Aisha Tukur
Chilli, turmeric and other spices are often claimed to have health benefits or even the ability to “boost our immune system”. But can spices really add any health benefits to our food, or help us ward off illness?
Spices have been a part of our diets for thousands of years – it’s second nature to sprinkle our chips with pepper, sip on ginger tea and add chillies to our meals. But recently, some spices have been unofficially promoted from everyday culinary staples to all-healing superfoods.
Hillary Clinton reportedly ate one chilli pepper a day while on the campaign trail in 2016 as an attempt to ward off illness. Turmeric, which has been used in Asia for millennia, has found its way into coffee shops around the world in the form of “golden lattes” – and, during the pandemic, into viral messages that claim it can “boost your immune system” and protect you from getting sick. It’s now, according to one celebrity chef, “everywhere”.
Meanwhile, cayenne pepper still hasn’t recovered since the ill-advised “Beyoncé diet” back in 2013, which suggested consuming a concoction of cayenne pepper, maple syrup, lemon and water to lose weight. (Also see our story on whether “boosting” your immune system can really protect you).
But do spices really add any health benefits to our food, or help us ward off illness? And can any of them actually do us harm?
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The health benefits of chilli peppers
One of the most well known and widely used spices are chilli peppers. Many studies have examined their potential effects on our health – but have found both beneficial and adverse results.
Capsaicin is the main active ingredient in chillies. When we eat chillies, capsaicin molecules interact with the temperature receptors in our bodies, sending signals to the brain to create the feeling of heat.
