2022-09-05, 11:53 PM
"While capsaicin won’t cure the human body of an infectious parasite, it can create a hostile environment, preventing a parasite from taking up residence in your gut. About ¼ of the world’s population eats hot chilies every day, according to Joshua Tewksbury, a biologist who studied hot chilies for 10 years. He determined that hot chilies may make food safer to eat.
While we have the luxury of refrigeration for our meat and vegetables, not all populations are as fortunate. Parasites leach into fresh food left outside in hotter climates and find their way into people’s stomachs. Historically, people who ate food flavored with chilies didn’t get sick as often, so a correlation was made with consuming chilies that fed into the food preparation customs of many cultures. Fending off the hot and humid weather with a spicy meal actually provided people with protection from lingering parasites."
Do Peppers Kill Parasites? (sfgate.com)
While we have the luxury of refrigeration for our meat and vegetables, not all populations are as fortunate. Parasites leach into fresh food left outside in hotter climates and find their way into people’s stomachs. Historically, people who ate food flavored with chilies didn’t get sick as often, so a correlation was made with consuming chilies that fed into the food preparation customs of many cultures. Fending off the hot and humid weather with a spicy meal actually provided people with protection from lingering parasites."
Do Peppers Kill Parasites? (sfgate.com)