Quote Originally Posted by davedove View Post
Spicy foods can cause heartburn, but they are certainly not the only cause. For some people it can be triggered by acidic foods, fatty foods, even chocolate. Now, if there is already a problem, the spicy foods will certainly make it worse. And, of course, some people just go overboard with the heat.

I have also read studies where spicy foods can increase metabolism, a good thing if you're trying to burn calories. But then, I've also read that they can spark appetite, so maybe these two effects balance out.

Everything else you said though is right on the mark. Unfortunately, some of us know all the facts, but just can't seem to put it into practice.
well... while some will say that spicy foods cause heartburn... and some say it doesn't.... one thing I have seen is that if you have heartburn... adding more food of ANY type will increase it.. that's because you're already producing to much stomach acid and adding food makes your body think it needs to produce more.

Capsaicin (the spicy chemical in peppers) has even been shown to help fight ulcers and repair damage to the stomach..


They also raise the metabolism and help burn calories... as far as increasing appetite.. maybe it's because foods taste so much better with a nice spicy kick

The main thing to all of this is... anything in excess can be bad for you... moderation is the key to life..