ARE CHILES GOOD FOR YOU?

• Active ingredient responsible for "heat" is capsaicin (cap-SAY- iss-in) found in membranes of the peppers
• Capsaicin irritates nerve endings in the mouth - stimulates the brain to release natural painkiller - endorphins
• Heat in one's stomach radiates and suffuses the body in a mellow but stimulating glow.
• Chili eater walks a fine line between pain and pleasure
• Capsaicin in creams used as anti-inflammatory agents Zostrix and Capzacin P- arthritis, shingles and neuralgia
• Capsaicin currently used in treatment of pain from mouth cancer - based on research performed by Linda Bartoshuk, Department of Surgury, Yale University
• Capsaicin kills germs- Team from Louisiana Medical Center in New Orleans found raw oysters to be safe to eat if first doused in hot sauce
• In the lab, a dash of capsaicin placed into a test tube killed all of the bacteria within one minute
• Capsaicin is an Antioxidant