomach and can relieve indigestion, treat stomach ulcers and prevent inflammatory bowel disease. Finally, it can boost your metabolism (by providing a temporary thermic effect after consumption), protect your sinuses from infection and inflammation, prevent various types of cancer and reduce blood levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that blocks your arteries and increases your heart disease risk).
3) RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE (RDA):
There is no official recommended daily allowance (RDA) for capsaicin. However, most sources advise children aged 2 or less to completely avoid it. Children aged between 2 and 17 are advised to use this phenolic acid minimally. Adults aged 18 and over can use creams containing 0.075% capsaicin up to 4 times per day and consume up to 120 milligrams (mg) of this fiery nutrient 3 times per day.
4) FOOD SOURCES:
Chilli peppers are the only natural food that contain capsaicin with hotter peppers containing the highest amounts. Some of the hottest chilli peppers include the Bhut Jolokia Chilli, the Infinity Chilli Pepper, the Naga Viper Pepper and the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper. This phenolic acid can also be sourced at lower levels from milder peppers such as the Corando Pepper, Pimento Pepper and the Poblano Pepper.
