Exit rich and fatty dishes. When it’s very hot, like these days, we quite naturally gravitate towards fresh and hydrating foods on the plate, a matter of survival. But what about spicy foods? Common in so-called “hot” countries, do spicy dishes have a beneficial effect on the body? Or on the contrary do they put us even more under tension? Should we avoid them or favor them during the heatwave?
Yes, chili can give a feeling of freshness…
The idea may seem counterintuitive, but there is a physiological explanation behind this practice. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a substance that stimulates heat receptors in the mouth and body. Result: the body reacts by triggering sweating.
“Eating spicy makes you sweat. And sweating has a cooling effect since the water that evaporates on the surface of the skin allows the body to cool down”explains Pauline Pied, dietitian nutritionist.
It is this mechanism which explains why certain populations living in very hot regions regularly consume spicy dishes, without suffering from it.
…but this is not a good strategy during heatwaves
If the phenomenon does indeed exist, the expert nevertheless warns against a preconceived idea: eating very spicy foods to combat the heat is not necessarily a good idea when temperatures rise sharply.
Because sweating also means water loss.
“The problem is that when we sweat more, we lose more water. And when it’s already very hot, the objective is precisely to avoid dehydration” recalls the specialist.
In other words, the feeling of freshness obtained through sweating could be counterbalanced by an increased risk of lacking water, especially among fragile people, seniors or those who drink insufficiently during the day.
“Eating spicy on purpose while telling yourself that it will help you cool down is not necessarily interesting. Above all, there is a risk of increasing water loss. And therefore reduce well-being”, specifies Pauline Pied.
Can we continue to eat spicy food?
However, there is no question of banning peppers or spices from your diet during the summer, especially if you like them and are used to putting them in your home dishes.
“No one says you have to stop all spicy dishes when it’s hot!” reassures the nutritionist.
The nuance is important: consuming spices because we like them is one thing; making it an anti-heatwave method is another.
For lovers of spicy cuisine, the main thing remains to make sure to compensate for water losses by drinking enough throughout the day.
The best weapon against the heat remains hydration
To get through a heat wave, the recommendations remain the same:
“The real strategy for cooling down when it’s very hot is to drink water, stay cool and avoid going out during the hottest hours”insists Pauline Pied.
In summary, spicy eating is not prohibited during a heatwave and can even cause a temporary feeling of coolness through sweating. But it is certainly not the miracle solution to withstanding the heat. Faced with high temperatures, nothing better than hydrating foods!