CAN EATING PEPPERS MAKE YOU HAPPY?

Actually, the answer may be yes. As the body starts to feel the burn of hot peppers, it releases endorphins attempting to cool the body. Endorphins are naturally occurring hormones that make us feel good.

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CHILI PEPPERS FOR THE BRAIN/MOOD

 Chili Peppers are good for the brain and for your mood!  You probably never thought of them that way, did you?  I know I didn't.  I love hot foods, so I eat a lot of foods with peppers.  I have always known they were good for helping me fight the inflammation my body has a problem with.  But I had never thought of them as helping my mood until I started doing some research on foods and their relationships to the brain, dementia, and mood.  (Yes, my late husband suffered from those illnesses; thus, my research.)  

You may know chili peppers contain a fat-soluble molecule called capsaicin.  I knew this was the molecule that helps with my pain and inflammation but until recently I never knew how much this affects our moods.  The brain is loaded with receptors for capsaicin, and we respond by releasing endorphins, natural compounds that have a calming effect on us!  If you don't like the heat of peppers, introduce them into your diet gradually in some casseroles, Tex-Mex foods, etc.